University of Wisconsin-River Falls

Steve Gustafson was a basketball four-year letter winner (1966-69) and was named to the first All-WIAC and NAIA All-District 14 teams in 1968 and 1969. After his senior season Gustafson earned honorable mention honors to the NAIA and Converse All-America teams. He was named the team’s MVP in 1968 and 1969 and is seventh in career rebounding at UWRF (524). Gustafson was the boy’s basketball coach at New Berlin High School from 1973-88 and his teams won five WIAA Regional titles. He was named the WIAA Coach of the Year in 1981.

Connie Foster served UWRF in several roles during her long and productive career. She started her career as the gymnastics coach (1984-92) and was named the WIAC Coach of the Year in 1989. Foster was the women’s athletic director from 1992-96 and athletic director from 1996-02. She then was named dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies (2003-07) and was UWRF’s interim chancellor in 2008-09. She was the president of the WIAC (1995-97) and served as a member of the WIAC Transition team (1996-97). She earned the University’s Outstanding Service Award in 2003 and was co-chair of the Falcon Center Fundraising committee.

Rick Bowen was the head men’s basketball coach and athletic director at UWRF in a career that spanned 24 years. He was the basketball coach from 1986-06 and athletic director from 2002-10. He is the all-time leader in basketball wins (265) and led the Falcons to the 2004 WIAC Championship. He was named the WIAC and NABC West Region Coach of the Year in 2004. In 2009 Bowen was named to the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Kris Buhrt earned seven letters in two sports during her career at UWRF from 1987-90; She earned four basketball letters and helped UWRF win the 1988 and 1989 WIAC Championships. She played in two NCAA National Tournaments (1988, 1989). Buhrt was named the WIAC basketball Scholar-Athlete after her senior season. She earned All-WIAC honors in 1988, 1989 and 1990. Buhrt scored 1,069 points and is fourth in career rebounding (802). She also earned three softball letters (1987-89) and helped the 1987 team to the WIAC Championship. She was also a member of the 1987 and 1989 WIAC West Division Championship winning teams.

Brady Alstead was a member of the Falcon men’s hockey team from 1996-99 and earned four letters. He is still UWRF’s leader in season goals against average (1.55) and season saves percentage (.944) set in 1996. He was twice named to the AHCA All-America team (1996, 1999). Alstead earned All-NCHA honors three times (1996, 1998, 1999) and two All-WIAC honors (1998, 1999). He was named the team’s MVP in 1999 and helped lead the 1996 and 1998 teams to the NCAA National Playoffs. He helped the 1996 team win the NCHA Playoff Championship and the 1999 team to the WIAC Championship.

Mandy Stokes played hockey for the Falcons for four seasons (2000-03) and was the team captain in each of those years. She was a key player and leader in the team’s early years of competition. Stokes was a member of the first Falcon varsity team and was named to the All-NCHA team in 2001. The team’s Hardest Worker award is named after her. She helped lead the 2003 team to the NCHA regular season and playoff championships and the team’s first ever berth in the NCAA National Championships. Stokes played in 102 games and scored 30 goals and 50 points.

Amy Brooke earned four softball letters for the Falcons (2000-03) as a starting pitcher. She was named the WIAC softball Scholar-Athlete after her senior season. Brooke was a four-time NFCA Scholar-Athlete and was named to the first All-WIAC team three times (2000, 2001, 2003) and also earned honorable mention (2002). In 2003 she was named to the NFCA All-Great Lakes Region third team and was named the team’s MVP. Brooke had a 39-38 career record with 512.1 innings pitched. She struck out 347, had a 1.78 ERA and appeared in 99 games. She is still 15th in career strikeouts and 16th in career pitching appearances in the WIAC.

Melissa Tvrdik was an outside hitter for the Falcon volleyball team and earned four letters (2000-03). After her senior season she was named the WIAC’s Player of the Year, the volleyball Scholar-Athlete and to the CoSIDA Academic All-America team. Tvrdik was an AVCA All-American in 2002 and 2003. She was named to the All-WIAC team in 2001, 2002 and 2003. The Falcons compiled a 113-42 record during her career and she helped lead the team to the 2000 and 2003 NCAA National Championships. Tvrdik still holds several Falcon records. She finished her career with 1,209 kills and 397 total blocks.

Lindsy Carlson earned three letters for the women’s hockey team (2001, 2003, 2004). She led the 2001 team in scoring (13-19-32) and the 2004 team (11-25-36). Carlson still holds records for goals by a defenseman (13 in 2001), assists (25 in 2004) and points (35 in 2004). She is a two-time AHCA All-American (2003, 2004) and was named to the All-NCHA first teams three times (2001, 2003, 2004). She was a member of the 2003 team that won the NCHA regular season and playoff championships, and a berth in the NCAA Playoffs.

The 1988 hockey team won the NCAA National Championship – the University’s first ever NCAA title. UWRF also won the NCHA regular season (20-4 record) and playoff championships under Coach Rick Kozubach. In the NCAA playoffs UWRF defeated UW-Stevens Point in a quarterfinal series, 6-5, 9-5 in River Falls and then defeated Bemidji State in a semifinal series, 6-4, 5-3 also in River Falls. In the Championship series the Falcons defeated Elmira, N.Y., 7-1, 3-5, 3-0 (mini-game). The championship series was played in Elmira, N.Y. The team set a single season record with 31 wins. Goalie Chris Hanson, defenseman Joe Lagoo and forward Arron Scott were all named to the AHCA All-America team.