Let's Compete!

Sport clubs at UWRF are student-run organizations open to any current UWRF student. Each organization is managed by individual sport clubs' elected student officers in cooperation with the Competitive Sports Coordinator.
 

Men's soccer goalie throws the ball back into play

Tell Me More

Sport clubs join a state, regional or national affiliation and travel to compete against other university clubs and organizations. They don't require as much commitment as the varsity athletic programs, but still practice 2-3 times per week with contests typically taking place on weekends. Each club manages their own budget, fundraising, home event hosting and roster. The Competitive Sports Coordinator serves as an adviser to help club officers with decisions, travel logistics and home contest logistics.

Explore below to learn more about each club. For information specific to a club, direct contact information and updates directly from the current officers, visit FalconsConnect.

The UWRF Baseball Club competes at a high level against clubs located throughout the Midwest under the National Club Baseball Association. The club practices throughout the academic year with contests in both fall and spring semesters.

The club practices outside, weather-permitting, at the Intramural Complex on campus, or at the River Falls High School fields located less than a mile from campus. When the weather doesn't allow for outdoor practice, the club uses batting cages inside the Knowles Field House where a pitching machine, portable mound and L-screen are available. 

The baseball club owns jerseys, bats and helmets for competition. Team members host fundraisers to purchase team hats and pants, which are owned by the players. 

The Baseball Club is a great way for students to make connections with fellow Falcons and stay active within the local baseball community! For more information or to reach the current officers, check out the links below.

Group photo of the baseball sport club

The UWRF Cheerleading Team is comprised of three different teams: football, basketball and competition. All experience levels are welcome, including beginners. Once you try out and make the team, you can choose to cheer for one, two or all three teams.

We cheer at all home football, women’s and men's basketball games. The UWRF Cheer Team attends one to two competitions per season in Wisconsin and/or Minnesota and surrounding states.

For more information or to reach the current officers, check out the links below.

Cheerleaders walk down main street in the homecoming parade

The UWRF Dance Team performs at halftime for home football and basketball games. We also have a Competition Team that competes throughout the winter and travels to Florida for UDA Nationals in Orlando. Interested in joining? We hold virtual tryouts in the Summer for prospective dancers and in-person tryouts again in the fall for new and current team members. 

For more information or to reach the current officers, check out the links below.

Group photo of the dance team sport club

Men's Lacrosse competes and practices throughout both fall and spring semesters. They travel throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota to compete against other collegiate club teams. It's a fantastic way to stay active, get some exercise and interact with fun and accepting people!

Never played before or don't have any equipment? No problem! The men's lacrosse team does not require a certain skill level nor any past experience and the team enjoys teaching new teammates about the game. The club also provides helmets, jerseys and additional equipment.
 
For more information or to reach the current officers, check out the links below.

Group photo of the men's lacrosse sport club

UWRF Women's Club Lacrosse is a fun way to be involved on campus, meet new friends and stay active! We have practices during the academic year, utilizing Ramer Field during the fall and spring and Knowles Field House during the winter. We'll have games and scrimmages against other collegiate club teams in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Members with all levels of playing experience are welcome! Players enjoy teaching new members about the game. The club also has goggles, sticks, jerseys and other equipment for players to rent for the school year. 
 
For more information or to reach the current officers, check out the links below.

Reach new heights with the UWRF Rock Climbing Club! Our club creates a fun and friendly community to train, compete or just enjoy the sport of competitive climbing. We have members of all experience levels and are excited to share climbing with new members 

The UWRF Rock Climbing Club competes in the Midwest Climbing Series each year. The series is an annual circuit of climbing competitions held on UW (University of Wisconsin) and UM (University of Minnesota) campuses.  
 
For more information or to reach the current officers, check out the links below.

Group photo of the rock climbing sport club

The UWRF men’s club soccer team competes at a high level against clubs located throughout the Midwest within the Midwest Collegiate Soccer Alliance. Our club practices throughout the academic year with contests in both the fall and spring semesters.

The club practices outside, weather-permitting, on Ramer Field or at the Intramural Complex on campus. When the weather doesn't allow for outdoor practice, the club uses Knowles Field House where indoor goals are available for use. 

The club owns jerseys, shorts and soccer balls for competition. Additional apparel will be available for players to purchase in the fall. The club also hosts team events and fundraisers to help with the costs of travel, registration and additional equipment.
 
For more information or to reach the current officers, check out the links below.

Men's soccer club playing a game

UWRF Women's Club Soccer consists of a group of students who enjoy getting together to play the sport they love while continuing to develop their skills in a competitive league. They play in the Women’s Midwest Alliance Soccer Conference in the fall, with affiliation to the Great Lakes region. 

The club practices outside, weather-permitting, on Ramer Field or at the Intramural Complex on campus. When the weather doesn't allow for outdoor practice, the club uses Knowles Field House where indoor goals are available for use.

The club provides soccer bags, jerseys and shorts. Additional apparel will be available to team members for purchase in the fall. The team also hosts team bonding opportunities and fundraising events throughout the academic year to help offset the cost of travel, hotels and equipment!
 
For more information or to contact the current officers, check out the links below.

Women's soccer club playing a game

Tennis Club welcomes tennis players of all skill levels to come out to the courts and have some fun! We run practices on the outdoor courts (across from the Falcon Center) during the fall and then move into Knowles during the winter. Practices consist of drills and games. 
 
Club members will have the opportunity to compete in weekend tournaments at other universities throughout the year. We also hold matches against local universities.  
 
The club owns jerseys, bags, racquets and additional equipment for players to rent. The team hosts team bonding opportunities, volunteer events and participates in fundraising throughout the academic year to offset the cost of travel, hotels and equipment. 
 
For more information or to contact the current officers, check out the links below.

Group photo of the tennis sport club

Ultimate Frisbee is a relaxed environment where members come to have fun throwing a disc, improve their skills and meet new friends. Members of all playing experience are welcome! We compete against other colleges around the Midwest on weekends in the fall and spring.  

The club practices outside, weather-permitting, on Ramer Field or at the Intramural Complex on campus. When the weather doesn't allow for outdoor practice, the club uses Knowles Field House or Page Arena.  

The club provides jerseys, gloves and discs for members. Additional apparel will be available to team members for purchase in the fall. The team also hosts team bonding opportunities and fundraising events throughout the academic year to offset the cost of travel, hotels and equipment. 
 
For more information or to contact the current officers, check out the links below.

Group photo of the ultimate frisbee sport club

Men's Club Volleyball competes and practices throughout the entire academic year, regionally and nationally. The team practices two to three times a week at the Falcon Center.

During the winter and spring, the team competes as a member of the Wisconsin Volleyball Conference at tournaments around the state. They cap off their season with a regional tournament and travel to nationals, hosted by the National Collegiate Volleyball Federation. 

The club provides jerseys and equipment for competitions. Additional apparel will be available to team members for purchase in the fall. The team also hosts team bonding opportunities and fundraising events throughout the academic year to offset the cost of travel, hotels and equipment.  
 
For more information or to contact the current officers, check out the links below.

Group photo of the men's volleyball sport club

The UWRF Women’s Club Volleyball team competes and practices throughout the entire academic year, regionally and nationally. The team practices two to three times a week at the Falcon Center.  
 
During the winter and spring, the team competes as a member of the Wisconsin Volleyball Conference at tournaments around the state. They cap off their season with a regional tournament and travel to nationals, hosted by the National Collegiate Volleyball Federation. 
 
The club provides jerseys, backpacks and equipment for competitions. Additional apparel will be available to team members for purchase in the fall. The team also hosts team bonding opportunities and fundraising events throughout the academic year to offset the cost of travel, hotels and equipment.  
 
For more information or to contact the current officers, check out the links below.

Women's volleyball players high five after a game

Frequently Asked Questions

Interested in participating in a sport club? Curious about the details? Explore below to find the answers to frequently asked questions about UWRF's sport clubs. 

UWRF is an inclusive campus, meaning that it is accepting of all types of people and all types of ideas. In that spirit, every organization on campus is required to be inclusive as well.  A registered student organization will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, disability, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status or parental status, or academic course of study (with exceptions made for gender as listed in Title IX and religious and political beliefs as stated in University of Wisconsin Board of Regent Policy Documents 30-6). Activities that each organization provides should also eliminate discriminatory and/or culturally insensitive language, behavior, and content from activities sponsored by the university and it is encouraged that our student organizations follow this policy as well.

The short answer? There is a no-cut policy with UWRF sport clubs. Any interested student may join a sport club. However, due to league or affiliation rules, budget restrictions and competitive advantages, each club may set a "Competition" or "Travel" roster based on skill level.

UWRF athletic teams are housed in the Athletic Department, whereas sport clubs report to Campus Recreation. Sport clubs are completely student managed, with some guidance from the Competitive Sports Coordinator. Students are responsible for the administration of the club, including setting practice schedules, competition schedules, organizing travel, creating a budget and purchasing equipment. Much of the individual student expenses are paid out-of-pocket or through fundraisers run by the club as minimal funding is provided by the University. Varsity athletic teams are managed by the Athletic Department staff, coaches and governing conference with larger operating budgets and, in general, higher competition level as a part of the NCAA. Both teams represent the University at state, regional and national competitions. Sport clubs, however, compete in different governing bodies based on the sport.

Other than women's volleyball, women's soccer, tennis and women's lacrosse, UWRF does not offer both a sport club and varsity athletic team in the same sport. In most instances, a sport club is formed because a varsity athletic team is not supported by UWRF, the WIAC or the NCAA.

The Intramural Sports program provides an opportunity for students, faculty and staff to participate in sports against other teams within the UWRF campus community. The purpose of intramural sports is to provide exercise, recreation and fun to its participants. This program is different from sport clubs in that sport clubs are student-only and travel outside of the University to compete at organized competitions, events and tournaments against other Universities.

In general, the highest level of competition is in varsity athletics, followed by sport clubs and then intramural sports.

Each sport club is run by its' elected student officers. Student officers are elected the previous year with positions including President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and other potential positions. These elected officers oversee club funding, practice time requests, joining a league, registering for tournaments or events, scheduling home and away contests, planning travel logistics and the overall flow of the club.

The Competitive Sports Coordinator is the adviser of the sport club program. That position assists club officers with all aspects of their club and ensures each club is following University, State and Federal laws.

The sport club program is partially funded through Student Segregated Fees and partially funded either through fundraised money or out-of-pocket by participants.

Each club is awarded a certain amount based on league fees, travel requests and adherence to policies in previous years. Most clubs still need to charge a small fee for each individual member, host fundraisers or use out-of-pocket money to fund all desired travel, equipment purchases and tournament registration fees. 

 

The sport club program is partially funded through Student Segregated Fees and partially funded either through fundraised money or out-of-pocket by participants. 
 
Each club is awarded a certain amount based on league fees, travel requests, and adherence to policies in previous years. Most clubs still need to charge a small fee for each individual member, host fundraisers or use out-of-pocket money to fund all desired travel, equipment purchases, and tournament registration fees.

Awesome! That's the best part about college - trying new things! Many students have interest in a sport but were never offered the sport in high school or have never played competitively. Sport clubs regularly develop new players in practices and try to gradually add more playing time throughout the season.

If you have some interest in a club, reach out to the officers or try to attend a practice! Some clubs have extra equipment available for new participants to use until they decide to purchase their own.

Note: Sport clubs are competitive in nature and the club is still able to determine playing time based on skill level.

Please contact campusrec@uwrf.edu. There are a few clubs on campus who - due to the nature of their activity - are not classified as sport clubs. For instance, the Rodeo Club is not housed in Campus Recreation as a sport club because of the nature of their activities and on-campus facilities at the Lab Farm.

If we do not have the club you are looking for, start your own club!  All sport clubs on campus originally started when a few students had a common interest and got together to form a club. With a little paperwork and a few other interested participants, you can start your own club on campus.

For more information on how to start a Student Organization/Sport Club, please contact studentinvolvement@uwrf.edu.

Campus Recreation

185 Emogene Nelson Ave.
A105 Falcon Center
River Falls, WI 54022

campusrec@uwrf.edu

715-425-4289