University of Wisconsin-River Falls

Jerry Cognetta

Jerry Cognetta lettered in baseball in 1966, 1969 and 1970. He has been recognized statewide for his coaching accomplishments at Elmwood High School. He coached the softball team for 20 years and his teams had a 301-39 overall record. They won two WIAA Division III State championships (1977, 1984) and finished second twice (1985, 1995). His teams won nine WIAA Sectional titles and 16 Regional championships. Elmwood won 12 straight Dunn St. Croix Conference championships and 17 in his 20-year tenure. His teams compiled a 163-11 record in conference play and at one time won 63 conference games in a row. In 1995 Cognetta won the Wisconsin High School Coaches Association Outstanding Service Award for contributions to the game. He earned the Wisconsin High School Coaching Association Championship Coaching award in 1977 and 1984.

Chris Hanson

Chris Hanson was a goaltender for the Falcon men's hockey team that won the NCAA Div. III National championship in 1988. He was named the championship's Most Valuable Player that year. Hanson was honored by being named an American Hockey Coaches Association All-American in 1988. He was named to All-Northern Collegiate Hockey Association teams in 1986, 1987 and 1988 and to the All-Wisconsin State University Conference teams in 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988. The Falcons won the NCHA regular season and playoff championships in 1988 and won the WSUC titles all four years he competed. He was named the team's Most Valuable Player in 1987. Hanson still holds Falcon records for career saves (2,486), career wins (65), career goalie games (98), single season saves (848) and single season wins (24).

Jodene Heldt

Jodene Heldt played basketball for the Falcons in 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992. In 1992 she was given honorable mention to the Kodak-Women's Basketball Coaches Association All-America team. In 1990 she was named to the All-District VI team by the same organization. Heldt was named to the All-WWIAC team in 1990 and 1992. In 1990 she led the WWIAC in scoring (23.7), rebounding (11.1) and field goal shooting (.607). Heldt was named the team's Most Valuable Player in 1990 and was the team captain in 1992. Heldt played for the Falcons in 1989 when the Falcons won the WWIAC title. Currently she is fourth in career points (1,310) and sixth in career rebounds (649) at UW-RF.

John Hoch

John Hoch played football and baseball at UW-RF. He earned letters in football from 1976-79) and in baseball from 1977-78. UW-RF won WSUC football championship in 1976 and 1979 and competed in he NAIA Div. I National playoffs in 1979. Hoch has been nationally recognized for his football coaching accomplishments since his graduation fromUW-RF. In 2002 he was named the National Federation of State High School Associations National football Coach of the Year. He was named the organization's Section IV Coach of the year also. He has been the football coach at Lancaster High School since 1982. His teams have won four WIAA Division IV State championships (1993, 2000, 2001, 2002) and finished second once (1999). His 1990 and 1997 teams reached the state playoff semi-finals. Hoch has led Lancaster to eight Southwest Conference Championships and he has been named the Coach of the Year in the conference seven times (1989, 1990, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001). In 2001 he was named the Associated Press Coach of the Year. His teams have compiled a 158-69 overall record and are 54-2 in the past four years.

Jennifer Kokes

Jennifer Kokes competed for the Falcons in track & field and volleyball. She earned track letters in 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988 and volleyball letters in 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986. Kokes was a two-time NAIA All-American in the heptathlon (1987, 1988). Four times she was named to the second All-WWIAC team. She was named during the 1987 outdoor season in the heptathlon and as a member of the sprint medlay relay team. She was given the honor twice in the 1988 outdoor season in the javelin and in the heptathlon. In 1986 she was named to the All-WWIAC volleyball team.

Melissa (Matteson) Ollerman

Melissa (Matteson) Ollerman competed in track & field and cross country for the Falcons. She earned letters in track in 1987, 1989, 1990 and 1991 and in cross country in 1990 and 1991. In 1991 she was an indoor and outdoor NAIA track All-American in the triple jump. She was named to the second All-WWIAC team in 1991 when she placed second in the long jump in the indoor meet and second in the triple jump at the outdoor meet. Ollerman was named the team's Most Valuable Performer in 1990 and 1991. In cross country she was named a NAIA All-American Scholar-Athlete in 1991 and was given honorable mention to the 1990 NAIA District 14 team.

Jim Schulenburg

Jim Schulenburg played offensive guard for the Falcon football team and earned four letters in 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990. He helped lead the Falcons to the 1987 Wisconsin State University Conference championship. In 1988 he was given honorable mention to the NAIA All-American team. In 1989 he was named to the NAIA All-American and Pizza Hut All-American teams. In 1990, he was named the winner of the Falcon Best Blocker award and was named to the Champion USA Div. III second All-American team.

Gwen Sibbers

Gwen Sibbers competed on the Falcon swimming and cross country teams. She earned letters in swimming in 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993. In 1990 she was a three-event NAIA All-American in the 100-butterfly, 50-freestyle and 100-freestyle. In 1992 she earned honorable mention to the NAIA All-American team in three events - the 50-yard free, the 100-yard freestyle and the 200-yard freestyle. In 1992 she was named a NAIA All-American Scholar-Athlete and was listed in Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities. Sibbers was named the Falcon Most Valuable Swimmer in 1990, 1992 and 1993. She was named to the first All-WWIAC teams in 1990, 1991 and 1993. She won four WWIAC individual event championships, in 1990 in the 100 fly and 100 free, in 1991 the 50 free and in 1993 in the 500 free. Sibbers still holds Falcon records in the 100-yard freestyle (54.31), the 200-yard freestyle (1:57.25), the 500-yard freestyle (5:16.76) and the 200-yard butterfly (2:16.04). She earned a letter in cross country in 1989 when she was named the team's Most Valuable Runner and the team's Outstanding Freshman Runner. She was named to the second All-WWIAC team in 1989. In 1993 she achieved Junior Academic Honors and in 1994 Senior Academic Honors. In 1993 she was named NCAA Woman of the Year at UWRF.