University of Wyoming Busy on Signing Day

University of Wyoming Busy on Signing Day

Cowgirl Golf Inks Two for 2016-17 Season

Erin Sargent of Longmont, Colo., recently signed to golf at the University of Wyoming next season. Photo from University of Wyoming golf.

LARAMIE – The University of Wyoming Cowgirl golf program announced the signing of two student-athletes to the class of 2016-17 on Wednesday. Cowgirl head coach Josey Stender welcomes Erin Sargent and Caitlyn Skavdahl.

“I’m very excited to add another talented recruiting class in Erin and Caitlyn,” Stender said.  “Their accolades represent their tremendous work ethic in the classroom and on the golf course.  Both young ladies represent what I look for in athleticism, attitude and academics which will help bolster the young, competitive group we have now.”

 

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Erin Sargent, Longmont, Colo., Silver Creek High School

Erin Sargent will join the Cowgirls as a four-year letterwinner at Silver Creek High School in Longmont, Colo. She will finish her senior season this spring and a successful prep career under head coach Meredith Nelson. Sargent placed third at the 4A State Championship as a junior and sixth place at the 5A State Championship as a sophomore.

She qualified for the U.S.  Girls’ Junior Amateur in 2014, the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship in 2015 and represented Colorado as one of the top four junior amateurs in the 2015 Girls Junior America’s Cup. She was all-conference her freshmen, sophomore, and junior seasons, in addition to earning academic all-state as a junior.

She excels in the classroom as a member of the National Honor Society. She is also the current activity leadership council president. She is the daughter of Randy and Brenda Sargent and has one older brother, Erik.

“Erin has a great short game and sense of awareness on the golf course both have helped her vault to one of the top players in Colorado,” Stender mentioned. “She also has experienced the highest level of national amateur golf which will help her greatly with the transition into the collegiate game.”

 

Caitlyn Skavdahl, Casper, Natrona County High School

A native of Casper,  Skavdahl will join the Cowgirls after an excellent prep career under high school coach Tim Fauss. She was a four-time all-state selection and named team captain her senior season. Skavdahl was also the 4A individual state champion during her junior and senior seasons.

She led her team to two high school state championships and was twice a member of the Wyoming Girls’ Junior Americas Cup team. Skavdahl was named the 2015 Lew Lepore Player of the Year, as well as the Casper Star Tribune Golfer of the Year in 2014 and represented the state of Wyoming in the 2015 USGA State Team Championship.   

She also excels in the classroom as a member of the National Honor Society and Honor Roll and was also a student council representative. Skavdahl is the daughter of the Honorable Scott Skavdahl, U.S. District Court Judge from Casper and his wife Cidne. Her father was also a member of the Cowboy football team.

“Caitlyn is a strong ball striker and has a very mature, positive demeanor on the course,” Stender added.   “She has really come on strong this past year and had a lot of success representing our state.”

 

 

 

 

 

Wyoming Cowgirl Basketball Inks Two Student-Athletes

photos from Wyoming Cowgirl Basketball

LARAMIE —Wyoming Cowgirl head basketball coach Joe Legerski today announced the signing of two student-athletes to attend the University of Wyoming beginning in the fall of 2016.

“We are pleased to welcome Taylor Rusk and Selale Kepenc to the women’s basketball program,” Legerski said. “Selale and Taylor are tremendous basketball players and have led their respective teams to numerous honors.’ 

‘Both players have been well coached and we believe that each will have an immediate impact in our program.  The Wyoming basketball program improved today with the signing of these two individuals. This is a great day for Cowgirl basketball.”  – UW Head Coach Joe Legerski.                                             

 

Here are the signees:

Taylor Rusk, 5-11, Forward, Highlands Ranch, Colo. (ThunderRidge High School):   A three-time letterwinner while attending ThunderRidge High School. She is a two-time First Team All-League selection and Second Team All-League honoree. Rusk was named the Continental League Player of the Year in 2015 plus to the Denver Post All-Colorado State Team and All-South Metro Team.

She averaged 14 points and seven rebounds as a junior while helping her team to the 5A State Championship runner-up spot. Rusk was coached in high school by Matt Asik. Besides basketball, she was also a two-time state qualifier in tennis and named All-State in 2013. An excellent student, she is a member of the National Honor Society and a two-time All-Academic selection. She is the daughter of Robert and Diane Rusk and has two siblings, Samantha and Zach.

“The signing of Taylor continues a long list of two guards that are tremendous shooters. She comes from an athletic family and will provide us immediate help in our guard line. Taylor has demonstrated excellence on the court and in the classroom. We welcome Taylor and the entire Rusk family to the Cowgirl program.”

Selale Kepenc, 6-2, Forward, Istanbul, Turkey (Bostenci Doga College):   A member of the Fenerbahce club team over the last four years. She helped her team to three first place finishes in the Turkish Championships. She was also a member of the National Team in Turkey, where she recorded two double-doubles in the Under 16 European Championships.

Kepenc is a three-time MVP and named the Best Forward of the League four times while playing for Club Fenerbahce. This season, she is a team captain. She is currently coached by Aziz Akkaya.  She is the daughter of Cem and Nurhan Kepenc and has one sibling, Alp.

“The signing of Selale provides the Wyoming basketball program depth in the front court.  She has the ability to play inside and out with equal effectiveness.  As a member of the National Team in Turkey, Selale has great experience playing at a high level.  We welcome the Kepenc family to the University of Wyoming.”

 

 

 

 

 

Cowgirl Volleyball Signs Four for 2016

LARAMIE – The Wyoming volleyball program has signed four student-athletes for the class of 2016, head coach Chad Callihan announced on Wednesday. Madi Fields, Halie McArdle, Jackie McBride and Tara Traphagan will don the Brown and Gold for Cowgirl volleyball starting in 2016.

“We are very excited to welcome this class to the Wyoming family,” Callihan said. “When we set out to fill the 2016 class we wanted to identify players that could compete athletically in the Mountain West but who also possessed a volleyball IQ allowing them to do more than just be a physical presence.”

“With the additions of Halie, Jackie, Madi and Tara we feel that we achieved that goal and it is needed, as we graduate three wonderful players.”– UW Head Coach Chad Callihan.

Fields is a 5-6 defensive specialist/libero out of Mission Vista High School in Oceanside, Calif. A four-year letterwinner and two-time team captain, she is also a three-time All-Valley League selection. Fields was the 2014 team MVP in addition to being named to the San Diego Tribune Players to Watch list twice.

Fields was coached by Brianna Raphael. She was also a two-year member of the Associated Student Body and participated in Key Club. She is the daughter of Stephen and Tami Fields and has one brother, Justin.

McArdle is a 5-9 outside hitter out of Gretna High School in Gretna, Neb. She recently earned AVCA Under Armour third-team All-American honors, and was named one of the MaxPreps/AVCA players of the week for Oct. 26. A team captain during her senior season McArdle was the Gretna player of the year after her sophomore and junior seasons as well as first team all-state and team MVP as a junior.

She is also the career-leader in kills for the Dragons and finished her senior year fifth in kills in the state of Nebraska. Furthermore, McArdle was a recipient of the Fall 2013 Nebraska Chiropractic Physicians Association (NCPA) Academic All-State Award from the Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA).

McArdle was coached by Mike Brandon. She was also a four-year member of the Honor Roll and National Honor Society. She is the daughter of Jim and Tracie McArdle.

McBride is a 6-1 middle blocker out of Rangeview High School in Aurora, Colo. She is a two-time team captain and three-time first team All-East Metro Athletic Conference selection.

McBride led her team to an EMAC Championship during her freshman and senior seasons as well as the regional final three times. She also was named All-EMAC in soccer three times, and was a Colorado High School Athletic Association Scholar in both soccer and volleyball.

McBride was a member of the National Honor Society, the student body president her senior year, an athletic activities appreciation committee chair member, the senior yearbook editor and Thespian Society member. She was coached by Doug Walker and is the daughter of John Cacianti and Kimberlee McBride. She has two older brothers, Casey and Matthew.

Traphagan is a 6-1 outside hitter from Yuma High School in Yuma, Colo. She was a three-time team captain and twice named all-state. She helped her team win three Regional Championships, in addition to one state runner-up finish during her high school career.

Traphagan was also an all-conference selection three times in track and field and once in basketball. A member of the Honor Roll and National Honor Society since 2013, Traphagan was the Student Council Secretary, a member of the International Thespian Society and participated in the Touching Hearts Through Athletics organization.

She was coached by Jen Noble and is the daughter of Pat and Cindy Traphagan. Her uncle, Mike played basketball for Wyoming, while brother, Austin was a member of the football team. She also has an older sister, Jessica.

“This class will provide an excellent blend of athleticism and IQ to our program and I look forward to seeing their continued development,” Callihan added. “Beyond the court all four excel in the classroom and they will continue the culture of being great ambassadors for Wyoming.”

 

 

 

 

 

Mueller Signs with Cowboy Basketball

LARAMIE – University of Wyoming coach Larry Shyatt announced Wednesday that Austin Mueller of Highlands Ranch, Colo., has signed a National Letter of Intent to join the Cowboy men’s basketball program. Mueller will begin his UW career during the 2016-17 academic year.

“From the day our staff set eyes on Austin, it has been a no brainer,” Shyatt said. “He has the family values, the discipline, the toughness and the individual talent to become one heck of a Mountain West player. Austin should develop into a multi-position player and certainly continue a well-documented Colorado connection that our assistant coaches have been able to find and cultivate.”

Mueller, a 6-6, 200-pound forward, begins his senior season under coach Joe Ortiz at ThunderRidge High School on Dec. 2. As a junior he helped lead the Grizzlies to a 24-4 overall record and an appearance in the Colorado Class 5A state championship game.

He scored eight points in the title game, but ThunderRidge lost to Overland, 55-42, thanks to a game-high 18 points from current Cowboy Austin Conway. Mueller earned All-Continental League honors last season and was also recruited by Colorado, Northeastern, Denver and Northern Colorado. He verbally committed to the Pokes on June 17. In the classroom, he owns a 3.7 grade-point average.

Mueller is the ninth player Shyatt has signed from the Centennial State since 2011, as five current Cowboys hail from the state. Mueller will fill the scholarship vacated by Wyoming’s only senior this season, Josh Adams, who is from Parker, Colo.

Austin is the son of Tim and Melinda Mueller. Tim played basketball collegiately at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, where he was an NCAA Division III All-American in 1988. Tim’s head coach at Capital was Dave Grube, who was an assistant at The College of Wooster during Shyatt’s collegiate career.