LAS VEGAS – The Mountain West has gone through a lot of change.
 
Since the conference tournament here in March, five schools relocated to the Pac-12 and the MW welcomed Hawai'i, UC Davis and UTEP for the 2026-27 season after adding Grand Canyon last year.
 
There were two constants – Sundance Wicks' energy and Heather Ezell's steadiness – at the MW basketball media day event Wednesday at Palms Casino Resort.
 
The head coaches made the rounds here doing podcasts, print interviews, social media posts, radio row hits and television promotions along with Cowboys Khaden Bennett and Uriyah Rojas and Cowgirls Kati Ollilainen and Jane Rumpf.
 
The UW men's team is picked fifth in the preseason poll, but Wicks is fine with being mentioned in the "etcetera" category behind perceived favorites New Mexico, Grand Canyon, Nevada and UNLV.
 
"This is a proving ground for us," Wicks said. "Our floor has been raised. Now what is our ceiling?"
 
The UW women's team, which came within an eyelash of winning the MW Tournament with six seniors two years ago, is picked seventh after last year's challenging transition season. UNLV is the preseason favorite followed by Grand Canyon, UC Davis, Hawai'i, New Mexico and Air Force.
 
"It's a new conference. New opponents, new places to go, so for us it's a whole new chapter," Ezell said. "That's how we have to look at it. Last year is done. Turn the page."
 
Expectations are elevated for Wicks entering his third season rebuilding the program. Bennett and Rojas provide senior leadership and production in the backcourt. The Pokes also welcome back preseason all-MW selection Nasir (Naz) Meyer and big men Gavin Gores and Neil Summers.
 
"Just being able to play under Sundance. He's a great coach, great guy," Rojas said of his decision to return to UW. "It's really going to mean more if we can go out there and win the Mountain West and make the (NCAA) Tournament. That's the goal and that's what we're prepared to do this year."
 
After watching helplessly from the sideline last season while recovering from an injury, Ollilainen is healthy and ready to lead the Cowgirls' resurgence from the point guard position. Rumpf, a member of the MW all-freshman team last season, was named to the preseason all-MW team entering her sophomore campaign.
 
"We're just hungry to get back and just get Wyoming basketball where it's been," Ollilainen said. "We want to be back in the championship game again and now like actually win it this year. I'm excited."
 
Ezell said having three freshmen and six transfers join the program this offseason gave the coaching staff a chance to reteach the motion offense from scratch, something it didn't have to do with players like Allyson Fertig and Malene Pedersen leading the way in years past.
 
The Cowgirls have exhibition games against Colorado Christian (Oct. 26) and South Dakota Mines (Oct. 30) to work the kinks out before opening the regular season against Santa Clara on Nov. 2 in the Arena-Auditorium.
 
"Honestly, I think it's awesome," Rumpf said of the low outside expectations for UW. "Being an underdog, we have a lot to prove, but I think it gives us such a strong motivation to work towards it even harder than we already were. Now we literally have something to prove to the Mountain West, and I'm excited for this season."
 
The Cowboys went from 12 wins in Wicks' first season to 18 wins last season with the program's first NIT appearance in 23 years. For the first time since Jeff Linder's team made the NCAA Tournament in 2021-22, UW was able to retain most of its top players.
 
The long road to March begins with an exhibition game against Northern Colorado at 2 p.m. Sunday in Gillette. The Pokes open the regular season against Regis on Nov. 3 in Laramie and have a marquee non-conference game at North Carolina on Nov. 10.
 
"We still have to do the work, and we've got to integrate 10 new guys into our culture, our competitive consistency," Wicks said. "That's the good part about having some of that retention is that they can teach those guys along the way and they can show those guys along the way, but I like where we're at. We are still in the etcetera.
 
"I believe it was (CBS Sports') Jon Rothstein who mentioned the top teams in the league. He said New Mexico, Grand Canyon, Nevada, UNLV, etcetera. So, we're still in the etcetera until we actually prove that we're worthy to get out of the etcetera."
 
Follow Ryan for more stories on Wyoming athletics on X at @By_RyanThorburn on Facebook at Wyoming Athletics and Instagram at wyoathletics. Also follow him at Pokes Insider at Gowyo.com/pokesinsider.
 
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