Former Cowgirl Basketball player Marquelle Dent graduated from the University of Wyoming a little over a year ago. One of the top assist leaders in school history along with reaching 1,000 points for her career, her path has certainly taken her several places since graduation. Media Relations recently caught up with her to see what’s been going on.
You graduated with your degree in communications almost a year ago, talk about your journey or what’s been going on since then?
After graduation, I had the chance to go play in China for about two weeks with some other Division I players from around the country. It was a really cool experience and I met some really cool people, and was able to experience the different Chinese culture. A couple of months later I signed to play with a team in Madeira, Portugal. I stayed and played for about two months. The island that I was on was amazing, and I enjoyed getting to know some of my teammates. I was supposed to be there for 8 months but because the overall basketball experience wasn’t the greatest I decided to end my contract and head back home to Colorado.
What have you been up to since returning from playing overseas?
Since returning, I got a job in Cheyenne and started helping out with the Central girls’ basketball team. I coached alongside former cowgirl Hillary Carlson which was a great experience. As of right now my brother (Terrance) and I are in the process of starting up what is called the B.E.A.S.T Foundation (Bringing Enrichment and Sports Together). This is a non-profit organization that will offer enrichment and sports training in a facility that should open at the end of 2017. For more information you can look at beastfoundation.org. We are really excited for this opportunity to give back to our youth and community which has given so much to us.
Talk about your idea of starting a couple of club teams came about?
The idea to start the club teams has kind of always been in the back of my brother and I’s minds. We grew up in Laramie, and ended up moving to Colorado just because of the college exposure and better opportunities we had at the time. Wyoming has always been home for us, and we believe that every kid playing basketball in Wyoming should have the same opportunity to travel and get exposure to college coaches the way we did with our club teams.
What are the names of the teams, ages and how are you doing?
Currently we have four club teams total, two girls and two boy’s teams. Our club team is called the Wyoming Beasts. I am coaching a seventh and eighth grade team as well as a high school team. My brother is coaching a third grade and a high school team. Our teams have been competing pretty well this summer, we are improving everyday which is all you can ask for as a coach.
What is the schedule for the summer?
We have been competing in Colorado for most of the summer. In May, I took my teams to Oregon and Las Vegas, and my brother took his high school team to play in Houston. In July our teams will be competing in Colorado, Oregon, Vegas, California, and Kansas City.
How have your previous coaches influenced you in your style of coaching?
I think the biggest thing is just being positive and making it a fun enjoyable experience. I remember from Wyoming practices we had the saying “every day and every way we get a little better”. I’ve really tried to focus on that motto this summer with coaching. I know coach Joe (Legerski) always said you’ll never remember the wins and losses but more of what the relationships you develop or the memories you made. I really try to incorporate that into my coaching style to make sure my girls enjoy playing and creating memories.
Playing four years of Division I basketball, what advice can you pass along or give to individuals who may look up to?
I think the biggest advice I can give, and what I tell my girls on the daily, is that if you want to be great, you have to be willing to put the work in. Also to never let anyone tell you, you can’t do something. If you believe in yourself and believe you can do something, put in the work to get yourself there. Set goals for yourself and then go out and achieve them.
What are you hoping the kids and yourself will gain from this experience?
One of the biggest things I’m hoping for them to gain besides obviously becoming better basketball players, is to develop a love for the game like I did growing up. I have made lifelong friends because of basketball and some of my favorite memories are from playing. Basketball has given me so many amazing opportunities in life, and I hope one day these ladies I am coaching get to experience some of the same things that I have been able to because of basketball.
Future goals for yourself beyond this, what do you see yourself doing down the road?
Down the road I hope to continue doing something with basketball. My ultimate goal is to one day become the head coach at The University of Wyoming when Coach Joe retires. I think that it would be the coolest thing to coach for my alma mater. Right now I am working on getting our sports aspect of the BEAST Foundation up and running, but I am definitely hoping to get a job at the college level someday. Hopefully in the next couple of years!
Do you see yourself possibly playing overseas again?
I had some other opportunities to play but right now I don’t see that happening. I am a homebody type of person and being away from family was tough. I had the best four years of my life playing at the University of Wyoming, and when that came to an end it was definitely tough. I thought I’d be playing basketball for a long time, but things change, and as of right now I’m at a place in my life where I am okay to hang up the old shoes. Of course I miss playing more than anything, but I think right now coaching is something that I have really started to love and being able to still be on the court almost every day has been great.
