MEQUON, Wis. - The Concordia University Wisconsin ACHA men's hockey team wrapped up its 2024–25 season with a 23-13-0 overall record, finishing second in the NCHL Black Division at 8-2. The Falcons reached the semifinals of the Hap Cup and earned their third straight bid to the ACHA Division II Central Regional Tournament. Their year was marked by explosive offense, veteran leadership, and national recognition.
CUW opened the season with a 4-0 shutout of MSOE, led by a multi-goal night from Garrett Wilderman (Waukesha, Wis.) and a clean sheet from junior goaltender Austin Bartell (New Berlin, Wis.). They followed with a 5-4 win over Wisconsin behind early goals from Tommy Cassel (Grafton, Wis.) and Owen Almburg (Glenview, Ill.) and 43 saves from Bartell.
At their October home showcase, the Falcons stunned defending national champion Indiana 5-3 and beat St. Thomas 4-3 in overtime on a last-second goal from freshman Nolan O'Malley (Chicago, Ill.). Cassel, Rex Staudacher (Yorkville, Ill.), and freshman Rocco Cicirello (Mequon, Wis.) all delivered standout performances.
CUW rolled through NCHL play with sweeps of MSOE and UW-Oshkosh. Chuck Emme (Glenview, Ill.) and Cassel paced the offense, while freshmen goalies Tug Staudacher and Fred Roufs (Sioux Falls, S.D.) stepped up with strong early showings. The Falcons stayed hot on a trip to Canada, picking up wins over Sault and Lake Superior State before sweeping MSU-Denver and Lake State again in November.
December brought a near-upset of No. 1 Lindenwood in a 2-1 loss, followed by a 3-1 win over Maryville. CUW closed the semester at 16-7-0.
The Falcons erupted for 22 goals in a weekend sweep of Milwaukee after the break. Senior night featured a 10-0 shutout in front of a home crowd, with 10 different goal scorers and multi-point games from seniors Cassel, Wilderman, and Andrew Malek (Milwaukee, Wis.). Emme and Murano led a deep offensive attack.
CUW continued its run in January with wins at Marquette and a strong showing at the Miami Showcase, including a 5-4 win over Trine and a shootout thriller with Lake State. Cassel, Malek, and Murano remained consistent threats, while Bartell posted multiple 30-plus save games.
The regular season ended with a dominant 8-1 win over DePaul, featuring seven points from Murano and four from Emme. CUW defeated DePaul again in the Hap Cup quarterfinals before falling to Purdue Northwest in the semifinals.
At the Central Regional, the Falcons fell 6-3 to Iowa despite multi-point games from Malek, Cassel, Judge, and Emme. The appearance marked CUW's third straight regional berth and another 20-win season.
Eight seniors were honored for their impact: Cassel, Wilderman, Malek, Staudacher, Judge, Roberts, Ballweg, and Delikat — one of the most decorated classes in program history.
Postseason honors were led by senior defenseman Rex Staudacher, who earned ACHA All-Athletic First Team, All-Central Region First Team, and All-NCHL First Team honors after leading all NCHL defensemen with 46 points and 38 assists. Senior forward Tommy Cassel earned ACHA All-Region Second Team and First Team All-NCHL recognition, leading the league with 57 points, 14 power-play goals, and six game winners. Sophomore Chuck Emme was named First Team All-NCHL with 38 points in 19 games. Freshmen Mason Musel and Nolan O'Malley were both named to the NCHL All-Rookie Team.
With a talented core returning and national attention continuing to grow, the Falcons are poised to remain a top contender in ACHA Division II heading into 2025–26.
