It appears that UW-River Falls’ days at the bottom of the WIAC are coming to an end.

“I think we’ve had a couple opportunities the last nine years where we’ve been right at the corner,” Hovet said after Saturday’s 55-51 loss to UW-Eau Claire at Zorn Arena. “With this group I feel like we’re sneaking around the corner right now. We’re bringing in some nice players next year and we’re very excited about where we’re going.”

And, for the first time, some of those recruits are from the Chippewa Valley.

The Falcons (9-6, 3-4) already have an Altoona connection in their backcourt. Jenna Hanson, one of the team’s two seniors, transferred from Winona State before the 2007-’08 season and is the team’s starting point guard. Freshman Tiffany Gregorich, a Leader-Telegram All-Northwest first-team pick last season, came to UW-River Falls largely because of Hanson. Brittany Gregorich, Tiffany’s sister and an All-Northwest second-team pick last season, is part of the incoming crop of recruits.

“We’ve been trying to recruit this area more the last few years,” Hovet said. “This has been an area that Eau Claire and Stout have had a little bit of a hold on, but we’ve been trying to break into that.

“Once positive word gets out about your program, it really helps recruiting.”

Getting the Gregoriches is a nice first step. Tiffany Gregorich, who was recruited hard by UW-Stout, has made a big impact right away, leading the team in scoring (13.4 points per game) despite coming off the bench. Brittany Gregorich chose the Falcons over interest from UW-Stout and UW-Eau Claire.

“I’d like to see more girls from this area go to River Falls, but they get a lot of girls from the Twin Cities,” Tiffany Gregorich said. “I’m hoping they will. I’m hoping that others see me and Brittany here and say ‘I know them, I want to go there.’”

Even if they can’t break into the Chippewa Valley, the Falcons draw several players from the Twin Cities area. Hovet said she has three players coming from Minnesota next season, including Lindsey Olson, a post player from Plainview, Minn., that should contribute right away.

Not only does Hovet feel like the program is turning the corner, her players are expecting to battle for a conference championship before their college careers are done.

“Our freshmen recruits this year are really good and we made a pact with each other that we are going to stay all four years,” Tiffany Gregorich said. “If we stay together the next four years, we can make something of it. With the girls we have above us, and my sister and the girls that are coming in next year, we can make something of it.”

Hovet has supporters within the conference. She played for and coached with Mark Thomas at UW-Stout, earning player of the year honors in 1994.

“She’s done a good job,” Thomas said. “She’s stuck with it, stuck to her guns, stuck to her principles. Any program that’s ever going to be successful, that’s what you have to do. You’ve got to stick to your principles and battle through some lean years when things happen that are out of your control, and she’s been able to do that.”

Hovet hopes those lean years are coming to an end, but like Thomas said, she’s not going to change how she does things. Unlike other coaches, Hovet doesn’t have a 20-player roster, preferring a 12- to 16-player roster which she said helps with team chemistry and provides for more individual attention. She also wants unselfish players that put the team first.

“I think we do things right,” Hovet said. “We have positive team kids. Once we start to draw a few of the better players from the area and once word gets out, it will make a difference.”