With the 2021-2022 season coming to a close for Cowgirl Basketball, a recap of the great successes and significant challenges of the season become necessary.
The 17-13 Cowgirls finished fourth in the Mountain West Conference, with a conference record of 11-6.
The Cowgirls fell to the Colorado State Rams in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West Conference Tournament but remained eligible for the Women’s National Invitation Tournament.
“I told the kids, some nights it’s your night, some nights it’s not, and tonight [Against CSU in the Mountain West Tournament] we didn’t get it done and that’s what happens. But it doesn’t deter from a great year for these young women,” Head Coach Gerald Mattison said following the loss.
The sentiment seemed to describe the Cowgirls’ season, with incredible triumphs and arduous challenges throughout the season.
Playing through a pandemic certainly played a role for the Poke squad, with more than half the team sitting out due to COVID-19.
The Cowgirl squad was also forced to reschedule three games, against Boise State, San Jose State, and Fresno State.
Throughout all of the adversity the Cowgirls faced this season, the Cowgirls continued to compete in every game, leading to multiple heart-stopping thrillers.
The Cowgirls had three out of four overtime victories throughout the season, including a 69-63 victory against CSU and two in the WNIT.
The Cowgirls took another team, the UCLA Bruins, to another overtime game. The Poke squad fell short, but Head Coach Gerald Mattison expressed his thoughts on the game and team afterward.
“Who would have thought we would have played three straight overtime games. I don’t know how to put my emotions right now into words. I thought our kids responded to that team really well, I don’t think they backed down at all, and credit to the team,” Mattison said.
“They didn’t quit, and that’s who these girls are, that’s who they’ve been. They’re not going to give in, they’re going to fight ‘till the end.”
Several Cowgirls stood out this season, reaching various landmarks and earning recognition.
In their Feb. 24 contest against UNLV, Senior guard Quinn Weidemann became just the 27th member of the 1,000 point club in program history. Weidemann scored 330 points for the Cowgirls, shooting 42% from the field and 42% from the three-point line.
Weidemann, along with two other Cowgirls, earned Mountain West Accolades this season.
Weidemann was named to the All-Defensive Team for the second season in a row. Weidemann totaled 24 steals and five blocks this season.
Junior guard McKinley Bradshaw led the Cowgirls in scoring with 433 points, shooting 39% from the field and 34% from behind the arc. Bradshaw was also selected for the All-Conference team.
Standout freshman Alyson Fertig earned Freshman of the Year and All-Freshman Team honors this season. Fertig tallied 260 total rebounds this season and scored 315 points for the Pokes.
For Seniors Tommi Olson, Quinn Weidemann, and Alba Sanchez-Ramos, this was their final season with the Cowgirls.
Olson, the starting point guard for the Pokes, was a force on the court, recording 98 assists, 44 steals, and 130 points. She also scored several clutch threes in the Poke dramatic overtime victory over CSU.
The Cowgirls also say goodbye to Head Coach Gerald “Coach G” Mattison. Mattison announced his retirement after the WNIT, after 16 years as an assistant coach and three as head coach with Wyoming.
The Cowgirls will begin next season led by Heather Ezell, who has spent the last seven years with the Cowgirls.
