Noah Hanson: Six years of perseverance

Noah Hanson entered his sixth year as a member of the UWRF Men’s Basketball team in the fall of 2023. His journey to eligibility this year follows some ups and downs: Hanson’s success, the COVID-19 pandemic, a season-ending injury, and, this season, a comeback story. 

In 2018, as a freshman, Hanson participated in 17 games for the Falcons but started none of them. He emerged as a star and a starter in his sophomore year, starting 23 games and averaging 11 points per contest. The following season, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented many athletic programs from completing a normal season of competition. The men’s basketball regular season was condensed to only eight games, one of which was canceled. Hanson averaged the second most points on the team but only played in six total matches.

The 2021 season gave Noah a fresh start, and he became the face of men’s basketball at UWRF. He led the team with nearly 18 points per game and won the team’s scoring title with 430 total points. He was nominated for two Male Falcon of the Week awards and was featured as the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, or WIAC, Men’s Basketball Player of the Week. At the end of the season, he made the All-WIAC First Team, joining the other nine most elite players in the conference. 

Following a dominant 2021 campaign, Noah suffered the most brutal injury of his career. Just weeks before the season, UWRF participated in a scrimmage in Rochester, MN. On a routine transition, Hanson felt his knee buckle. The result was a torn ACL, a torn meniscus in two places, and an end to his 2022 basketball season. The surgery and follow-up appointments went well, but Hanson was on crutches for a full six weeks. He worked with Twin Cities Orthopedic for therapy and gave its trainers much of the credit for his recovery.

Hanson says his long-term goal while in rehab was to play in the 2023 home opener against Gustavus Adolphus on Nov. 15, 2023. Despite missing this goal, Noah made his debut only six days later, playing against the University of Northwestern-St. Paul. He was on the court for 13 minutes and scored five points. Since then, Hanson has started 18 games in a row and is third in points per game for the Falcons. 

His signature moment this season came on Jan. 13, 2024 vs. UW-Oshkosh. Tied 76-76, Hanson shot a corner three as time expired. The shot found a way to the glass, and the Falcons won 79-76. Noah says he had to consider the benefits of playing another year on the varsity team, saying, “Do you want to put in the time, the effort, the training, and rehab, and deal with the little uncertainties?” He has certainly made an impact this year, as the Falcons are in a prime position to host the first round of the WIAC tournament. Hanson said, “Once I started playing, it made it all worth it again.” His journey is one of adversity and success, and he has maintained this competitive spirit throughout his entire UWRF career.