LARAMIE, Wyo. – After two invitational-style meets to start the 2017-18 indoor season, the University of Wyoming track & field team will switch things up by hosting the annual Powder River Dual in Gillette, Wyo., on Saturday. The Pokes will welcome the Montana State Bobcats to the Campbell County Recreation Center for the fourth consecutive season. Last year, the Cowgirls triumphed over the Bobcats by a score of 82-66, while the Cowboys fell to Montana State in a tight one, 77-73.                                                                         
    
At last year's Powder River Dual, senior Scott Carter led the Cowboys with dual victories in the long jump and triple jump. After Carter's graduation, true freshman and Cheyenne, Wyo., native William Nolan has taken the baton as the leader of the Cowboy jumpers. With two victories in the triple jump and a third-place finish in the long jump during his first two meets of the season, Nolan is looking to follow in Carter's footsteps with success at the Powder River Dual this weekend. The freshman currently ranks second in the Mountain West for the triple jump.
    
Nolan's fellow jumps star Ja'la Henderson is also riding a huge wave of momentum after setting the Wyoming women's indoor triple jump record with a massive leap of 41 feet, 1.5 inches at the Potts Invitational two weekends ago. She currently leads the conference in the event by nearly a foot. Henderson has won the long jump at each of the last two Powder River Duals, leaping 19-9.5 in 2016 and 19-4.75 in 2017. Henderson was also the runner-up in the women's 60 meters last season in Gillette, clocking in at 7.75 seconds as teammate Jerayah Davis won the event with a time of 7.44. Davis hopes to make her season debut on Saturday after an incredible sophomore season in the sprints and jumps events for the Cowgirls.
    
After taking the top two spots in the men's 800 meters last year in Gillette, middle distance tandem Ricky Faure and Bryce Ailshie will attempt to have similar success on Saturday. Faure is coming off a second-place finish in the mile in a field of 20 runners at the Potts Invitational. Fellow distance comrade Michael Downey is also emerging as a Cowboy contributor after clocking 8:23.97 in the 3,000 meters at the Potts Invitational for a fourth-place finish in a field of 21 runners. On the women's side, seniors Kerry White and Lauren Hamilton continue to form an effective duo. The two Cowgirls finished first and second, respectively, in the mile at the Potts Invitational, and are currently ranked fifth and sixth, respectively, in the Mountain West for the event.
 
The Powder River Dual will begin with the men's weight throw at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. Track events will start at 12:30 p.m. with the women's mile. Admission is free to the public, and fans can follow @wyo_track on twitter for more information as the Cowboys and Cowgirls look to take down the Bobcats.