Outlook on spring sports

The temperature is dropping and winter is setting in. While winter is only getting started, it’s never too early to begin looking ahead to the warmer weather spring brings. The warmer season will see the return of various Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, or WIAC, athletic events the Falcons participate in. 

Softball will look to improve their record after finishing last year with a 10-19 record. The Falcons also went 6-14 in WIAC conference play. Head coach Amber Dohlman will begin her seventh season with the program. The team graduated four seniors and will field a young team heading into 2022. Freshman Johanna Breyen led the team in batting average last year and will look to continue keeping her high offensive numbers into her sophomore season. Juliana Reynolds will return for her junior season after leading the team last year in strikeouts and innings pitched. The 2022 schedule is not available but the season is expected to begin in late February. 

Women’s lacrosse will begin their season after having a successful one last year. The team went 9-3 and qualified for the NCAA tournament before losing to John Carroll University. Returning for the Falcons includes last season’s leading goal scorer Emily Herdine. Entering her junior season, she looks to continue to be an offensive threat after scoring 44 goals. She also led the team in assists with 16. Returning for her sophomore season, Emma Kohlbeck was second on the team in goals with 31. Third leading scorer Gina Jablonski will be back for her junior season after scoring 27 goals. The Falcons will be without head coach Alison Jennings who stepped down at the conclusion of last season to pursue a Division II program opportunity. The Falcons will be led by Talia Hayes. Hayes will hope to bring the same offensive style to the team after the Falcons scored an average of 16 goals per game and allowed just eight goals per game. The season is expected to begin in March. 

Track and field will begin their season with a meet against UW-Stout on Jan. 22. The team finished last season fifth in the WIAC. Under second year coach Colleen Sowa, the Falcons saw improvement for the program. Sowa left the program for Division I employment. This year, Andy Eggerth will be the new coach for the team after joining the program in August. Eggerth will look to build on the success of Sowa and continue to lead the program in the right direction.