Men's and women's hockey team gear up for the rest of the season

Both the men’s and woman’s hockey teams are looking to build on the success of last year as the 2021-22 season gets underway.

Joe Cranson will be coaching his 23rd season with hopes of bringing the Falcons to the national spotlight. Last year the WIAC season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic with the Falcons only playing 12 games.

The team made the most of the limited games posting a record of ten wins and two losses. The record was good enough to qualify for a chance at the O’Brien Cup, the award for winning the conference.

The Falcons did just that as the defeated UW-Eau Claire in the final to win trophy, their second straight and sixth in team history. The Falcons did not get a chance to compete on a national level as the tournament was not held due to the pandemic.

The UWRF team is returning many core players from last years roster including senior forward Callie Hoff who led the team in points. Junior Abigail Stow returns after leading the team in goals last season. Senior Goalie Sami Miller will also return to the ice after not playing last year. The Falcons opened their season with a victory against Lake Forest on October 30th.

On the men’s side Steve Freeman will be entering his 26th season as head coach. The Falcons will look to build on the success of last season after posting a 6-3-1 record. Unfortunately, a COVID outbreak on the team canceled their tournament game against UW-Superior. This year, the Falcons are hoping the success of last season can carry them towards this years playoffs.

The Falcons lost many seniors including star defensemen Christain Hausinger to graduation. Senior forward Cayden Cahill returns after leading the team in points last season. Sophomore Vilho Saariluoma will look to lead the team in points again after breaking out as a freshman. The Falcons began their season on October 29th with a victory against Finlandia.