Location: River Falls, WI 54022
Enrollment: 6,100
Chancellor: Don Betz
WIAC faculty representatives: Jim Mulvey, Barbara Rebhuhn
Athletic director: Rick Bowen (phone: 715-425-3246)
Associate athletic director: Patti Ford (phone: 715/425-3244)
Head coach: Steve Freeman (11th season, 199-85-19 career record) 715/425-3252
Assistant coach: Bob Ritzer
National affiliation: National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Div. III
Conference: Northern Collegiate Hockey Association, Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Conference members: NCHA: Eau Claire, Lake Forest, River Falls, St. Norbert, St. Scholastica, Stevens Point, Stout, Superior; WIAC: Eau Claire, River Falls, Stevens Point, Stout, Superior
Nickname: Falcons
Colors: Red and White
NCHA championships: (2) 1988, 1996
WIAC championships: (11) 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006
2006 overall record: 17-7-3
2006 conference record, finish: NCHA - 9-4-1, 2nd place; WIAC - 6-1-1, 1st place
2006 letter winners lost: (11) D.J. Clark (D), Nate Hansen (F), Ross Johnson (F), Andy Jurek (D), Lance Malark (F), Dan Meneghin (G), Chris Nathe (F), Mike Salmela (D), Andy Scanlon (G), Joe Tiberio (F), Aaron Venasky (F)
2005 letter winners returning: (15) Joe Adams (F), Pat Borgestad (F), AJ Bucchino (G), TJ Dahl (F), Derek Hansberry (F), Wade Harstad (F), Jim Henkemeyer (D), Tyler Kostiuk (F), Josh Meyers (D), Dustin Norman (F), Chris Robinson (D), Jared Sailer (F), Matt Szypura (D), Devin Underwood (F), Jason Usher (D)
Trainer: Gary Eloranta 715/425-3130
Sports information director: Jim Thies 715/425-3846 (e-mail: james.g.thies@uwrf.edu)
Web site: www.uwrf.edu/sports/
Hockey web site: www.uwrf.edu/sports/sports0607/mhoc_menu.htm
Sports information fax: 715/425-4486

2006-2007 Falcon Schedule
Oct. 27 Eau Claire, 7:05 p.m.
Oct. 28 Lawrence, 7:05 p.m.
Nov. 3 at Gustavus Adolphus, 7 p.m.
Nov. 4 St. Olaf, 7:05 p.m.
Nov. 10 at Augsburg, 7 p.m.
Nov. 11 St. John's, 7:05 p.m.
Nov. 17 at Eau Claire*^, 7 p.m.
Nov. 18 at Stevens Point*^, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 1 Lake Forest*, 7:05 p.m.
Dec. 2 St. Norbert*, 7:05 p.m.
Dec. 8 at St. Scholastica*, 7 p.m.
Dec. 9 at Superior*^, 8 p.m.
Dec. 12 St. Mary's, 7:05 p.m.
Jan. 4 at Marian, 7 p.m.
Jan. 6 Bethel, 7:05 p.m.
Jan. 12 at St. Thomas, 7 p.m.
Jan. 13 at St. Mary's, 7 p.m.
Jan. 19 Stevens Point*^, 7:05 p.m.
Jan. 20 Eau Claire*^, 7:05 p.m.
Jan. 26 at St. Norbert*, 7 p.m.
Jan. 27 at Lake Forest*, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 2 Superior*^, 7:05 p.m.
Feb. 3 St. Scholastica*, 7:05 p.m.
Feb. 9 Stout*^, 7:05 p.m.
Feb. 10 at Stout*^, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 16 NCHA Quarterfinals, TBD
Feb. 17 NCHA Quarterfinals, TBD
Feb. 24 NCHA Semifinals, TBD
March 3 NCHA Finals, TBD
March 7 NCAA First Round, TBD
March 10 NCAA Quarterfinals, TBD
March 17 NCAA Semifinals (at Superior), TBD
March 18 NCAA Finals (at Superior), TBD
* NCHA Games
^ WIAC Games

2004-2005 Falcon Results
17-7-3 Overall, 9-4-1 NCHA, 6-1-1 WIAC
Home 11-5-1, Away 6-2-2, Neutral 0-0-0

Date	Opponent	W/L/T	RF	Opp	Goals	Saves
Oct. 28	Eau Claire	W	5	1	Sailer 2	Bucchino 34
Oct. 29	Lawrence	W	8	0	Adams 3	Scanlon 21
Nov. 4	at St. Olaf	T	5	5 OT	5 with 1 each	Bucchino 37
Nov. 5	Gustavus Adolphus	L	4	3	Kostiuk, Venasky, Borgestad	Scanlon 29
Nov. 10	at St. John's	T	2	2 OT	Hansberry, Harstad	Bucchino 23
Nov. 12	Augsburg	W	7	4	7 with 1 each	Meneghin 29
Nov. 18	Stevens Point*^	W	3	1	Dahl, Sailer, Henkmeyer	Bucchino 29
Nov. 19	Eau Claire*^	W	7	3	Dahl 3	Scanlon 23
Dec. 2	at Lake Forest*	L	2	3	Hansberry, Borgestad	Bucchino 22
Dec. 3	at St. Norbert*	L	2	5	Venasky, Hansberry	Scanlon 31
Dec. 9	Superior*^	T	1	1 OT	Hansberry	Bucchino 31
Dec. 10	St. Scholastica*	W	3	2	Hansberry, Nathe, Norman	Bucchino 31
Dec. 13	Hamline	W	4	2	Borgestad 2	Meneghin 24
Jan. 6	Marian	W	6	2	Hansberry 2	Bucchino 23
Jan. 7	at Bethel	W	3	2	Venasky, Borgestad, Dahl	Bucchino 31
Jan. 13	St. Mary's	W	3	1	Hansberry, Borgestad, Dahl	Meneghin 26
Jan. 14	St. Thomas	W	3	0	Kostiuk, Norman, Hansberry	Bucchino 33
Jan. 20	at Eau Claire*^	W	5	1	Nathe 2	Meneghin 34
Jan. 21	at Stevens Point*^	W	4	1	Borgestad 2	Bucchino 35
Jan. 27	St. Norbert*	L	0	7		Bucchino 31
Jan. 28	Lake Forest*	W	4	3	4 with 1 each	Meneghin 31
Feb. 3	at St. Scholastica*	W	5	3	5 with 1 each	Bucchino 46
Feb. 4	at Superior*^	W	1	0	Salmela	Bucchino 23
Feb. 10	at Stout*^	W	4	2	Hansberry 2	Bucchino 32
Feb. 11	Stout*^	L	1	3	Hansberry	Bucchino 33
Feb. 17	Stout&	L	0	1		Bucchino 39
Feb. 18	Stout&	L	2	3 OT	Kostiuk, Borgestad	Bucchino 41

*NCHA Game
^WIAC Game
&NCHA Playoff Game

2006-07 UW-River Falls Preview
The Falcon hockey team begins the 2006-07 with many of the same faces back from a 2006 team that finished 17-7-3 overall and 9-4-1 in the NCHA. The team made it to the NCHA quarterfinals where they suffered a loss to UW-Stout. With goals of becoming NCAA Champions still in returnerees minds, the Falcons should push the envelope this year and be an elite team.

The main focus this season will be on the Falcons returning front line. Sophomore forward Derek Hansberry leads the attack after leading River Falls in scoring last season. Hansberry recorded 33 points with 18 goals and 15 assists. Eleven of his goals came on the power play and he was named to the first All-NCHA and All-WIAC teams. Joining him will be line mate TJ Dahl who returns for his third season with the Falcons. Dahl was second on the team in scoring with 30, a majority of his points came from assists where he led the team with 21. Junior Pat Borgestad also returns and supplies another scoring threat up front. Borgestad knotted 26 points in 2006 while being second on the team in goals with 13. He earned honorable mention to the All-NCHA team. The Falcons also will see the return of sophomore Dustin Norman who finished the 2006 season with an injury after netting six goals and 17 points.

The Falcons also return key players on defense. Sophomore Chris Robinson (0-0-0) and juniors Jason Usher (1-5-6) and Jim Henkemeyer (6-6-12) look to improve a defense from last season that was stifling at times. The results should be the same this season as there is more determination than ever.

Goalie A.J. Bucchino comes off a big sophomore season where he finished with a 10-5-3 record. Bucchino earned a lot of respect from the coaching staff as he played in all the team's big games. He was named to the first All-NCHA and All-WIAC teams. He allowed only 2.08 goals per game and finished with a .938 save percentage. He finished third in the nation in save percentage and ninth in goals against average. Bucchino will be the only goalie the Falcons have with any experience after the graduation of seniors Dan Meneghin and Andy Scanlon.

Falcons Head Coach Steve Freeman enters his 11th season looking for his 200th career win. Freeman has a 199-85-19 record with the Falcons.

The Falcons once young team now looks to pack the punch of a solid and experienced veteran hockey team. With the return of their top four scorers, along with the stellar play of Bucchino in the net, the Falcons look to have not only one of the best squads in the NCHA, but in the nation.

The Falcons opened the season with two home games against Eau Claire (Oct. 27) and Lawrence (Oct. 28).

2006 Returning Letter Winners

Falcon 2006 Statistics Page

Northern Collegiate Hockey Association

WIAC Hockey

Steve Freeman
Head Coach
199-85-19 career record

AJ Bucchino


TJ Dahl