(Riverton, WY) – In a challenging regular season beach volleyball showdown, the Central Wyoming College Rustlers were overpowered by the Trinidad State College Trojans, concluding with a final score of CWC 1, TSC 4 on April 11.
The Rustlers faced a series of intense sets at the event in Denver. The opening duo, Brooklyn Coats and Presley Ryan, struggled despite a close set, finishing at 20-22 and 11-21 against the strong Trojans side, marking a loss for CWC. However, optimism was briefly restored when Khloe Hobson and Hallie Reeder led the Rustlers to their only victory of the day with scores of 15-21, 21-18, and 15-13.
Further efforts saw Rian McKenzie and Laina Whitney nearly tipping the scale in favor of CWC with an initial win in their set at 21-19. However, subsequent losses at 18-21 and 16-18 dented hopes of a comeback. Rachel Workman and Nora Rasmussen, and then Paige McKenzie and Sarah Meservey also couldn’t turn the tide for the Rustlers, suffering defeats in their respective rounds.
Laina Whitney shared her thoughts on the game dynamics, explaining, “It was so fun to play beach and 6 on 6. It’s good to get a mix of both because it can really help fine tune our skills.”
The Central Wyoming College Women’s Volleyball team exhibited a consistent and promising performance during the Laramie County Community College Invitational held on April 12, in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Competing against several community colleges, the Rustlers managed to demonstrate their growing skill set under the guidance of Head Coach Kim Davis.
Throughout the invitational, Central Wyoming College faced stiff competition, finishing with draws against Chadron College and Gillette College, each by the score of 1-1. They showcased a strong play by securing a win against McCook College with a set score of 2-0 and wrapped up with another 1-1 draw against Eastern Wyoming College.
Head Coach Kim Davis shared her thoughts on the team’s performance, stating, “Overall this weekend went well. I see a ton of benefits beach [volleyball] provides for our court play. The girls love it. Our improvements this spring gets me excited for this fall.” Her optimism underscores the beneficial impact of beach volleyball training integrated into their practice regime, which has not only been enjoyable for the team but also instrumental in enhancing their court skills.
Looking forward, the Rustlers are set to face Salt Lake City Community College in their next outing on April 18, in Salt Lake City, Utah. This upcoming game is anticipated to be a crucial test for the team as they continue to build on their spring successes and prepare for the fall season.
Men’s and Women’s Rodeo
The Rustlers found themselves at their second to last rodeo competition of the 2024-25 season this past weekend at Casper, WY. They competed against a dozen teams on both the men’s and women’s side, and the Central Wyoming men and women each had strong individual performances.
Colton Clymer had a personal best weekend, where he finished second in the average for Bull Riding. Eian Smith and Ryan Nunn both finished fifth in the average for Bareback Riding and Saddle Bronc, respectively. Kenedie Balster was the highest placer for the women’s team, she finished seventh in the average for Barrel Racing. Maylee Nordstrom and Tricia Lammers also both finished 9th in the average for Team Roping.
Head rodeo coach Andrew Schrock was pleased with the effort he saw out of his athletes, “I am proud of our rough stock riders. They all made it back to the short round and did a great job of taking care of business.”
Track & Field
In an exciting display of skill and endurance, the Central Wyoming College Rustlers showcased their talents at the Kit Mayer Invitational on April 12, in Golden, Colorado against the Colorado School of Mines. The track meet featured several notable performances, particularly from Rustlers’ athletes Kallee Cook and Madi Fossey.
Kallee Cook, a standout in the 1500M and 800M races, came close to breaking her personal record in the 1500M, finishing just one second behind her previous best time.
Meanwhile, Madi Fossey made her inaugural appearance in the 400M at the college level, marking a significant milestone in her athletic career with the Rustlers.
The event in Golden, Colorado, not only provided a platform for individual excellence but also strengthened team spirit and performance going forward. Looking ahead, the Rustlers are set to compete in their next event on May 2, where they will face Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho.
Men’s and Women’s Golf
The Central Wyoming College Rustlers faced challenging conditions at recent golf events held in Sterling, CO and Torrington, WY on April 8-11. Competing against teams from Northeastern Junior College, Eastern Wyoming College, and Otero College, the Rustlers demonstrated resilience and skill under the windy weather that significantly impacted the scores across the board.
The men’s team secured a commendable third place at both the NJC event and the EWC Invite, scoring a combined total of 597 over the two days at Torrington. Noteworthy individual performances came from Isabell Salas and Cheyenne Ward, who tied for third with scores of 170 at the NJC event and improved to tie for second with scores of 161 at the EWC Invite. Additionally, Brodie Dale set a new personal college career low with a score of 143, and Houston Dunn also recorded a personal best of 70. Tyler Ewell also made impressive showings, finishing eighth at the NJC event and tied for seventh at the EWC Invite.
These accomplishments have not only brought recognition to the team members but also set a positive tone for the Rustlers as they prepare to host their next event. The CWC home golf invitational had to be canceled due to weather, which was initially scheduled for April 17 & 18, in Riverton, WY.