Without exception fans in every state beam proudly when their native sons or daughters compete for the in-state university. 

Wyoming is no different.  It's just a little more special when a native is wearing the brown and gold.

Gerald Mattinson is in his first year as the Cowgirls' head basketball coach.  As we know, he's not new as he sat next to Joe Legerski for 16 season as his top assistant.  It's been the perfect situation.  The highly successful head coach steps aside and his long-time assistant takes over to maintain the continuity.

Every athletics director dreams of that situation.

Mattinson and his Cowgirls have gotten off to a great start, beating Colorado Christian, and Saint Mary's.  They are taking on old rival Denver University tonight, and host Colorado University on Sunday in the Double A (1 p.m.)

Gerald's too busy to dwell on it, but he's very aware—and big-time proud--that there are five members of his team who are natives of Wyoming.  Gerald is himself a native of the state (Rock Springs) as is one of his three assistants, Fallon Lewis (Dayton).

This aligning of the stars so to speak has not happened in over 20 seasons at Wyoming.  Back in 1998, the Cowgirl roster was sprinkled with five Equality State natives. That season, Jennifer Russell (Casper), Mistee Worman (Sheridan), Many Zihlman (Rock Springs), Jessica Cross (Powell) and Chrissy Ingalls (Sheridan) were Cowgirls.

It's special, there's no doubt.

"We have always made a commitment to recruit Wyoming players," says Mattinson, "and some of our program's most successful players over the past 16 years have been from Wyoming. It is always special for our program when there are players from within the state that not only have the talent to play at this level, but also choose to bring their talents to the University.

"Their commitment to the brown and gold is deep," Gerald continued, "and sometimes the pressures they feel are a little more than the other players.  But they are a special group and we are pleased to have them."

All five are young players, and they're acutely aware that this situation doesn't happen very often.

"It's really special," says sophomore point guard and Worland native Tommi Olson. Her mother (Elsa) played for the Cowgirls from 1981 through 1984. "It's such an honor to represent the state, and we all feel that way.  Coming from Wyoming, we understand that we have to work extra hard.  Wyoming kids often get overlooked because it's a small state. So we appreciate the opportunity we have."

The five native are juniors Emily Buchanan and Jaye Johnson, Olson, and freshmen McKinley Bradshaw and Paige Powell. 

Johnson transferred from Casper College and is from Casper; Buchanan transferred from Eastern Wyoming and is from Yoder; Bradshaw is from Lyman, and went to Lyman High School; Powell is from Encampment and moved to Cody, where she graduated from Cody High School, and Olson is from Worland, and went to Highlands Ranch (Colo.) High School.

I got this from Cowgirl Communication Coordinator, Sean O'Sullivan, but if you wanted to see all five of their hometowns, you would drive a loop from Casper to Yoder to Encampment to Lyman to Worland, and it would take you 16 hours and 21 minutes.

Olson really didn't know any of her native Wyomingites when she joined the Cowgirls a year ago. 

"I had heard of McKinley and Paige, and had certainly read about the Cowgirls and some of my teammates in the local paper," Tommi says.   "So I knew who they were before I got here. But I think we have all connected well which is really cool."

Olson played a number of sports as a youngster, including wrestling! That's right, she wrestled. "That was when I was really young though," she says.  "My dad (Del) wrestled in college at Minot State, so he wanted to get me involved. I actually won two national meets.

"But basketball was my first love, and that's the sport I worked the hardest at.  I always felt it was my best sport.  My mom and dad both agreed and influenced me to go that way.

"They were also very supportive when it came time to make my college choice.  They both knew I wanted to go to Wyoming and they were totally behind me.  It's really special to have that kind of support.  It's been a terrific experience thus far."

Olson, who is majoring in chemistry and wants to become a nurse-practitioner, doesn't believe that there has been that much of an adjustment to the new coach.  "Really, his style isn't that much different from Joe's, other than he's maybe a little more intense.  It really helps that we've known him.

The Cowgirls are a young team, eight members on the roster are either freshman or sophomores, and every day is a learning experience, according to Tommi.  "We are developing every day, every game," she says.  "Our basketball IQ is also improving every day.  We all really like where we are going.

"It's a great experience for all of us, but especially those of us from Wyoming.  Playing for the Cowgirls means so much to us, and we're loving it."