LARAMIE, Wyo. – Under the direction of veteran head coach Joe Legerski and his staff, the 2018-19 edition of Cowgirl basketball is off to a fast start during individual workouts. The upperclassmen with experience in the program are leading the way so far for the Cowgirls.

"The veteran players have really come back in great physical shape and with an understanding of how we want to play offensively and defensively," Legerski said. "They help the young players out, and that's been a big plus for us moving forward."

The workouts have been split into two groups to begin, and one group boasts several returning players that have jumped right back into drills with no hesitation. These returners are also displaying plenty of leadership, as there are two freshmen in that group who are progressing rapidly.

"That was a veteran group where you had Marta (Gomez), Clara (Tapia), Taylor (Rusk) and Bailee (Cotton)," Legerski said. "They know what it takes to win at this level. They know they need to get started right now. For the two freshmen in that group with Karla (Erjavec) and Quinn (Weidemann), I think they're learning quickly that you have to step up, because the veterans are ready to get going."

The second group is a solid mix between returning players and newcomers. The staff is using these workouts as an opportunity to get the Cowgirl offensive and defensive philosophies ingrained in the newcomers, while allowing the returners to hone their skills and help develop the rest of the incoming players.

"The newcomers have done very well," Legerski said "The difficult part is we have some injuries that were sustained either during the summer, or over the past year. So for some, it's progressing a little slower than we hoped. But once we get them back to going, I'll be happy with this group. What this group has demonstrated so far, the way they've been playing, it's a real plus for us. I like the newcomers. They're very talented, and they're picking up our offense very quickly. There's good things ahead, they just need experience."

The Cowgirls will have one more solid week of individual workouts before official practices begin on Wednesday, September 26. While the Cowgirls have shown a tremendous start already to the 2018-19 season, the year has only just begun. The physical conditioning and mental outlook for the student-athletes is one area Legerski is focused on as the team heads into the start of official practices.

"The biggest thing is trying to be in the best possible physical shape they can be," Legerski said. "Come with a positive attitude and know that it's a long haul. You go all the way through March. So, it's a situation where you need to learn each and every day and get better. You'll make some mistakes if you're competing, and we just move on from there."

Overall, the Cowgirls return nine letterwinners from last year's team that posted a 22-11 overall mark while going 13-5 in Mountain West play. Among the returns are three starters in Tapia, Cotton and Rusk, as well as the 2018 MW Sixth Player of the Year, Gomez. Legerski's squad also welcomes in six newcomers as well as junior Elisa Pilli, who redshirted the 2017-18 season.