Wyoming-Ohio football coverage

Crum gets passing marks

http://wyomingsportsfootball.blogspot.com/2008/08/crum-has-successful-debut.html

Cowboys-Bobcats go down to last play

http://wyomingsportsfootball.blogspot.com/2008/08/cowboys-have-to-hold-on-one-more-time.html

Running game gains momentum

http://wyomingsportsfootball.blogspot.com/2008/08/running-game-builds-momentum.html

Play of the game

http://wyomingsportsfootball.blogspot.com/2008/08/play-of-game-crum-td-pass-to-morgan.html

UW notebook

http://wyomingsportsfootball.blogspot.com/2008/08/uw-notebook-first-timers-fare-well.html

Solich sees positives, despite loss

http://wyomingsportsfootball.blogspot.com/2008/09/bobcats-play-well-but-come-up-short.html

Cowgirls drop pair in Corvallis

Wyoming sophomore Dani Bedore

By Wyoming Sports.org

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- The Wyoming Cowgirl volleyball team dropped to 0-3 on the young season with a tough four-game loss to College of Charleston Saturday night to conclude the Corvallis Invitational. Earlier in the day, the Cowgirls fell to Portland State in five games.

College of Charleston controlled much of the match for the 25-23, 25-23, 18-25 and 25-16 victory.

“Pre-season play is always a starting point to see where you are as a team,” Wyoming head coach Carrie Yerty said. “The players competed hard and continued to get better every match. It’s the coaching staffs’ responsibility to continue to teach our young Cowgirl squad to compete and improve their skills. I’m extremely proud for the opportunity to coach these young women, proud of their effort, and look forward to watching the team grow and get better.”

Sophomore Dani Bedore once again had a strong showing, as she finished with a career-high 15 kills, while adding five digs. Outside hitter Lauren Whitney added 14 kills, while Samantha Eley led the team in digs with 14. The Cowgirls hit .204 (52-22-147) for the match, while adding five total team blocks.

Three Cougars ended their night in double figures led by Whitney Russell who had 17 kills and eight digs. She was followed by Elyse Chubb with 13 and Emily Sawin with 12. College of Charleston hit .239 (53-21-134) for the match and recorded 11 total blocks.

The Cowgirls nearly earned their first win for Yerty, but just came up short in the fifth game. Portland State held on for the 18-25, 29-27, 21-25, 25-22 and 15-13 victory.

“We had a lot of improvement in this match from yesterday,” Yerty said. “Overall, our blocking was much improved, we just need to continue to build our team systems and eliminate errors at critical times.”

Three Cowgirls finished the match in double-figures. Whitney and Jenna Arneson each finished with 14 kills, while Arneson also added a career-high 11 digs. Bedore eclipsed added 13 kills and eight digs and Senior Carissa Lee recorded a season-high 29 digs, while Eley added 13. Wyoming hit .112 (57-34-205) for the match and recorded 13 total team blocks.

Portland State was led by Marija Vojnovic with 15 kills and 14 digs, while Lana Zielke added 13 kills. The Vikings hit .128 (62-36-203) for the match and had 93 digs and nine total team blocks.

Wyoming will continue tournament play next weekend at the Honolulu Advertiser Volleyball Challenge, in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Cowboys opener is here

The University of Wyoming kicks off the 2008 football season by hosting Ohio Saturday at War Memorial Stadium.

http://wyomingsportsfootball.blogspot.com/2008/08/cowboys-ready-to-host-bobcats.html

Plainsmen fall to Sailors

Steamboat Springs, Colo., struck early and held off Laramie 21-14 Friday night in the season opener at Deti Stadium

http://wyomingsportsyouth.blogspot.com/2008/08/plansmen-had-their-chances-fall-to.html

Lathrop leads Cowgirls in rout of South Dakota

By Wyoming Sports.org

Wyoming PA announcer Geoff Mack likely had a sore throat after yelling goal all game, as the Wyoming soccer team ran past the University of South Dakota 7-0 Friday at the Louis S. Madrid Spots Complex.

It was a record-day for the Cowgirls, as senior Amanda Lathrop had three assists and is now in sole possession of first place for career assists in Wyoming history.

“It’s very exciting to do, I actually didn’t even know I was that close to the record,” Lathrop said after breaking the record. “Overall, we played very well, we executed what we were practicing and training for all week.”

In addition to the career assists record, Lathrop also now holds the record for most individual assists in a game as well.

“Amanda attacked very well today, it was nice for her to get the all time assists record, it’s well deserved, and as a team, I am pleased with our overall performance today,” Wyoming head coach Danny Sanchez said.

The scoring for the Cowgirls started at the 36th minute, when senior Laine Hubbard found sophomore Jerrica Divincenzo, who cut through the defenders and scored the first goal of the game, and her first of the season.

Lathrop then assisted on the next three UW goals to put the Cowgirls up 4-0. Those three goals were scored by Hubbard, fellow senior Corey Theiman, and junior Emily Layton.

Lathrop continued her offensive attack, as she scored the fifth goal of the game in the 55th minute on a pass from Juliana Candelaria. Freshman Cassie Sheffield scored her first goal as a Cowgirl, on a nice pass from sophomore Kayla Davis in the 68th minute. The Cowgirls added one final goal as Davis banked in a goal off the side bar on a corner kick at the 75:55 mark.

The Cowgirls outshot South Dakota 27-2 for the game and 15-0 in the first half. It was the third career shutout for senior goalkeeper Jamie Scarcliff.

“Our defense played great, and I was happy with the way our bench played today,” Sanchez said.. “It’s always nice to have some momentum going into the next game.”

The Cowgirls will hit the road Sunday when the face Northern Colorado Sunday at 7 p.m. in Greeley.

Cowgirl volleyball loses season opener

By Wyoming Sports.org

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- It is a new season for the Wyoming Cowgirl volleyball team and it is a new start for head coach Carrie Yerty. The Cowgirls opened the season with a tough 3-0 loss to host Oregon State Friday night in the Corvallis Invitational.

Oregon State opened with a 25-10, 25-13 and 27-25 victory.

“I think Dani Bedore played a solid match,” Yerty said. “It took us until the third game to find any rhythm. We aren’t going to look in the rearview mirror. We just need to focus on the next two upcoming matches tomorrow, especially in the area of pass and serve.”

In the first game, the Cowgirls trailed by just 8-7, but tough Oregon State blocking lifted the Beavers on a couple of runs and a 19-9 lead and they never looked back.

Oregon State was in total control in the second game, jumping out to a 15-4 lead and closing strong as well.

The two teams traded points in the early going of the third set. Oregon State would take an 8-5, lead but the Cowgirls rallied back with a 7-2 scoring run to gain a two point advantage, 12-10. Despite the best efforts of the Beavers, Wyoming continued to maintain a slight lead for the next several points. With the score 18-17 in favor of UW, they would score six of the next seven points to extend the lead to four, 22-18. Not to be outdone, Oregon State would mount a comeback of its own with a 7-2 run to earn match point 25-24. The Cowgirls evened it up at 25 all, but couldn’t hold off the next two points.

Wyoming was led on the night by Bedore, who finished with a career-high 10 kills, five digs and a .348 (10-2-23) hitting percentage. Sophomore JennaRae Jester followed with nine kills, while Tasha Weishahn had 23 assists. The Cowgirls hit just .184 (28-14-76) for the match and struggled serving with 16 service errors.

Oregon State was led by Jill Sawatzky with nine kills, five digs and a .500 (9-2-14) hitting percentage. Rachel Rourke added seven kills, while Lauren Rinderknecht finished with six. The Beavers hit .349 (30-8-63) for the match and had 13 service aces.

Wyoming will continue the tournament on Saturday against Portland State at 11 a.m., and the College of Charleston Cougars at 7 p.m.

Korir, Higgins pace UW runners

By Wyoming Sports.org

Wyoming senior Mark Korir and junior Emily Higgins paced the Wyoming cross country teams to second-place finished Friday at the Wyoming Invitational at Red Jacoby Golf Course.

Korir, a two-time all-American, led the charge for the Cowboys, as he won the first meet of this early season. Korir, the reigning champion, ran a time of 21 minutes, 45 seconds, in the 6.8k race, just two seconds off his course record he set last year. He was followed closely by fellow senior Michael Huntington with a time of 22:03. The two Cowboys ran strongly together most of the way until Korir kicked it into overdrive over the last half of the course.

“Both Mark (Korir) and Michael (Huntington) ran smart, clean races,” Wyoming head coach Randy Cole said. “They ran within themselves and Mark showed today that he will be tough to beat throughout the year. As for Michael, he ran one of the best races in his extensive career here at UW.”

Also for Wyoming, sophomore Seth Grossman crossed the tape in 11th place with a time of 22:49, with senior Brett Schuler right on his tail in 13th place in 23:04.

“If our men can continue the pack they had going through the first half of the race, we will have a very strong team,” continued Cole on the second place finish for the men.

Higgins was the leader for the Cowgirls, as she blazed through the fairways to a second-place finish and a time of 15:07. Higgins ran most of the race in second place and could not catch Colorado State freshman, Ellie Rastall, who ran a time of 14:49. Two sophomore Cowgirls finished behind Higgins, as Alysha Davis and Emily Byra placed seventh and 11th respectively.

“Emily (Higgins) had a very strong race and looked good throughout but it just wasn’t enough for her to catch Rastall of CSU,” said Cole. “Alysha Davis and Emily Byra are way ahead of where they were last year and are going to be two very strong runners for us down the road. We have a few runners that will close that gap as the season progresses, and I am excited for this team come conference.”

Up next for Wyoming will be the Montana State Invitational in Bozeman, Mont., on Sept. 20.

“This will be a nice block of training for the next three weeks, as we prepare to take on some very good teams that we don’t usually get to see until Regionals,” said Cole.

Korir ready for bigger and better things

UW photo
Mark Korir and the UW cross country teams will open the season at the Wyoming Invitational Friday at Jacoby Golf Course.

by Richard Anderson

Wyoming Sports.org

Mark Korir is already the most decorated runner in University of Wyoming cross country history. In fact, he’s one of the top runners in Mountain West Conference history.

Yet, he looks for bigger and better things, not only for himself individually, but for the Cowboys as a team.

Korir and the UW runners will open the season Friday with the annual Wyoming Invitational at the Jacoby Golf Course. After a high school meet, the college runners begin with the women’s race at 6 p.m. and the men’s race at 6:30 p.m.

“I’m really excited for my senior year,” Korir said. “I feel well prepared. I think our team is coming in with a lot of conditioning and we’re going to get things done. I feel that our team is really, really stronger than last year. We’re seeing a better thing here. We can probably punch our ticket to nationals.”

For the Eldoret, Kenya, native, it was almost hard for him to talk about himself … he’s thinking as a team.

His goals this season: Win individually and do well as a team.

“We are shooting for individual titles and also as a team,” he said. “If we can punch our ticket to nationals, that would be cool for everyone around. It would be good for the school.”

A two-time cross country All-American, Korir finished 19th at the NCAA Championships a year ago, coming off a 22nd-place finish his sophomore season. He was also first in the Mountain West Conference championships and finished fifth in the Mountain Region a year ago.“He’s ready to go out and have his best year this fall,” UW coach Randy Cole said. “He has prepared himself better than ever.”

What’s next? The sky is the limit, Cole said.

“It’s kind of a crapshoot in cross country; you have to be strong on that day,” Cole said. “He could be a Top-10 performer at the national meet. He’s already a Top 20 guy, and there is not much difference between the Top 10 and Top 20. He’s that caliber. He could be right up there in the mix.”

Korir’s national experience can only help this year. He said as a runner progresses, it gives you a chance to improve every time.

“I feel that this is my last year, but compared to the other years, I feel better,” he said. “I’m more improved compared to the other years. I feel that I will be able to do better than what I did before.”

While he has done some different training this summer, much of it is the same, but with time, he said.

“When you take more time to train, your body can get used to the training,” Korir said. “Compared to 2006, when I first competed, I didn’t felt I had the training, but the experience was not there yet. This kind of experience, I feel that I am a little better.”

This summer, Korir was named to the MWC All-Decade Team.

“I was proud of that. I was proud for my team, I was proud for my coaches and I was proud for myself,” Korir said.

When Korir first came to Wyoming in January of 2006, the Wyoming coaching staff redshirted him for the indoor season. He opened some eyes in the outdoor season, winning his first race -- a 3,000-meter run in Arizona, breaking the school record.

"We thought this guy is pretty good,” Cole said in an understatement.

Korir went on to win the conference 5,000-meter run that spring. The rest, including placing fourth at the national indoors championships in the 5,000-meter run last season, is history.

“What he is done has helped give us recognition on the national level and helped us bring in some good guys to the program,” Cole said. “The guys on the team helped raised their training too and their enthusiasm for running. The way he has raced, he is not afraid to get up there with the leaders no matter what race he is in. He’s leaving a good trail of historical efforts.”

Wyoming Invitational

Competing along with UW will be last year’s women’s champion Colorado State, the reigning men’s winner from last year, the Air Force Academy, and the University of Northern Colorado.

“Friday will be a nice kickoff to the season and a nice gauge to see where we are after an entire summer of training,” Cole said. “I am excited to see whose competitive instinct will stand out in our first meet of the year."

For the Cowgirl harriers, junior Emily Higgins will lead the charge but will be followed by a nice pack of returning runners.

“The women are really showing good camaraderie thus far this season and will compete to improve on their second place finish from last year,” said Cole. “They really have their work cut out for them as they go against one of the top teams in the nation in Colorado State.”

Along with Korir, the Cowboys are returning letterwinners include senior Brett Schuler and sophomore Taylor Kelting and Seth Grossman.

“Schuler, Kelting and Grossman have really worked hard and it has showed in our practices this week,” Cole said. “I also look forward to newcomer Philemon Kimutai to have a good showing this Friday.”

Laramie High School news

Coleton Wilson leads Plainsmen into opener:
http://wyomingsportsyouth.blogspot.com/2008/08/wilson-ready-to-lead-plainsmen.html
Greg Schabron puts his stamp on program: http://wyomingsportsyouth.blogspot.com/2008/08/schabron-takes-over-at-his-alma-mater.htmlis-alma-mater.html

Weishahn ready to lead Cowgirls

Richard Anderson photo
Wyoming senior setter Tasha Weishahn gets ready to return a serve in a recent Cowgirl practice.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

Tasha Weishahn likes the idea of being a free thinker for the Wyoming volleyball team.

As the setter for the last three years, Weishahn goes into her final season with a new coach, a new system and a new outlook on running the Cowgirl offense.

She “thinks” that she will do just fine.

The new offense under first-year head coach Carrie Yerty is a little more complicated, giving Weishahn a few more options.

“There is much more to think about, but as a setter, it is way-more fun to be that creative, to figure out what is going to work for your team,” Weishahn said. “That’s kind of the setter that I had been in the past. I’m really excited to get back into that; it’s a lot more fun to play that way.”

The Cowgirls will open the season Friday in Corvallis, Ore., in the Corvallis Invite. Wyoming faces Oregon State Friday at 7 p.m., Portland State Saturday at 11 a.m. and College of Charleston at 7 p.m.

Not that she didn’t like the previous offense under then head coach Pat Stangle, but Weishahn said when Yerty first introduced her system last spring, she said she fell in love with it.

“I get to be way-more of a setter and I get to do more things in the offense that I haven’t done in the past,” she said.

Weishahn said there were a few restrictions in the old offense; she said she could only set on certain plays and certain balls.

“We ran pretty much the same offense all of the time; the same set, the same rotation,” Weishahn said. “Whereas with this offense, we run tons of different crosses and stacks and it is a lot more free for me.”

Another new aspect of this season for Weishahn is the fact that, as one of three seniors on the team, she is a leader. She wasn’t called on to lead in the past.

“I think it is going to be great to take some of these young girls under my wings, helping them along,” she said. “All of our hitters are pretty much sophomores or younger this year There’s not a lot of experience, but they have a lot of heart and drive. They have a lot of passion to get better. It should be a lot of fun.”

Yerty said that Weishahn is an extension of the coaching staff on the floor.

“It’s interesting, because in the past, Tasha really hasn’t had to be a floor general. She just set her primary hitters and they pretty much did their deal,” Yerty said. “She has had to make a huge adjustment in leadership. She has to dictate what happens; she has to put up the butter for the hitters to hit because she doesn’t have the veteran hitters who were on this team last year. She is going to be the glue to this team this season.”

Weishahn goes into her final season with an opportunity to move up in the Wyoming record book. She is currently fifth in career assists with 3,279. If she hits her average this season, she’ll likely move up to third place behind Amy Doman (4,832) and Chris Lambert (4,767). Kim Smith is third at 3,655 and Jil Robins is fourth at 3,592. Weishahn is also tied for ninth with 95 service aces. Again, a good year could push her into the top three.

It’s a bittersweet feeling for the Cowgirl senior, as she enters her final season.

“It’s exciting going into this year; it’s going to be a really fun year and I’m excited about that. But it’s four months and I am done,” Weishahn said. “But I have the next part of my life to move on to and I am excited about that.”

Cowgirl lineup

Along with Weishahn, Yerty is expected to go with sophomore Dani Bedore at rightside hitter, sophomores Lauren Whitney and Jenna Arneson at outside hitters, senior Carissa Lee at libero and senior Samantha Eley and junior Jessica Kagarise in the back row.

“We will use every sub the NCAA allows us to use, so that we can get the most out of our defensive players,” Yerty said. “Generally, you don’t have four liberos on your team. That’s the cards we’re dealt with. We’re going to take our strengths and use them. That’s going to allow Jenna Arneson and Lauren Whitney to focus on their front-row play because both of them are very young in the game.”

Sophomores Chantilly Watson and JennaRae Jester will hold down the middle, Yerty said.

“We came in with two middles and two outsides; that’s what we have,” Yerty said. “We brought in Dani Bedore from South Carolina. She was a late signee and she is going to help us significantly. But in the middle, they have to play come heck and high water.”

Glenn, Solich longtime friends

Wyoming head coach Joe Glenn and Ohio coach Frank Solich have a longstanding friendship on and off the field, going back to their Nebraska days.

For more on the story: http://wyomingsportsfootball.blogspot.com/2008/08/glenn-solich-go-way-back.html

Glenn, Knapton kick off QB Club Banquet

Richard Anderson photos
University of Wyoming head football coach Joe Glenn, left, and Laramie High School head football coach Bob Knapton were the keynote speakers at the Laramie Quarterback Club Fall Sports Kickoff Banquet Tuesday night at the Laramie Country Club.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

One coach plays on Fridays, the other coach plays on Saturdays. Yet, Laramie High School head football coach Bob Knapton and University of Wyoming head football coach Joe Glenn were united Tuesday night as headline speakers of the Laramie Quarterback Club Fall Sports Kickoff Banquet at the Laramie Country Club.

Also speaking briefly and giving short previews of their teams were Laramie High School girls’ swim coach Tom Hudson and Plainsmen and Lady Plainsmen tennis coach Carlos Mellizo.

As it turns out, Glenn and Knapton have a lot more in common than just being football coaches and banquet speakers.

Glenn opened the banquet by talking about the first time he met Knapton, a University of Northern Colorado alumnus and star linebacker. When he first joined UNC as an assistant in the late 1980s, the school opened with an alumni game. That first year Knapton was the star -- against Glenn’s Bears.

“Some of these guys didn’t even fit into their uniform and they drank beer most of the day and then played in that alumni game. I said to myself, ‘These guys are going to get killed,’” Glenn said. “But they had one guy who came back who was as serious as a heart attack. This guy’s name was Bob Knapton. I’m going, ‘Will somebody please block this guy.’ He was all over the place and he was the leading tackler in Northern Colorado‘s history. We just could not touch Bob Knapton. He had just finished playing with several pro football teams. We became fast friends. Bob became a high school head coach on the Front Range of Colorado and I became head coach at UNC two years later.

“I recruited so many of his kids. When Bob Knapton told you that this kid can play, you flat-out knew to recruit him. We went on to win a couple of championships at Northern Colorado. Bob, I’m so thankful for you and your coaching years and helping us at Northern Colorado.”

Fast forward to present and Knapton is now the head coach at Laramie High School; his son, Gabe, will be a starting linebacker as a redshirt freshman at UW and his youngest son, Luke, is a starting linebacker for the Plainsmen.

“What a great catch for Laramie,” Glenn said.

Always an optimist, Glenn then turned his attention to his Cowboys, who will open the season Saturday when they host Ohio (noon) at War Memorial Stadium. Glenn said that his father-in-law always warned him to not get too excited, just in case things don’t turn out well.

Glenn, however, said he can’t help but be excited about the Cowboys.

“We’re going to have a great season, and that is from my heart,” Glenn said.

The Cowboys return 40 juniors and seniors back from last year’s 5-7 squad, including one of the top running backs in the league (senior Devin Moore), his entire offensive and defensive lines and four outstanding linebackers, including Gabe Knapton.

“This is the most experience I have had since I have been here,“ Glenn said.

Glenn said the biggest difference in this Wyoming offense comes from its leadership from new offensive coordinator Bob Cole.

“Bob Cole is the real deal,” Glenn said. “And we all know that Mike Breske (defensive coordinator) can coach. But Bob is the dynamics that our coaching staff hasn’t had.”

Knapton told the QB Club faithful that this is not the first time he has coached in Laramie -- he was a graduate assistant under Al Kincaid in the mid 1980s. His brother, Jeff, would also go on to be an all Western Athletic Conference performer under Paul Roach.

Knapton said he has enjoyed his short time in Laramie and is here for the long haul. He told the audience that they hold the key to the young athletes’ success -- on and off the court or playing field. He mentioned a study that was done at the Air Force Academy that required the Cadets to attend a certain number of sporting events. With the large numbers in the stands, the Academy discovered that its teams were more successful.

Knapton said that can happen at Laramie High, not only in football, but in all sports.

“High school kids need that much more,” Knapton said of support. “They know that when there are a lot of people watching them, they will give it all that they got. This is a perfect town to get that done. If you want a winning program, you need to get everyone involved.”

The Plainsmen open the season Friday night (7 p.m.) at Deti Stadium against Steamboat Springs, Colo.

Knapton said that the numbers have been good so far in practice and his athletes are hard workers.

“I’m real excited about the year,” Knapton said. “The kids are enthusiastic and they are ready to get after it.”

Hudson, the longtime LHS swim coach, said the overall numbers are a little down this year as they graduated eight seniors and lost two good swimmers who have moved out of town.

“We’ve never finished lower than fifth place at state and we only did that once,” Hudson said. “That’s going to be our goal and we’re going to have to battle to get that. We’re working hard and we’ll do the best that we can and hopefully represent Lady Plainsmen swimming.”

The Lady Plainsmen swimmers open the season Friday at the Casper Relays and compete Saturday at the Gillette Pentathlon.

Mellizo said they once again have big numbers out for the boys’ and girls’ teams, which makes him excited about the season.

“We have a few kids back who played last year, so we’re pretty deep on the boys’ side,” Mellizo said. “The Lady Plainsmen are relatively inexperienced. What they lack in experience, they make up for enthusiasm and they have a lot of fun.”

The Laramie tennis teams open the season on Sept. 4 at home against Casper Kelly Walsh.

Leonard stepping up

David Leonard got a jump into the Wyoming starting lineup at Y (inside) receiver and punt returner with the recent shoulder injury to redshirt freshman Brandon Stewart. Leonard knows what Stewart is going through; he made a nice little comeback last spring of his own.

For more on the story: http://wyomingsportsfootball.blogspot.com/2008/08/leonard-looks-to-make-most-of.html

Cowgirls rally past Bryant University

Richard Anderson photo
Wyoming senior midfielder Amanda Lathrop, left, is greeted by junior midfielder Emily Layton, middle and sophomore forward Jerrica DiVincenzo after Lathrop scored a goal in the second half.

by Wyoming Sports.org

The Wyoming Cowgirls picked up their first win of the season and also give first-year head coach Danny Sanchez his first victory at Wyoming, as UW rallied for a 3-1 win over Bryant University Sunday afternoon at the Louis S. Madrid Sports Complex.

Bryant jumped ahead of the Cowgirls early when freshman Kaitlyn Hinck scored on a pass from fellow freshman Brooke Duchaney, but Wyoming fought back and scored three unanswered goals.

“The effort was better today, to come back from a one goal deficit and score the next three goals was good,” Sanchez said. “We needed results and we got it today.”

The first goal for Wyoming came when junior Emily Layton scored in the 29th minute on a nice pass from sophomore Juliana Candelaria, senior Amanda Lathrop was also credited with an assist. Lathrop continued the attack for the Cowgirls in the second half when she broke away from the rest of the field, got past Bryant goal keeper Katie Mitchell and was able to chip in the second goal for Wyoming at the 48:18 mark. Sophomore Nicole Rice, from Jackson, scored her first career goal that found the top right corner of the goal on an assist from Lathrop.

“The effort was better today than in our previous game, and I think we played with a little more urgency too,” Sanchez said.

The Cowgirls, 1-1, will host South Dakota at the Louis S. Madrid Sports Complex at 4 p.m. on Friday.

Scrimmage prepares Plainsmen

The Laramie Plainsmen football team turned on the lights at Deti Stadium Saturday night and ran through a 70-play scrimmage.

For a wrapup of the scrimmage, click here: http://wyomingsportsyouth.blogspot.com/2008/08/plainsmen-spleased-with-scrimmage.html
For a photo slideshow, click here: http://wyomingsportsyouth.blogspot.com/2008/08/plainsmen-scrimmage.html

Hall resigns as UW tennis coach

by Wyoming Sports.org

University of Wyoming Athletics Director Tom Burman has announced that women’s tennis coach Krissy Hall has resigned her position to become the head coach at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. Hall recently completed her third season as the head coach of the women’s tennis program.

Hall combined for a record of 26-43 overall and 3-21 in the Mountain West Conference in her three years with the program. During the 2007-08 season, the Cowgirls finished with an 11-13 record overall and 1-7 in the Mountain West Conference. The 11 wins tied for the most in the programs’ history, which was set during the 1996-97 season. Wyoming also won only their second MWC Tournament match in school history.

Hall was just the third head women’s tennis coach in Cowgirl history. Under Hall, they won their first ever Mountain West Conference Tournament match with a 4-3 victory over Air Force on April 26, 2006 in San Diego and Sarah Summerfield also earned First Team All-MWC honors during her first year with the program and only the second time in school history.

“Krissy has been a great ambassador for UW Athletics and for our university during her three years here,” Burman said. “She has enjoyed numerous successes during her time here. I know everyone in our athletics department wishes her and her family all the best in their future.”

Hall came to Wyoming after spending a year at Washington State University.

Burman said they are working under a tight time constraint due to the upcoming fall workouts and schedule so they hope to have someone in place quickly.

Cowgirls drop opener to Western Michigan

by Wyoming Sports.org

KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The University of Wyoming soccer team opened the 2008 season on the wrong foot, dropping a 3-0 decision to Western Michigan on Friday.

“Give all the credit to Western Michigan. They were more prepared then we were today, and they deserved to win this game,” UW head coach Danny Sanchez said. “We came out slow at the start of the game and dug ourselves a hole we couldn’t get out of.”

The scoring from WMU started on a corner kick, as junior Hillary Wernlund headed in a goal off a pass from sophomore Ashley Caliendo in the 26th minute. Caliendo got her second assist of the game when she found freshman Stephanie Skowneski who kicked it in from 18 yards out at the 61:30 mark. WMU added another goal late in the second half when freshman Alison Szypka scored of a rebound in the 78th minute.

Cowgirl junior Emily Layton led the team with four shots, and sophomore Kayla Davis added three. Senior Amanda Lathrop had two attempts, while sophomore Juliana Candelaria and freshman Kelly Parkhurst each had one.

Wyoming will return home to host Bryant University at 1 p.m. on Sunday at the Louis S
Madrid Sports Complex.

Scrimmage notebook

Wyoming quarteback Dax Crum looks back at Wednesday's scrimmage:
http://wyomingsportsfootball.blogspot.com/2008/08/by-richard-anderson-wyoming-sports.html

Cowgirl soccer to open season

By Wyoming Sports.org

The Danny Sanchez Era officially begins Friday for the Wyoming Cowgirl soccer team, as it travels to Kalamazoo, Mich., for its regular-season opener Friday against Western Michigan, beginning at 9 a.m. MT. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools.

The Broncos finished with a mark of 4-11-3 in 2007 and a Mid American Conference record of 2-7-2. Thus far Western Michigan has had two exhibition matches it defeated Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis 6-1 and Davenport 1-0.

“All road games are competitive, but this one will be tougher since it’s just a one game trip” said Sanchez, who won two Division II national titles at Metro State before taking over the Cowgirls earlier this year. “We don’t know a lot about his team, but I’m looking forward to it and we will learn a lot about our team with this game.”

Wyoming returns eight starters and 15 letterwinners from the 2007 squad, including senior forwards Tamika Wilson and Amanda Lathrop. Wilson was named Co-Offensive Player of the Year in the MWC a year ago, while Lathrop earned second team All-MWC honors in 2007.

Fellow seniors Corey Thieman (defender), Jamie Scarcliff (goal keeper), and Laine Hubbard (defender) will also lead the Cowgirls on the field this season.

Other returners from last season for the Cowgirls are midfielders Juliana Candelaria (So.), Emily Layton (Jr.), and Kerstyn Etheridge (Jr.), as well as defenders Emma Wilson (Jr.) and Bostyn Burger (Jr.).

“Everyone worked hard this preseason and there are a few more starting places up for grab. I’m looking forward to how we will perform in real games” said Sanchez.

The Cowgirls won their only exhibition match of the year when they defeated Fort Lewis College, 4-0, in Laramie on Aug. 15. Although stats do not count for an exhibition match, Lathrop scored the first three goals for the Cowgirls, her first career hat-trick. Freshman Kelly Parkhurst also added a goal in the 82nd minute.

The Cowgirls will return home against Bryant University on Sunday.

“I’m very excited for the first home game. I hope people are able to come out and watch. It will be a tough turn around after a road game, but I think we are all excited,” Sanchez said.

Sunday’s game is set for a 1 p.m. at the Louis S. Madrid Sports Complex.

UW football scrimmage coverage

Offense improves, but has a long way to go:
http://wyomingsportsfootball.blogspot.com/2008/08/offense-improves-but-still-struggles.html
Linebackers not letting youth get in the way:
http://wyomingsportsfootball.blogspot.com/2008/08/knapton-hendricks-not-letting-youth-get.html

Second scrimmage set

The Wyoming Cowboys will scrimmage for the second time this fall, beginning at 5 p.m. Wednesday at War Memorial Stadium.
For more information, click here: http://wyomingsportsfootball.blogspot.com/2008/08/cowboys-to-change-up-second-scrimmage.html

Plainsmen getting ready

First-year Laramie High School football coach Bob Knapton has the Plainsmen getting ready, including working on the mental aspect of success.
http://wyomingsportsyouth.blogspot.com/2008/08/knapton-getting-plainsmen-to-believe.html

UW hoops schedules released

The University of Wyoming has announced its upcoming men's and women's basketball schedules for the 2008-2009 season.

For more on the Cowboy schedule, click here:
http://wyomingsportscowboybb.blogspot.com/2008/08/cowboy-basketball-schedule-set.html


For more on the Cowgirl schedule, click here:
http://wyomingsportscowgirlbb.blogspot.com/2008/08/cowgirls-hoops-schedule-released.html

Receivers looking to step up

In some ways, the running duo of Devin Moore and Wynel Seldon can only be as good as the Wyoming Cowboys passing game performs, whether it is from the quarterback or from the wide receivers.
For more on the story: http://wyomingsportsfootball.blogspot.com/2008/08/receivers-need-to-step-up.html

Starting quarterback named

Sophomore Dax Crum was named the starting quarterback for the Wyoming Cowboys on Friday.

For more on the story, click here: http://wyomingsportsfootball.blogspot.com/2008/08/crum-named-cowboy-startng-qb.html

Saunier named UW assistant swim coach

By Wyoming Sports.org

University of Wyoming swimming and diving coach Tom Johnson announced on Friday the hiring of Wyn Saunier as an assistant coach.

In addition to being involved in all aspects of the UW swimming and diving program, Saunier will work specifically with the distance freestyle swimmers.

“Wyn is a very experienced young coach who has a lot of enthusiasm and energy,” said Johnson. “We are very excited to add Wyn to our coaching staff. He has gained a tremendous amount of coaching experience, especially in his time as a graduate assistant at Florida State and through working the Auburn swim camps. He was a highly sought after coaching candidate and many Division I programs were interested in hiring him. We feel very fortunate that he has decided to join the Wyoming swimming program and we look forward to building on our successes of the past few years with Wyn.”

Saunier comes to Wyoming from Florida State University where he has been a graduate assistant for the past two seasons. At FSU, Saunier worked with all groups of swimmers on the Seminole roster including the sprints and strokes as well as middle distance and distance freestyles.

Saunier also coached the Area Tallahassee Aquatic Club (ATAC) during his time in Tallahassee. With the ATAC, he served as an assistant senior coach this summer and as the head age-group coach for the ATAC-Thomasville Branch during the summer of 2007.

This summer, Saunier was a head counselor at the prestigious Auburn Tiger swim camps. There, he worked mostly with senior elite swimmers.

Prior to his time at Florida State, Saunier was the head swimming coach at George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester, Ky. during the 2005-06 season. Saunier was the first head coach in GRCHS history and was instrumental in beginning the swimming program. He was also the head coach at the Winchester Country Club from 2001-06, coaching young swimmers from age four though high school.

Saunier, a native of Lexington, Ky., swam in college at Transylvania University where he served as a team captain. In 2003, the Pioneers won their conference championship and finished fourth in the final NAIA standings.

Saunier received a bachelor of arts degree in finance from Transylvania in 2005. This past April, he earned a master’s degree in sports administration from Florida State.

Saunier replaces Heidi Voigt who worked with the UW swimming and diving program over the past five seasons.

Cowgirls blank Fort Lewis

Richard Anderson photos
Wyoming freshman defender Allison Masumiya (11) battles a Fort Lewis College player for the ball Friday in an exhibition at the Louis S. Madrid Sports Complex. At bottom, senior midfielder Amanda Lathrop, 8, is congratulated by senior defender Laine Hubbard, 16, and senior forward Tamika Wilson after Lathrop scored the first of her three goals.



by Wyoming Sports.org

Wyoming senior Amanda Lathrop scored three goals as the Cowgirls opened the Danny Sanchez Era with a 4-0 win over Fort Lewis College in an exhibition match Friday at the Louis S. Madrid Sports Complex.

"I’m very pleased with our effort today," said Sanchez. "We were able to get a lot of girls into the game and get them some quality playing time. I feel like we played solid defense and were also able to put the ball in the net. The conditions made things a little more difficult but the rain didn’t seem to slow us down."

Lathrop’s goals were assisted by three different Cowgirls -- seniors Tamika Wilson and Emily Layton and sophomore Jerrica DiVincenzo. The first came from Wilson in the 27th minute, the second on a great pass from Layton at the 46:14 mark and the third on a cross from DiVincenzo in the 76th minute.

Freshman Kelly Parkhurst also added a goal of her own from the top of the 18-yard box on an assist from sophomore Juliana Candelaria in the 82nd minute.

The wet conditions didn’t keep senior goalkeeper Jamie Scarcliff from playing the entire game and saving three shots on goal.

"Jamie played well today and had some big saves," Sanchez said. "She had a really nice save when we were up 2-0 that set the tone for the rest of the game."

The Cowgirls out-shot Fort Lewis 16-11 in the match and also had seven corner kicks to none for the Skyhawks.

The Cowgirls open up the regular season next Friday at Western Michigan in Kalamazoo, Mich., before opening their home slate on Aug. 24 at 1 p.m. against Bryant University.

Cowgirl seniors looking for strong finish

From left, Cowgirl seniors Amanda Lathrop, Laine Hubbard and Tamika Wilson

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

The seven seniors on the Wyoming soccer team have been part of a program that has improved leaps and bounds throughout their three years except for one important aspect: Win in the postseason.

The Cowgirls won 24 games in their last three years, but are 0-3 in the Mountain West Conference Tournament, outscored 4-0.

A change was made in the off-season, as Danny Sanchez, one of the most successful coaches in Division II soccer (two national titles), moved north from Metro State to take over for longtime coach Anne Moore.

Change is always a challenge, and that is certainly the case for the Cowgirl seniors.

“The intensity has definitely been brought up a level or two,” Wyoming senior defender Laine Hubbard said. “It’s been hard, but that is what we need. I feel like it will definitely pay off. We’ve been running a lot and that will help us in the last 10 minutes of the game.”

A change in coaching can be more difficult on seniors because they abandon the system that they are used to. Was the change complicated for the Cowgirl seniors?

Yes and no, said senior midfielder Amanda Lathrop said.

“I think it has been a great change for the most part,” Lathrop said. “Being one of the seniors, I think we have experienced everything, but I think Danny will give us what we need to take it to the next level and I think that is important for us right now.

“We were so used to what we did for the last three years, so that is a big change and it is hard. It is also good because it takes us out of our comfort zone. I know, for me at least, it makes me work harder knowing that nothing is what it was for the last three years.”

An aspect of Sanchez’s coaching comes from work ethic -- physically and mentally. The Cowgirls looked to adapt to Sanchez’s style by staying in Laramie over the summer and getting ready.

“Before, there would be three or four players, whoever was taking summer classes,” senior forward Tamika Wilson said. “Almost all of the seniors were here all summer long. We were able to do a lot together.

“We’re further along than we have ever been.”

The added work has enabled the Cowgirls to be stronger and in better shape, Lathrop said.

“We worked real hard. I think that is making the preseason a little easier … not completely easier, because it is going to be hard not matter what,” Lathrop said. “I think everyone has adjusted pretty well to the atmosphere of the three-a-days and the running. I think we’re doing well.”

The Cowgirls will get their first test of the season Friday with an exhibition at home (4 p.m.) against Fort Lewis College. Wyoming, 9-10-0 last season, will open the regular season on the road Aug. 22 at Western Michigan in Kalamazoo, Mich. The Cowgirls return home with four of their next five games at the Louis S. Madrid Sports Complex.

Although the Cowgirls tied for third in the league last season at 4-3, they fell 2-0 to Utah to open the league tournament. The strong season turned out to be more of the same for Wyoming, which is now 0-10 all-time in postseason play (nine years in the MWC, one in the Western Athletic Conference). In the last nine years of the MWC, Wyoming has been outscored 14-1 in the tournament.

“We always think about it and think, ‘We’ve come this far and somehow it never happens for us,’” Hubbard said of their postseason troubles. “That’s what we have been working hard at, to definitely change that.”

The way the Cowgirls’ season ends has been frustrating, to say the least, Lathrop said.

“We do so well in the season and when we get into the first round, for some reason we don’t seem to be able to make it. I think winning our conference this year is the goal for most of us, at least,” Lathrop said.

With a new coach and hard-working attitude, the Cowgirl seniors want to go out on top.

“We definitely know what we can do and what we’re capable of,” Hubbard said. “We have to just make it happen. I feel like we all want to win the Mountain West Conference and we want to beat the big teams like BYU and Utah. We just want to have all-around good success in the season.”

Added Wilson: “With all of the seniors back, we’re all just going to play our hearts out every game. With the underclassmen want to play just as hard, so we can go out strong.”

MWC preseason poll

Although the Cowgirls are looking for a strong season, the league’s coaches aren’t so sure. Wyoming was picked seventh in the eight-team league with 16 points. Air Force was nabbed eighth.

For more on the preseason poll, click here: http://themwc.cstv.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/081208aac.html

UW defense shines again

Ward Dobbs was back in his element on Wednesday night: Scrimmaging, knocking heads, having a blast.

While most eyes were on the still apparently unsettled quarterback situation, Dobbs and his mates were once again doing their part, controlling the field.

For more on the story: http://wyomingsportsfootball.blogspot.com/2008/08/dobbs-enjoying-return-as-defensive.html

QB battle still uncertain

Was there a clear-cut winner? Hardly.

So much for Wednesday night’s first major scrimmage of the fall finally determining the starting quarterback for the Cowboys.

For more on the story: http://wyomingsportsfootball.blogspot.com/2008/08/quarterback-battle-still-up-in-air.html

UW coach wins national title

by Wyoming Sports.org

University of Wyoming track and field throws coach, Paul Barrett came away with a title of his own, winning the men's 40-45 division in the hammer throw at the 2008 USA Masters Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Spokane, Wash.

Barrett won the competition with his toss of 163-feet, 7 inches. The Washington State University alum also competed in the javelin and discus throws in which he placed second and fifth respectively. Barrett is entering his 15th season as the Cowboy and Cowgirl throwing coach and has led 14 student athletes to All-America status.

This is Barrett’s second trip to the Masters Track and Field Championships, as he competed in 2003 and set a World Record in the weight pentathlon. The weight pentathlon consists of five events: hammer throw, shot put, discus, javelin, and 35-pound weight throw. Barrett’s score of 3,783 points eclipsed the mark of 3,762 by Dean Crouser of Oregon in 1998.

Gipsons form corner tandem

Wyoming football fans won’t have double vision this fall. They’ll be seeing the name Gipson twice at the same time.

When the Cowboys open the season against Ohio on Aug. 30, brothers Marcell and Tashaun Gipson will be on the field together at the cornerback position -- Marcell at boundary cornerback and Tashaun at field cornerback.

For more on the story: http://wyomingsportsfootball.blogspot.com/2008/08/gipson-brothers-are-together-again.html

First major scrimmage set

A closer look into who will likely land the starting quarterback spot will be showcased in the Cowboys first scrimmage Wednesday on Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium.

Wednesday’s scrimmage, which begins at 5 p.m., is expected to include 80 to 100 plays. All series will begin at the offense’s own 25-yard line, with the No. 1 offense facing the No. 2 defense and the No. 2 offense versus the No. 1 defense.

For more on the story: http://wyomingsportsfootball.blogspot.com/2008/08/first-scrimmage-set-for-wednesday.html

UW harriers building to a strong finish

Richard Anderson photo
Mark Korir and Emily Byra were on hand to represent the Wyoming cross country teams Friday at Media Day.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

When the University of Wyoming cross country teams hit the trail at Jacoby Golf Course for its season opener in a little over two weeks, it will be a chance to see if both squads have improved on last year’s performance.

When the Cowboys and Cowgirls compete in the Mountain West Conference Championships late in the season in San Diego, it will be an opportunity to see if both teams can compete with the best.

If Wyoming coach Randy Cole has his druthers, the end result is everything.

“In cross country, it is a little different than baseball, football or basketball when you have your won-loss record that sets up seeding for the postseason,” Cole said. “In cross country, everything else you do before is somewhat secondary. You have to be ready to race on the day of conference or regionals to get you going to the national meet. It’s all pointing towards the end of October or November.”

Cole has things set up for a successful season: The Cowboys and Cowgirls will have to follow through with it.

“A lot of the guys returning obviously got a taste of what it is like to compete at a good level, and they got to go to some good, quality meets,” Cole said. “They dedicated themselves into getting a good summer of training. They realize that ‘hey, we’re as good as anybody else in this conference.’ They still have to execute and get the training in and motivate each other and raise our level.

“When you get a good person in, it just raises the level of everybody else. If the guys don’t want to raise their level, they are pretty much left by the wayside. That’s not the case now. Everybody is understanding and buying in to what we’re trying to accomplish, and that’s getting in consistent work and transferring that to race hard at the championships.”

The Cowboys, of course, have that “good person” is senior Mark Korir, the defending league champion, a two-time All-American and also a member of the MWC All-Decade team.

“Mark has the opportunity to be one of the best in the nation,” Cole said. “We will really look to him to lead this team and push them not only in meets but in practice.”

The Cowboys have a nice mix of experience and young talent coming in. The team is lead by four seniors: Korir, Michael Huntington, Brett Schuler and Shadrack Too.

Sophomores Seth Grossman, Taylor Kelting, Noel Limo and Greg Miller are a year older and a year stronger. Along with first time cross country runners Eliud Chirchir and Philemon Kimutai, who joined the track team half way through the 2007 season, will be a nice group to score points at conference this season.

“All six of these guys have a season of training under their belts and will add
some nice experience for our incoming freshman to follow,” said Cole. Newcomers for the Cowboys this season include Laramie native Ryan Griesbach and Brian McGuire.

“We have a nice blend of young guys with some experience and older guys who will push the younger guys to the next level,” said Cole. “Now, it just depends on how well we transfer our training to competition.”

The Cowgirls will look to improve on last year’s fourth-place finish, led by Emily Higgins, who earned second team All-MWC honors last year for her 14th place finish at the MWC Championships.

During the Mountain Region meet in Riverdale, Utah, Higgins placed 31st.

“Emily really came on towards the end of the outdoor track and field season,” Cole said. “She is starting to understand what we are trying to accomplish and she has a great drive to never be beat, which we love.”

More experience back for the Cowgirls include juniors Brenna Dooley and Erin Heffron and sophomores Alysha Davis and Laramie native Emily Byra.

The newcomers for the Cowgirls include redshirt sophomore Irene Masai and freshmen Alex Kesterson, Mary Lee and Molly Lux. Masai from Nairobi, Kenya, transferred from Oklahoma State University, where she participated on the cross country and track and field teams.

“I am really excited about this recruiting class,” Cole said. “As long as they continue to mature with training and race experience, they will really help us out down the road.”

Most of the Cowboys stayed in Laramie over the summer while most of the Cowgirls were away. The team’s start, middle and finish all go back to training, Cole said.

“If you can execute some workouts on a consistent basis, all you have to do is transfer that to a racecourse; then you are going to do well,” he said. “That’s what we have to do in the process; get the training in and get to the meet believing in it and executing it and not running completely different than what the race plan was. If we compare and contrast everybody in the conference and what we’ve done, I think we can be right in the mix.

“That is pretty exciting.”

Yerty likes 'her team'

Richard Anderson photo
First-year Cowgirl volleyball head coach Carrie Yerty talks things over with senior libero Carissa Lee Saturday during practice.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

The battle cry for many new coaches is “wait until I get my own athletes.”

Carrie Yerty has her athletes, she says, even if a majority are not her recruits.

“The girls who are here, they are my girls from day one,” said Yerty, whose Cowgirls opened fall volleyball drills on Saturday with three-a-days at the UniWyo Sports Complex.

Yerty was named the Cowgirls’ 12th head coach in team history in February, succeeding Pat Stangle, who guided the team to a 50-59 record in four seasons.

Not only has Yerty stated that these Cowgirls are her players, she said it is important that they understand that she believes that they are her players. And that’s whether it is for a year or for four years.

“Transition and change is hard for anybody in any realm of life,” she said. “I think the kids have embraced the new staff, embraced the new philosophies. They helped us sign seven for next year. I have a lot of respect for these kids.”

For Yerty and her staff, the first thing that they hope to establish as a group is to not look in the rear-view mirror.

“We’re looking straight ahead. I think that is really going to be key,” Yerty said. “I think that the core of kids who are here are great kids, they are competitive kids. They are going through a transition and that has been tough. But I think they are really excited about it. They can share the excitement that the coaching staff has for this opportunity. We’re going to see progress.”

While building relationships are critical for the Cowgirls, Yerty said they will also be looking to build themselves up mentally and physically with a demanding and challenging preseason.

“I think we’re going to establish expectations immediately,” she said. “I think the girls are ready for it; they have been training all summer. We’re also going to do a lot of different things to build relationships to get to know each other. You have to have a real balance of the physical aspects and the fun aspects, the relationship building, in order to have a good team. I think we’re going to have nice balance.”

Three practices a day to begin might not be most athletes’ idea of fun, but there is a method to her madness, Yerty said with a smile.

“I think that is more to just get into the gym to train and get to know each other,” she said. “Is it going to be challenging? I hope so. I don’t want to kill them, I need them. But I think they understand the expectations of what they should have been doing over the summer time and what they should be doing from this point forward is a little bit different than what they have had in the past.”

The Cowgirls lost four starters from last season, including the program’s all-time leader in kills in Rachel Smith, along with hard-hitting Angie Hellbaum. Senior setter Tasha Weishahn and sophomore outside hitter Lauren Whitney are the lone starters back, although senior liberos Samantha Ely and Carissa Lee have a few floor burns to their credit in the last three seasons.

To put it bluntly, the Cowgirls will once again be young and inexperienced.

“I think you have to keep into consideration that this program lost 90 percent of its offense,” Yerty said. “Everybody who is on the team here, except for Tasha, has very limited roles on this team. That is exciting for them. That’s a challenge, and that’s an opportunity. We’re going to very young. But you can expect to see a very competitive team, a very physically-fit team, probably better than you have seen in the past years since the Mike English Era.

“I think you will see the excitement and fun back in the gym. That’s huge for me. College athletics is an avenue for the rest of your life. It is supposed to prepare you to be a competitor; it is supposed to prepare you to pick up time-management skills, problem solving, and those kinds of things. That’s what we are going to focus on, building our volleyball IQ, building relationships and being competitive.”

The Cowgirls have had just three winning seasons (20-11 in 2002, 16-14 in 1998, 19-12 in 1997) in the last 12 years. Wyoming hasn’t qualified for the NCAA Tournament since 1994.

Yerty doesn’t have a timetable for returning the Cowgirls to those glory days, but she said that she believes that is in the program’s future.

“Fortunately for me, the community of Laramie loves volleyball,” Yerty said. “Our volleyball arena is probably the nicest volleyball arena in the Mountain West Conference. Those two things are an added bonus. Are we going to work towards going to the NCAA Tournament? Of course. Do we want to build the program up the way that Mike English left it? Absolutely. There have been some good teams here since then and some very talented players. Now we just have to get the good players, the good team and the mental side of the game and move forward every day.”

One step at a time.

Sanchez, Cowgirls ready to go

UW photo
First-year Wyoming head coach Danny Sanchez talks to his team during a recent practice.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

Danny Sanchez felt a little out of place Friday during the annual UW Fall Media Days in the War Room of the Rochelle Athletic Center.

After talking to a few reporters out on Jonah Field before the banquet, Sanchez also had to speak to a nice crowd in the War Room.

Coming from Metro State University, he just wasn’t used to all of the attention.

“I’ve coached for 13 years in college soccer and this is my first media day ever,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez, however, brought in a “bring it on” attitude, not only for the media, but for his players.

“We have a great group coming back. They have worked hard,” Sanchez said “We’re excited about the direction the program is going. It’s been an uphill battle, but fortunately for us, we have a lot of returning players that can help us win.”

Not only has he established control on the field, first in the spring and now since the fall drills began this week, he wants his players to be in control off the field.

“For me personally, how we do things, how we carry ourselves, those are the big things,” Sanchez said. “The team has bonded, and as far as training, we’ve tried to establish the tempo in training that is as realistically game as possible. That has gone pretty well.

“They are pretty good young ladies, they take care of themselves, they take care of business in the classroom, so fortunately for me, we are able to focus on the soccer and building the program.”

Much of the team stayed in Laramie this summer and that helped the transition into fall drills.

“The first three days have been productive, I feel,” Sanchez said. “We play next Friday and our first real game is in two weeks. There isn’t a lot of time, so we have to be ready to go.”

Sanchez, who won a pair of Division II national titles at Metro State, where he was 128-11-7 overall, took over for the departed Anne Moore just in time for spring drills. He was able to set a tone then, but he said it is now where all that work has to play off.

“Fortunately for us, we had the majority of the team here with us during the spring,” Sanchez said. “But spring is different. I’ve had players in the past in spring where she was horrible, but she comes back in the fall and is an All-American and we’ve had kids who looked dynamite in the spring and they can’t kick straight in the fall.

“It’s good in the spring, but it is all about what they do in the fall. There will be a couple of weeks into the season of a learning curve of still establishing the last few roles. The core players, their role have been established. The rest of the players, they are going from never playing to starting. Those are the ones who will take a little more time to develop.”

Sanchez has eight starters and 15 letterwinners back from last year’s team that finished 9-10-0 overall and 4-3 in the Mountain West Conference. Wyoming, however, has never won a game in the MWC Tournament.

Sanchez said he isn’t the kind of coach who writes goals on the chalkboard, but he said it is obvious that their main goal is to get to the MWC tournament and have success in post-season play.

“There is no guarantee for that. There have been some very good teams in the last few years that haven’t made it. Once you get there, anything can happen,” he said. “You look at UNLV a couple of years ago. They are the sixth seed, but a couple of Pks in overtime and they are in the NCAA Tournament. That has catapulted them to where they won the regular season last year. For us, it is just establishing what we want to get done and for them to buy it. I’d say so far, that has been successful.”

Leading the way for the “Cowgirls this season are three seniors -- defender Laine Hubbard, midfielder Amanda Lathrop and forward Tamika Wilson. Lathrop was a second team all-conference performer and Wilson was the MWC co-Offensive Player of the Year.

“We’re real happy with our captains. Laine will be a four-year starter, so we’re looking for her to tackle a little more. She is very dangerous going forward,” Sanchez said. “Obviously, Amanda will be a four-year starter as well, and we’re looking for her to upgrade things ever more as a senior. I think she has been the most impressive player in camp so far, by far. Tamika had a great junior year, so now it is what does she do with that? Does she rest on that or does she move forward? There is a sense of urgency with the seniors. This is it for them.”

Other key players, Sanchez said, include senior goalkeeper Jamie Scarcliff and junior midfielder Jamie Layton.

“We’re very competitive in goal with Jamie Scarcliff, who was part-time starter for three years,” he said. “We have a very talented freshman there, too. That race is wide open.

“Emily Layton, we’re looking for her to get back to her freshman form and really be more of a dominating player. She had an off sophomore year, but now she’s a junior, we expect her to really pick it up.”

The Cowgirls will face Fort Lewis in an exhibition Friday (4 p.m.) at the UW Soccer Stadium. Wyoming then hits the road Aug. 22 at Western Michigan, before returning home on Aug. 24 against Bryant University.

Rangers win a pair; stay alive

by Wyoming Sports.org

GILLETTE -- The Laramie Rangers will live for another day.

Laramie stayed alive in the Wyoming AA State American Legion baseball tournament by defeating Green River 15-2 and Torrington 10-9 on Friday.

For more on the story, click here: http://wyomingsportsyouth.blogspot.com/2008/08/rangers-rally-past-tigers.html

Glenn talks about his Cowboys

It was a simple revelation by Wyoming head football coach Joe Glenn Friday at the annual Media Day banquet Friday at the Rochelle Athletic Center.

“It’s time,” Glenn quipped.

For more on the story, click here: http://wyomingsportsfootball.blogspot.com/2008/08/glenn-gives-state-of-cowboys.html

Top-ranked Gillette edges Laramie

GILLETTE -- The Laramie Rangers slugged it out with the pre-tournament favorite before Gillette rallied late for a 14-9 victory in the quarterfinals of the Wyoming AA State American Legion baseball tournament.

For more on the story, click here: http://wyomingsportsyouth.blogspot.com/2008/08/rangers-fall-to-roughriders.html

Oregon blanks Laramie Little Leaguers

By Wyoming Sports.org

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. -- The Laramie Little League All-Stars drive to the Northwest Regional title game was derailed by Murrayhill Little League of Beaverton, Ore., on Thursday.

The Oregon squad used three home runs, including two by catcher Reza Aleaziz, and two-hit pitching by Connor Shaw to blank Laramie 6-0.

The Wyoming team finished 3-2 in the tournament and unofficially in third place. The three wins in pool play were the most ever by a Laramie team and it was the first time it made the semifinals since the 2001 tournament.

“We really would have liked to have won this game today and advance to the finals, but it is a pretty scrappy bunch that we have,” Laramie manager Ron Harding said. “We came from behind in every game, the three games that we won. I’m just so proud of them to the end. They are a great bunch of kids.”

The game was in stark contrast from the first time the two teams met in pool play when Oregon rolled to a 25-14 victory. Shaw was too much for Laramie, as he walked just two batters and struck out six.

Oregon got on the board in the second inning with a solo home run by Aleaziz. Beaverton then put the game away with four runs in the third inning. Chandler Whitney got things going with a solo home run and Aleaziz hit his second blast of the game, this time a three-run shot off of Brian Lopez over the left-field fence to give Oregon a 5-0 lead with two outs in the third. Daylan McWhorter then came on in relief.

Oregon's Ryan Dueker, running for Shaw, scored on a wild pitch to boost Oregon's lead to 6-0 in the bottom of the fifth. McWhorter, who got out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth, stranded to Oregon runners to end the inning.

Oregon, which fell to Washington 18-1 on Wednesday, will now advance to Saturday’s title game that will be tape-delayed on Saturday at 10 p.m. Washington, the top seed from pool play, thumped Montana 15-1 on Thursday night.

“Hats off to Oregon, they are a great team” Harding said. “I’m sure they will have their ace ready to go. Obviously, Washington is a very good team as well. I see this game as a slugfest. But I think they (Oregon) have a chance. Anything can happen in this crazy game.”

Although the Laramie All-Stars were shut out on Thursday, they scored 46 runs in the four pool games and added 57 runs in the five wins at the Wyoming State Tournament. Offense was the name of the game for much of post-season play for Laramie.

“We knew we had some big kids and we knew e had a good offense going into the state tournament,” Harding said. “We knew on the other hand that our pitching was a little weak, so we worked hard on our batting and our defense. Typically, Laramie teams are solid on defense. We came here with the thought that we would have to score some runs to beat these teams. I think we did that. It was very satisfying.”

Laramie came into this tournament on an eight-game regional losing skid. Harding hopes this performance gives the younger players some confidence for the future.

“Our 10-year-olds won our state tournament this year as well, and I think they can be a force in a couple of years,” Harding said. “I think, what it does for the younger kids, it lets them know that we can come up here and compete at this level.”

UW announces sports medicine staff promotions and hirings

by Wyoming Sports.org

The University of Wyoming has announced two promotions and three new hires within the UW Athletics Sports Medicine unit. Robb Williams has been promoted to Director of Sports Performance and Joi Thomas to Associate Head Athletics Trainer, along with the additions of Scott Knerr, Alison Mosel and Missy Schultz.

“Robb Williams and Joi Thomas are both very deserving of their promotions and we are very excited about the addition of Scott, Alison and Missy,” said Senior Associate Athletics Director Matt Whisenant. “The well being of our student-athletes is of the utmost importance, and we feel each of these individuals will provide the highest level of coverage.”

Williams has been a member of the UW Athletics staff for the past five years, beginning as the head athletics trainer in the fall of 2003 for his second stint with the department. He was an assistant athletics trainer and the head men’s basketball trainer at Wyoming from 1988 to 1993. He also held previous positions with at Villanova University, Liberty University and Louisiana Tech among other outside opportunities.

Thomas came to Wyoming in the August 2004 as a graduate assistant athletics trainer. She was then promoted to full time in December of 2005 as an athletics trainer in football. In her new position of associate head athletics trainer, she will serve as the primary athletics trainer for men’s basketball while continuing her oversight of men’s and women’s track and field program. Prior to returning to her alma mater, Thomas served as the head athletics trainer at Carroll College (Helena, Mont.) from August 1999 to July 2004. During that time, they won two NAIA National Championships in football.

Knerr comes to Wyoming after spending the past eight years at Indiana University Purdue-Fort Wayne (IPFW). He oversaw the primary coverage of women's and men's volleyball along with supervisory coverage of men's and women's golf. While at Wyoming, he will be responsible for the primary coverage of women’s volleyball. Prior to that, he worked at Registered Physical Therapists, Inc. from 1997-2000 in Salt Lake City, Utah, as a clinical athletic trainer. In addition to that, he served as a graduate assistant trainer at the University of Utah for two years (1995-97). His primary responsibilities included coverage of football, women's soccer and the nationally ranked women's gymnastics team. He earned his bachelor's degree in athletic training from Ball State University in Muncie, Ind. in 1995, while receiving his master's degree in sport management in 1997 from the University of Utah.

Mosel joins the University of Wyoming athletics after spending the last five years at Buena Vista University (Storm, Iowa). She oversaw the primary coverage of volleyball, men’s basketball, baseball and softball, while being an instructor in the School of Education with an emphasis in exercise science and athletic training courses. She also provided coverage for women’s tennis, cross country and men’s and women’s golf during her time there as well, along with several other administrative duties. Prior to joining BVU, she completed her master’s degree in education at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, MO. During that time, she served as a graduate assistant from 2001-03. Her primary responsibilities included coverage of volleyball, softball, women’s soccer and the track and field teams, while serving in a supervisory roll of the undergraduate athletics training students. A native of Orchard, Neb., Mosel graduated from Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, SnDn in the spring of 2001. While at Wesleyan, she interned at Baker University in Baldwin City, Kan., and Neu Physical Therapy Clinic in Lawrence, Kan. Mosel is certified by the Board of Certification and is a member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. She will handle the main coverage for women’s basketball.

Schultz comes to Wyoming after spending the last year at Judson University in Elgin Ill. She oversaw the primary coverage of men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and softball. Prior to that, she was an assistant athletic trainer at Benedictine University (Lisle, Illinois). She completed her master’s degree in education at Northern Illinois University (DeKalb, Illinois) and during that time, she served as a graduate assistant from 2004-1006. Her primary responsibilities included coverage of women’s soccer and softball, while assisting with other teams as needed. Schultz graduated from Western Illinois in Macomb, Illinois in the spring of 2004. While at Western Illinois, she was an student athletics trainer assisting with the coverage of various sports. Schultz is a member of and certified by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. Her main duties will include the coverage of football and swimming.

“We are excited about these hires,” said Williams. “It is a pleasure to work with these new athletic trainers who bring a great caring personality to the university. Joi Thomas ATC is very deserving of her promotion and is a great fit to work with Heath and the men’s basketball team. She is a great young athletic trainer with devotion and loyalty to our athletes.”