Spring Stole Ceremony to Be Held for University of Wyoming Student-Athletes This Friday

Ceremony will Honor well-over 100 Graduates on Friday, May 16

LARAMIE, Wyo. (May 15, 2025) –The University of Wyoming Athletics Department will honor the most recent group of student-athlete graduates on Friday at its Spring Stole Ceremony. The by-invitation event will be held for the graduates and their families and friends at the UniWyo Federal Credit Union Sports Complex, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

A total of well over 110-Cowboy and Cowgirl student-athletes are scheduled to graduate, with either their undergraduate or graduate degrees.

All 17 of Wyoming's NCAA-sanctioned sports, along with members of UW's Spirit team, Rodeo team and a group of UW Athletics' graduate assistants, will be represented in this spring's group of graduates.

University of Wyoming head men’s basketball coach Sundance Wicks will address the graduates on Friday, as will assistant athletics director of academics and eligibility Colter Linford. Emily Mellema, a member of the Cowgirl basketball program will speak as part of the graduating class. Former Cowgirl swimmer Hannah McLean-Leonard will also add remarks during the program.

"The graduation Stole Ceremony is one of the most special events of the year for our student-athletes and staff," UW Director of Athletics Tom Burman said. "It is a great opportunity for us to congratulate them and wish them well in the next phase of their lives."

The tradition of presenting UW student-athlete graduates with graduation stoles at a special reception began with the spring semester of 2014 and has been held every semester since. The graduation stoles are provided to wear along with the graduation stole from each student-athlete's college.

The UW Athletics' graduation stole is white with the familiar Steamboat Bucking Horse and Rider emblem on the right-hand side of the stole and a "W Club" emblem on the left. Each graduating student-athlete will also receive a free "W Club" membership for the coming year. The "W Club" is the official organization for former Cowboy and Cowgirl student-athletes and coaches.

The 2025 spring commencement ceremonies are scheduled for Saturday. Three ceremonies for various colleges will take place in the Arena-Auditorium at 8:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Detailed information on the 2025 University of Wyoming commencement ceremonies may be found at: http://www.uwyo.edu/commencement/


Men’s Golf
Patrick Azevedo - Master of Business Administration - Executive
Jaren Calkins - BSB in Finance
Kristof Panke - BSB in Accounting
Davis Seybert - BSB in Business Economics
Damon Vilkauskas - BS General Studies

Women’s Golf
Grace Dunkleberger - BS in Physiology
Maria Farnum - BA in International Studies & English
Meghan Vogt - BS Human Development & Family Sciences
Kyla Wilde - Master of Business Administration – Executive

Football
Caden Barnett -BA in American Studies
Alex Brown - Master of Business Administration - Executive
Wrook Brown - BA in Communication
Tyrecus Davis – BA in American Studies
Cole DeMarzo - Master of Business Administration - Executive
Caleb Driskill - Master of Business Administration - Executive
John Hoyland - Master of Business Administration - Executive
Nick Miles - Master of Business Administration - Executive
Caleb Robinson - BA in Communication
Evan Svoboda - BSB in Finance, Marketing
Nic Talich - BSB in Management, Minor in Construction Management
Jack Walsh - BS in Kinesiology & Health Promotion
Harrison Waylee - BA American Studies
Isaac White - Master of Business Administration - Executive
Micah Young - BS General Studies

Soccer
Taylor Brook - BA in Elementary Education
Madison Chance - BS in Speech Language & Hearing Science
Kylee Holstad - BS in Nursing
Sekoya Moran - PHRD in Pharmacy
Eliza Smith - BA in Elementary Education

Wrestling
Cooper Birdwell - BS in Physiology
Warren Carr - Master of Business Administration - Executive
Mason Ding - BS in Construction Management
Ethan Ducca - BA in American Studies
Jared Hill - BA in Sociology
Josh Kyle - BS in Rangeland Ecology/Watershed Management
Aidan Noonan - BS in Construction Management
Stockton O'Brien - BA in Sociology
Quayin Short - BS in General Studies
Cooper Voorhees -BA in American Studies
Gabe Willochel - BA in Sociology

Women’s Basketball
Tess Barnes - BS in Psychology
McKinley Dickerson - MS Health Service Adminstraion
Allyson Fertig - BA in Math Education
Joslin Igo - BS in Kinesiology and Health Promotion
Emily Mellema - BS in Management and Marketing
Ola Ustowska - BA in Sociology

Men’s Basketball
Obi Agbim – BS in General Studies
Oleg Kojenets - BS in Computer Science
Jordan Nesbitt - BS in General Studies
Scottie Ebube - BS in General Studies
Cole Henry - Master of Business Administration
Cort Roberson - BS in Management and Marketing
Touko Tainamo - BS in Mathematics

Women’s Track and Field
Gabrielle Drube - BS in Physiology
Leah Christians - BA Communication & Journalism
Joan Grant - BA English
Sadie McMullen - MS Kinesiology and Health
Jenae Ramirez - MA in Education
Izzy Reimann - BA in Sociology
Paige Sefried - MS Health Service Adminstration
Kylie Simshauser - BS Kinesiology and Health Promotion
Charlotte Ward - BSB Accounting
Abigail Whitman - BSB Accounting & Finance
Keely Wolf - MS Statistics
Nina Zraik - MS Environmental, Natural Resource and Society

Men’s Track and Field
Sage Coventry - Master of Business Adminstration- Executive
Jefferson Danso - BS in Psychology
Jaheim Ferguson - BS in Psychology
Carson Kaminski - BA in Criminal Justice
Charles McIntyre - BA in Philosophy
Kareem Mersal - MS Kinesiology and Health
Mason Norman - BS in Construction Management
Daniel Reynolds - MS Range Ecology/ Watershed Management
Asefa Wetzel - Certification in Financial Planning

Men’s Swimming and Diving
Jakob Borrman - BS in Mechanical Engineering
Quinton Cynor - BS in Kinesology & Health Promotion
Preston Harrison - BS in Psychology
Matthew Lang - BSB in Finance
Jack O'Neil - BA in Journalism
Gavin Smith - BSB in Finance
Quinn Teller - BA in Journalism

Women’s Swimming and Diving
Emily Burchett - BS in Speech Language & Hearing Sciences
Brynlee Busskohl - BS in Kinesiology & Health Promotion
Kayla Cunningham - BS in Psychology & Sociology
Karter Friesen - BSB in Marketing, Management, & Professional Sales
Hannah Giles - BA in Secondary Education/Math, Mathematics
Gabrielle Haigler - BS in Wildlife & Fish Biology & Management
Rachel Horne - BS in Physiology
Maisyn Klimczak - BS in General Studies
Sydney Metzler - BSB in Management
Lauren Swartz - BS Agricultural Business

Volleyball
Kendal Rivera - BS in Physiology
Sonte Stewart - Master of Business Administration – Executive

Spirit Squad
Jaxton Braten - BFA in Theatre and Dance
Haylee Madsen - BA in Elementary Education
Ellie Mueller - BSB in Marketing
Alec Stauffer - BS in Kinesiology & Health Promotion
Raelyn Wilson - BA in Elementary Education

Rodeo
Cian Ahern - BA in History
Alyx Bolton - BSB in Managment
Troupe Coors - BS in Civil Engineering
Riata Day - MS in Finance
Jenna Elshere - BA in Elementary Education
Cassidy Espenscheid - BS in Agricultural Business
Colton Farrow - BS in Architectural Engineering
Kagan Gilbert - BS in Rangeland Ecology/Watershed Management
Hailey Hardeman - Master of Business Administration - Executive
Bodie Herring - BS in Agricultural Business
Halle Hladky - BS in Biology
Owen Hoal - MS in Animal and Vet Science
Jordyn McNamee - BSB in Management and Marketing
Emme Norsworthy - BS General Studies
Colter Nunn - BS in Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management
Rio Nutter - BSB in Marketing
Molly Rotenberger - BS in Agricultural Business
Tatum Runner - Master of Business Administration - Executive
Lena Schiller - BS in Agricultural Business with a certificate in Land Adminstration
Vanessa Steven - BS General Studies
Stefan Tonita - BSB in Marketing

Wicks Announces the Signing of Five Players for 2025 Season

Group includes a trio of guards and a pair of forwards

LARAMIE, Wyo. (May 12, 2025) – Cowboy basketball head coach Sundance Wicks announced on Monday the addition of five Cowboys to the 2025-26 roster. The group includes three guards along with a pair of forwards.

“In this year’s recruiting class, we have targeted specific guys for a specific mission, Wicks Said. “Each young man we sign has been intentionally identified, obsessively analyzed, and thoroughly vetted to fit our Cowboy Culture. We know that we are the home of the underdog, and the underdog mentality has always suited us well in the wild west. This class will feature a multitude of players who are relentlessly competitive, high character team first guys, have helped their team win along their journey, and have a massive chip on their shoulder that gives them an everyday edge. We call them OKC’s (Our Kinda Cowboys). Please help us in welcoming our second wave of OKC’s for the 2025-26 class.”

Jared Harris is a 6-2, 178-pound guard. He comes to Wyoming after spending one season at Memphis. A native of Silsbee, Texas, Harris appeared in 16 games averaging three minutes per contest. He was one of the nation’s top prospects in 2023. He was rated as a four-star recruit and the No. 86 overall prospect by On3.com.

As a senior at Silsbee High School, Harris averaged 21.4 points per game, 5.8 rebounds per game and 5.2 assists per game. He ranked No. 45 in the nation with 309 field goals. As a junior, Harris averaged 18.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.0 steals in 37 games and guided his squad to the 4A regional final. He was a Beaumont Enterprise First-Team Super Gold selection and was named the Co-MVP of District 19-4A.

Wicks on Harris
“We scored ourselves a Texas Trifecta adding the highly touted Jared Harris to our roster. Jared has the ability to be a very impactful player for us with his ability to play both ways and all the natural gifts he possesses. What I loved most about our vetting of Jared Harris was that everyone we talked to absolutely loved the young man as a human being first and foremost. High character and a crazy high ceiling, Jared has that rare mix of athleticism, aggression, skill, and the will to win. Most importantly, he has a chip on his shoulder and is ready to prove himself at the highest level. We could not be more jacked up to add Mr. Harris to our Cowboy Culture. Time to get to work.”

Uriyah Rojas is a 6-3, 195-pound guard who has spent the last two seasons at Chaffey College in California. Rojas was named a CCCAA All-American in 2025. He appeared in 59 games over the last two seasons scoring over 1,100 points. He has shot 37.7 percent from behind the arc with 121 three-pointers. Last season, Rojas recorded 25.5 points per game with 7.7 rebounds with 4.9 assists per game. He scored 54 points in a win over Victor Valley. He was 17-of-29 from the field in the contest. He also added 48 points against Mt. San Jacinto.

He is a graduate of Los Osos High School and is a native of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

Wicks on Rojas

“I really feel like we got a steal in Uriyah. He was recently named to the NABC CCCAA Junior College All-American team. I felt like he was vastly under-recruited and over-looked for the season he had, not to mention the fact that he had helped Chaffey College go 50-11 in his two years there. Winners win and Uriyah wins. The thing that immediately stood out to me about Uriyah was the fact that he averaged 7.7 RPG as a 6-3 guard and had a 3:1 assist to turnover ratio. Guard rebounding and ball security are two very underrated weapons that allows you to push pace and put pressure on the opposing teams. We also needed to find a player that had made over 70 3’s in a season to help create more gravity offensively. Uriyah has a very complete game and will be a special weapon in our system. Help me welcome Uriyah Rojas to the wild west.”

Kiani Saxon is a 6-8, 210-pound forward from Auckland, New Zealand. He comes to Wyoming after two seasons at Missouri Western playing for Cowboy assistant coach Will Martin. He averaged 7.2 points per game in two seasons along with 3.9 rebounds per game in 23.9 minutes per night. He shot 54.2 percent from the field and recorded over one block per game. He added 6.4points and 4.2 rebounds last season starting all 31 games, as he has 61 starts in his career.

Prior to his time at Missouri Western, Saxon played at LSU Eunice and at Liston College.

Wicks on Saxon

“Kiani is a great addition to our Cowboy Culture. The first thing we need to understand about Kiani is that he has been developed at a high level by Coach Will Martin. It is very easy to vet a young man when he comes from a coach you trust and a program that has had competitive excellence. Cowboy fans will feel Cole Henry vibes when it comes to Kiani. He has high feel, high skill and a high level of care. He is the ultimate connector and will be an easy plug-n-play for the Pokes. Tough-minded winners are rare nowadays and he is every bit of that! Let’s welcome our New Zealand native, Kiani Saxon, to Cowboy Country.”

Leland Walker is a 6-1, 185-pound guard from Indianapolis, Ind. He comes to Wyoming after spending last season at Florida Atlantic and two seasons at Eastern Kentucky. He has scored 1,125 career points and has 375 assists along with 99 career steals in 101 career games.

Last season he started 33 games. He averaged 9.2 points per game along with 2.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. He scored a season-high 20 points at Central Florida. He had 14 games with five or more assists. As a sophomore at Eastern Kentucky, Walker was named First Team All-ASUN at 15.4 points per game with 2.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists. He broke the EKU single-game record with 16 assists against Wilberforce. He averaged 9.4 points per game as a true freshman.

He played the 2021-22 season at Hargrave Military Academy. He was ranked as the No. 39 point guard in his recruiting class. Prior to his time at Hargrave, he played at North Central High School and averaged over 19 points per game.

Wicks on Walker

“The last and final piece to our puzzle was finding an experienced Division I guard who knows what winning looks and feels like. Leland has been a winner everywhere he has been. He is a three-level scorer and a floor general who naturally excels at pushing pace and has never had a season where he has been under 100 assists. I loved watching his film and seeing him orchestrate the offense for FAU last year. It is easy to find scoring, but not so easy to find a willing leader in today’s game who connects it all. Leland balances both worlds successfully. A young man who has Grit & Gratitude is a great find and a great fit for Cowboy Basketball. Please help me welcome Leland (L-Dub) Walker to our Cowboy Culture.”

Simm-Marten Saadi is a 6-9, 235-pound forward. He is a native of Estonia and is a member of the Estonian National Team. He also prepped at Sunrise Christian Academy in Wichita, Kan. At Sunrise he averaged over 14 points per game, over seven rebounds, and two assists. Saadi has also played for the Estonia National Team and during the U20 European Championship averaged 11.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists. He will be one of six players to have played NCAA Division I basketball from Estonia in the last two seasons.
.
Wicks on Saadi

“The real Simm-Shady is coming to Laradise. Simm is one of those players who will always make opposing teams’ question, what just happened? He has an extremely high skill set, great feel for the game and a toughness that travels. The Estonian National Team forward has an advanced knowledge of how the game of basketball should be played and the sacrifices that need to be made to compete and win at the highest level. Simm has some genetic metrics that matter, he has huge hands and a 7FT+ wing-span to go along with his quick & efficient jump shot. He will undoubtedly make an immediate impact for the Cowboys. Welcome to Wyoming Simm Marten-Saadi.”

Buddy Hammer, who signed with the Cowboys will no longer attend the University of Wyoming die to personal reasons.

Looks like the Buffs are courting Tyrecus Davis to bolster their secondary: LINK

Not sure if this has been posted yet, but some light reading during an otherwise slow football news cycle.

Former Drake commit from Estonia. Simm-Marten Saadi played HS in Kansas at Sunrise Christian Academy. Considered a sharp shooter and good rebounder. Not very athletic or defender. We will see how he fits in with Sunny’s Defensive emphasis!

Me and my brother fell in love with Wyoming Cowboy basketball in the late 90's, so we did a snake draft selecting players from then to now. Help us judge who drafted the best team. The teams consists of 8 players and you get the player at the peak of their abilities while playing at UW.

Team Wyoming
PG: Brandon Ewing
SG: Afam Muojeke
SF: Justin James
PF: Ugo Udezue
C: Larry Nance Jr.
B: Jay Straight
B: Sean Ogirri
B:Uche Nsonwu-Amadi


Team Cowboys
PG: Josh Adams
SG: Donta Richardson
SF: Marcus Bailey
PF: Josh Davis
C: Graham Ike
B: Hunter Maldonado
B: Obi Agbim
B: Justin Williams

God there bad. How do you get beat 21-0 should of fired black 3 years ago.

A few months back, maybe a year. Everyone was bagging on the City of Laramie for rejecting an apartment complex that was very poorly sited. Well, just read in the paper that city of Cheyenne did the same thing with a 195 unit complex with amenities. What's up with that?