The University of Arkansas Razorback Men’s Ice Hockey Program is pleased to announce Andrew Falls as its next ACHA Division I Head Coach. Coach Falls comes to Arkansas after serving as a Graduate Assistant for Wagner College’s Men’s Hockey program.
Born in Jackson, Tennessee, and raised in Nashville, Coach Falls played for four years in the ACHA for McKendree University where, in 2016, he helped the Bearcats qualify for the National Championship. After college he worked in the front office of the St. Louis Blues and SPHL’s Knoxville Ice Bears. During his time with Wagner College, he help transform a one-win team in 2016-2017 into a team that qualified for a conference tournament appearance in 2017-18. That campaign also saw Seahawks earn a win over a Division I opponent.
When discussing what drives him to coach hockey, Coach Falls said, “I coach hockey because of how rewarding it is to be a mentor and to build lifelong friendships with the players. Hockey is in my blood and without it, I’m simply not the same person.”
Coach Falls is no stranger to the Razorback Hockey program, “Razorback Hockey has one of the strongest foundations of any team at this level. As an opponent who has had to play at the Jones Center, I was blown away by the fan-base and the deafening support that the team received. It truly is not a fun place to be the visitor.”
In looking to the future and where Coach Falls would like to see the program go, he stated “My goal for the program is to capitalize on the incredible progress that’s been made, and elevate this program to the next level. If the next five years are as good as the last five years, we’ll be competing for national championships.”
“Kevin Cole chose to withdraw from the position for personal reasons and we wish him all the best,” said Coach Gallini, the Program’s Director. He added, “We were elated that Coach Falls was still on the market and elected to come to Arkansas.”
Coach Falls and the Division I Razorbacks play their first game of the 2018-19 season on September 27th in Edmond, OK, where they will faceoff against WCHL rival University of Central Oklahoma. The team opens its home season October 4 against another conference rival–Arizona State.
The University of Arkansas fields two hockey teams. The Division I team recently released its 2018-19 schedule (view here). It has, since 2015, competed in the Western Collegiate Hockey Conference (learn more here). The Division III team will in 2018-19 begin its twelfth season competing in the Southeastern Collegiate Hockey Conference (learn more here). All home games are played at The Jones Center for Families in Springdale.
