Wyoming Basketball Tips Off

Courtesy photo by UW Athletics

Cowboys and Cowgirls both see returning and impactful star-power 

LARAMIE, Wy. — It’s that time of year again, and basketball season has snuck up on us behind the all-consuming facade that is Cowboys football.  

The Cowboys players began their preseason with a couple of exhibition contests last week, and the Cowgirls start their preseason off this coming Monday. 

The Cowboys’ regular season starts this Saturday, here at the Arena-Auditorium, in a matchup against The College of Idaho. The Cowboys are looking for a hot start at home, echoing last season, when they went 14–4 in Laramie. 

This year, the Cowboys are hoping to make a run at the Mountain West Championship. 

“It’s really going to mean more if we can go out there and win the Mountain West and make the NCAA Tournament,” said senior Uriyah Rojas in an interview with the Pokes Insider. “That’s the goal and that’s what we’re prepared to do this year.” 

Rojas is one of five players returning from last year’s squad, and a huge backbone for the Cowboys backcourt going into the 26–27 campaign.  

Other returners include Khaden Bennett, a guard who averaged in the double-digits last year, Naz Meyer, a preseason-all MW selection, and big men Gavin Gores and Neil Summers. 

“This is where we want to be,” Coach Sundance Wicks said. “We want to be in a position of being able to retain guys on our roster in a day and age where everybody’s transient and teams change constantly.” 

This past week, the Cowboys had two strong showings in preseason exhibition games. 

On the 11th, they took down Northern Colorado in Gillette 94–68 before making a trip down to Texas to square up with a true tournament talent in TCU, during which they narrowly lost 89–76. 

The Cowgirls’ season begins about two weeks later than the Cowboys’, with an exhibition matchup against Colorado Christian on Monday.  

After a losing season written off as a “transition year,” the Cowgirls are poised to perform much better this upcoming season. 

One of the main reasons for this is the return of starting point guard Kati Ollilainen.  

The redshirt Junior from Finland missed all of last season due to an injury she suffered before the season began, and with a hole in the roster at a pivotal position like point guard, her absence was certainly one of the reasons the Cowgirls struggled last season. 

“It feels really good to be here and to be back on the court,” Ollilainen said at the Mountain West media day in Las Vegas. “It means a lot to me, and I’m just grateful to be playing basketball again.” 

Likely because of their 10–20 record last season, the Mountain West has the Cowgirls pitched at seventh in the preseason poll, but Coach Heather Ezell feels great about her team, and is just fine with that underdog mentality going into the season. 

A big part of the hope for the Cowgirls’ success is also due to a returning star.  

Sophomore Jane Rumpf, just like Meyer, was selected for the preseason-all MW team after leading the conference in blocks per game and three-pointers made per game. 

“It’s a new conference,” Coach Ezell said. “New opponents, new places to go, so for us it’s a whole new chapter. That’s how we have to look at it. Last year is done. Turn the page.” 

For both the Cowboys and Cowgirls, there is a lot of optimism going into this season, and for good reason.  

All signs point in the right direction for the teams this year, so fans will just have to wait and see if they can put it together.