LARAMIE, Wyo. (Oct. 24, 2026) – The Wyoming Cowgirls unofficially begin the 2026-27 season Monday evening, October 26 at 6:30 as Colorado Christian comes to town for the first of two exhibitions for the Cowgirls this season before they tip the regular season November 2 against Santa Clara in Laramie.
Monday's exhibition can be heard across the Cowgirl Radio Network with David Settle on the call.
ABOUT THE COWGIRLS
Wyoming enters its fifth season under Head Coach Heather Ezell in 2026-27. The Cowgirls were picked to finish seventh in the Mountain West in the league's preseason poll that was announced earlier this month. Jane Rumpf, who was a member of the 2025-26 Mountain West All-Freshman Team was selected to the Preseason All-Mountain West Team this season. Rumpf averaged 7.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game last season and was second on the team with 53 made 3-pointers and led UW with 38 blocks. In conference play, Rumpf averaged 10 points and 5.6 rebounds a contest and led the league in blocks (1.60) and 3-pointers made per game (2.35) during MW play.
The Cowgirls also welcome back fellow starter Payton Muma, who averaged 3.8 points per game and led the Cowgirls with 79 assists last season. Wyoming also returns Kati Ollilainen, who missed all of 2025-26 with an injury. In 2024-25, her sophomore season, Ollilainen averaged 3.7 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game in a reserve role. UW also returns Liv Blomkvist, Katie Harrington and Peyton Wohlford for their sophomore seasons.
Wyoming has nine new faces this season, including six transfers and three incoming freshmen. Jersey Berg (Williston State), Norah Clark (UT Martin), Kaylan Deveney (Rider), Hayley Johnson (San Jose City), Merceius Mili (Utah Tech) and Ophelia Powell (CSU Bakersfield) all bring in collegiate experience. The Cowgirls also bring in freshmen Zoey Blackwell (Middleton, Idaho), Karly Davis (Buffalo, Wyo.) and Taylor Donaldson (Albany, Ore.) for this season.
SCOUTING COLORADO CHRISTIAN
Colorado Christian went 7-21 overall last season and was 4-16 in the RMAC in 2025-26. The Cougars averaged 61.2 points per game last season and allowed 65.5 per contest. CCU shot 37-percent overall from the floor and 28-percent from 3-point range. Cougar opponents made nearly 39-percent from the field and hit 29.3-percent from beyond-the-arc. Colorado Christian was minus-1 on the season in rebounding margin and forced its opponents into more turnovers per contest while averaging 11.3 assists per game.
The Cougars are led by a pair of returning Honorable Mention RMAC performers from last season who are returning in Elise Grosdidier and Hayley Luther. Both Grosdidier and Luther averaged 7.7 points per game last season while Grosdidier averaged four rebounds a contest. Ja'Shelle Johnson is the leading returning scorer for the Cougars after averaging 8.7 points per game in 2025-26. Johnson led CCU with 58 assists last season.
SERIES HISTORY AGAINST COLORADO CHRISTIAN
Wyoming has won both previous meetings in the series with Colorado Christian, although Monday's contest is just an exhibition. Both games have come in Laramie. The Cowgirls won 70-31 in the last regular season meeting with the Cougars, back in the 2019-20 season opener on November 6, 2019.
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