LARAMIE, Wyo. (Aug. 9, 2023) – The Wyoming Cowgirl volleyball team officially opened Fall Camp this week in Laramie in preparation for their first season under Head Coach Kaylee Prigge.
The Cowgirls return 10 letterwinners from last season's squad, including the 2022 Mountain West Freshman of the Year, Tierney Barlow. Barlow, who was also named Honorable Mention All-Mountain West last season, became the fifth student-athlete in program history to be named freshman of the year. Barlow ranked fourth in the league with a .366 hitting percentage and was tied for third on the team with 224 kills in 2022. Barlow, who led the squad with 89 total blocks a season ago, had seven matches where she tallied double-digit kills.
Also returning to the squad is setter Kasia Partyka, who was one of two Cowgirls to play in all 120 sets last season. The junior from Poland was second in the Mountain West averaging 9.87 assists per set, while leading the conference with 1,184 total assists, a number that finished just outside the top-10 in program history for a single season. Partyka recorded 11 double-doubles on the season and had six matches with 50-plus assists and 14 with 40-or-more.
Wyoming native Corin Carruth also returns in 2023 after recording 224 kills (2.55 per set) last season. Both marks are tops for returning Cowgirls this season. Carruth started in 22 matches in 2022 and had 11 matches with 10-plus kills, including a pair with 20-plus. The Casper native was fourth on the team with 264.5 points and recorded five double-doubles last year. Joining the Cowgirl trio in 2023 are returners Macey Boggs, Skylar Erickson, Sarah Holcomb, Kayla Mazzocca, Kendal Rivera, Rylee Schulz and Zoee Smith.
The six newcomers joining the Brown & Gold this fall includes four freshman and a pair of transfers. The Cowgirls welcome Holly Eastridge (South Carolina) and Sonte Stewart (Florida Atlantic) as transfers. Incoming freshman features Sierra Grizzle (Boise, Idaho), Paige Lauterwasser (Napierville, Ill.), Abi Milby (Casper) and Evelyn Udezue (Laramie).
The Cowgirls are hosting a "Volleyball 101" event August 11 from 6 to 8 p.m., in the Wildcatter Stadium Club & Suites. The event gives UW fans a chance to meet the team and learn some of the technical aspects of volleyball. Fans can enjoy some light appetizers while meeting the Cowgirl student-athletes and coaching staff. Some of the topics will include officials' calls and signals, including what can and cannot be challenged, along with rules of the game.
Fans will get their first chance to see the Cowgirls in action Sunday, Aug. 13 at 1 p.m., with the annual Brown & Gold Scrimmage. The intrasquad scrimmage is free and open to the public. Wyoming will travel to Cody for a 5 p.m., exhibition contest the 19th as the Cowgirls will face Montana State. The season officially opens with UW hosting the first of two tournaments this fall as Winthrop, Green Bay and South Dakota State come to Laramie for the Rumble in the Rockies. The season opener is slated for noon, Aug. 25 against Winthrop.
Season tickets are currently on sale for $65 for general admission seating. To purchase tickets, fans can head to gowyo.com/tickets or call the Wyoming Ticket Office at 307-766-7220. Fans can also access the ticket office on the west side of the Arena-Auditorium located on Willett Drive.
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