Undefeated Falcons gear up for NCAA tourney

The UW-River Falls women’s hockey team is your Varsity Journal Women’s Team of the Month. The River Falls Falcons have been on a tear all season long, and are the only undefeated team left in Division 3 hockey heading into March.

Through March 8, the Falcons own an improbable 28-0-0 record, sitting as the #1 team in the WIAC conference and the top-ranked team in the NCAA.

The most recent box checked on River Falls’ To-Do list came when they defeated the visiting UW-Eau Claire Blugolds in a March 2 matchup to win the WIAC Tournament. After a rare tie game against the formidable Blugolds, the Falcons were left victorious in overtime as they hoisted the vaunted O’Brien Cup.

Although success has come in droves for this Falcons squad, the skaters and coaches have not wasted much time discussing it. In an interview with the Hudson Star Observer, Head Coach Joe Cranston was quoted as saying, “We have a winning culture, but we don’t talk about winning.” 

That culture has been around for some time now as Joe Cranston is in the midst of his 25th straight season with River Falls, making him the longest-tenured women’s hockey coach in the WIAC. Cranston has been with the team since its inception back in 1999. After his first year with the program, his teams have never had a losing record.

That streak continues this season as the Falcons are poised to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament. Strong play will be relied on from reigning WIAC Player of the Year Maddie McCollins, who leads the team in Goals and Assists. Sophomore Megan Goodreau and Senior Alex Hantge are not far behind McCollins in the points category, as they each have over 40 total points on the season. 

Defensively the team has leaned on several goalies throughout the year, with each one stepping up as needed. Jordan O’Connor has been defending the net the most for the Falcons this season though, and will look to keep her save percentage high heading into the NCAA tournament. 

The Falcons kick off tournament play on Saturday, March 9 in a matchup vs. 2nd-ranked Gustavus Adolphus. With a win, they will move on to the Frozen Four on March 15 with the Championship coming on March 17. 

With two games left, the high-flying Falcons will look to do what no other team in D3 Women’s Hockey has ever done: finish their perfect undefeated season with a National Championship victory.