With the dust finally beginning to settle on a full calendar year of sports for both the Cowgirls and the Cowboys, it’s time to finally start looking ahead to new beginnings this upcoming fall. While this year’s slate of athletics has been turbulent–from the highs of Cowgirl basketball’s Mountain West tournament championship run to the lows of one of the most disappointing football seasons in recent history–there is a lot to look forward to in the near future.
Volleyball
Cowgirl volleyball will be looking to surpass their conference play woes once and for all this upcoming season, as they’ve just fallen short of the sixth place–the final spot–to make the Mountain West volleyball championships in their first two years under head coach Kaylee Prigge.
Regardless of their struggles within the league, the Cowgirls have still found troves of success under Prigge in her two years at the helm. In just her first year, the Cowgirls started with a school record 11 straight wins before skidding into seventh place in the conference. The Cowgirls’ 20 wins that season earned them a ticket to the NIVC (National Invitation Volleyball Championships) where they would find two wins before falling out of the bracket.
Last season was similar in trajectory, and similarly disappointing for a Cowgirl squad that looked the part of a team that could make the Mountain West championships, but again fell short at eighth place in the league. The Cowgirls again roared out to an impressive record in their non-conference slate, this time with an 8-3 record. The Cowgirls again struggled during league play, however, finishing the season with a 15-12 record, which again garnered an invitation to the NIVC. Another two-win run at the NIVC would be stunted by Arizona, turning the page to this season for the Cowgirls.
The Cowgirls will be missing the services of seniors Kayla Mazocca, Kasia Partyka, Kendal Rivera and Sonte Stewart in the upcoming season, and also lost production in the transfer portal with the loss of Sierra Grizzle, who will play at Texas Tech this upcoming season.
The Cowgirls will be looking to finally break through to the Mountain West tournament this upcoming season, and regardless of their losses will have the tools to do so with all-Mountain West selection Paige Lauterwasser returning to the front line, as well as Sarah Holcomb who led the Mountain West in blocks a season ago. Skylar Erickson also makes a return, entering the upcoming season as the team leader in digs.
Football
Cowboy football will be looking to avenge a disappointing 3-9 campaign a season ago–one that seemed doomed from the jump when the second offensive play of their opening contest resulted in a pick-six.
The Cowboys will have to get off to a much better start this season when they hit the road to take on Akron on August 28–preferably on the opening drive, at that. The Cowboys certainly appear to have the tools to lead a successful rally this upcoming fall, but most of that talent is relatively unproven. Whether it’s their intriguing defense full of unknown rookies and transfers or an undoubtedly talented but relatively unproven offensive unit that returned much of its production from a year ago, each player on the roster will have something to prove if they want last season to fade away as a fluke.
Offensively, the Cowboys return gunslinging quarterback Kaden Anderson and some of his top targets from a season ago, being wide receivers Jaylen Sargent and Chris Durr Jr, as well as tight end John Michael Gyllenborg. Leading rusher Sam Scott is also set to return after the junior bruiser had his best season to date a season ago. A young offensive line also returns much of its talent, with the added benefit of a year of experience.
However, the Cowboys had to revamp much of the defense after losing much of their defensive production from a year ago. Mainstays from as far back as four seasons ago are all gone, as the shoes of seniors Wyett Ekeler, Connor Shay, Isaac White and Shae Suiaunoa will all be difficult to fill. Much of the Cowboys’ youth and some emerging transfers have all been brought in to bolster a defense that looks to reform back into one of the best in the Mountain West.
Soccer
Cowgirl soccer will be looking to build off their first year under head coach Josh Purdum, where they had an up-and-down season ending in a 4-6-9 record. While their four wins came far and few between numerous ties, the Cowgirls did record their first ever ranked win as a program.
While the Cowgirls do skew young this upcoming season, they do return some vital experience in Jazi Barela, Haley Bartel, Lily Brongo, Alyssa Glover and Eliza Grace-Smith. Barela, Glover and Grace-Smith will hope to remain healthy this season, however, as all three missed nearly the entirety of the 2024 season due to various injuries.
The Cowgirls will be looking to reach the highs of the 2022 season–where they won the Mountain West regular season–once again after two straight losing seasons.
