Press Release by Central Wyoming College Athletics:
Rustler Men Win at Home Before Break
With the Thanksgiving break all wrapped up, the men’s basketball team will be back on the court after splitting a set of games.
On Tuesday, November 21 the men made the five-hour drive to Salt Lake City to play the #4 ranked team in the country, SLCC Bruins. After pushing SLCC in their home opener, 70-77, this was a game on paper that looked like it could be a contest. Unfortunately, after three weeks of games, the two teams did not look the same. CWC was without two starters, Sam Marbury and Javonne Nesbit, who both contributed in the first contest. SLCC was coming off a tough road trip to Florida that saw them come together. “To say these were the same two teams that played each other in week one would be a flat-out lie. We have changed a lot and so has Salt Lake. The way SLCC played tonight they have a team that could win a national championship.” explained Coach Schmit about his team’s lopsided loss, 67-101.
Coming back to campus to play Northeastern on Wednesday, November 22 was not going to be easy either. After losing to NJC earlier in the season at Western Wyoming, this was to be a revenge game for the Rustlers. “Competing against Region 9 programs is our ultimate goal. Losing to NJC earlier in the year did not sit right with me or the guys. We feel we are the better team, but college basketball has a way of humbling you.” commented Coach Schmit on his team’s mindset coming into the game. Similar to how the results changed from the first Salt Lake game to the second game, the game against NJC was the same. CWC jumped out to an early lead and never relinquished it, holding the lead for the entire 40 minute ball game. Winning by a final score of 88-76. Four of the five starters tallied double digits being led by King Solomon’s 23 points.
CWC will hit the road this week for games at Otero CC in La Junta, CO on Friday, December 2 and a game at Lamar CC in Lamar, CO on Saturday, December 3.
Rustler Women Push CSI Against the Ropes, Fall to Split the Weekend 1-1
The Rustlers are still off to their best start since the 2014-15 season as they finish this weekend with a record of five wins and four losses. First up, the Rustlers square off in Idaho with Treasure Valley Community College where they would struggle to gain offensive momentum outside of freshman guard Natalia Ballin.
Ballin would put her name to good use as she finished with 22 points on the night with 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks, while shooting 10-13 from the floor, and a perfect 2-2 from deep.
Freshman Katie Walker also contributed 12 points on 5-8 shooting with 6 rebounds, and Emily Sawyer brought down 10 boards of her own. Ultimately, the Rustlers finished with a 67-58 victory.
Next, the Rustlers faced off against national powerhouse, College of Southern Idaho, who currently sits at #8 in the nation in the Top 25 rankings. CSI came out swinging and it took the Rustlers to the half before they were able to gain an effective strategy. Coach Westmoreland stated “At halftime, my assistant and I were at a loss. We were throwing everything at them we could, and it just wasn’t getting the job done. Wasn’t a personnel issue, but a strategy issue. So, we decided to play small ball in the second half, put more guards on the floor, and next thing we know, it becomes a game.” The Rustlers would ultimately outscore the Golden Eagles 45-31 in the second half, with 28 monstrous points in the 4th quarter before falling 85-68. The Rustlers shot 54% from deep with 12 made 3’s behind freshman Espi Vergara who hit 4 from behind the arc to finish the night with 15 points. Ariana Rodriguez also contributed 3 3’s to finish with 15 points, as well as Macey Hein with 3’s and 15 points. Hein also brought down 7 boards, contributed 3 blocks and shot 50% on the night.
The Rustlers play two more Top 25 teams this week as they travel to NJC on Tuesday, and Salt Lake City on Friday where they face off against Utah State-Eastern.
Rodeo
The Central Wyoming College Rodeo Team hosted the Optimal Performance Academy Rough Stock Clinic this past weekend. Doug Champion is the owner of Champion Living Fitness and founder of OPA. Doug, and his team of Coaches, are changing the way rodeo athletes train, prepare, and fuel their bodies and minds to compete in the sport of rodeo and life. The three-day clinic covered mental development, nutrition, warm-up and workouts, budgeting, how to enter PRCA Rodeos, and fundamentals for all three rough stock events. The instructors included Doug and Richie Champion, Cole Reiner, Caleb Bennett, Jake Griffin, and Paul Lloyd. “It was a great weekend for our team and program,” said Coach Schrock. “We were able to invite eight high school Juniors and Seniors from across Wyoming and Idaho to come join our team for the weekend. Obviously, getting them on our campus and around our team is a huge recruiting tool. We have an amazing team atmosphere this year, the Bebout Arena inside the new Rustler Ag and Equine Complex is nothing short of amazing and has plenty of room to buck the best horses in the nation, provided by Wade Sankey and Sankey Pro Rodeo. Two of the instructors, Cole Reiner and Richie Champion, both got on a horse to practice for the National Finals Rodeo that starts Dec. 7th in Las Vegas, that is pretty cool for all these kids to get an opportunity to practice right next to the best in the world. I’d like to thank everyone who helped to put it on, the coaches Cally Schrock, Jess Griffin, the CWC rodeo team, Champion Living and all their coaches, Wade Sankey, Cody Yates, Running C Bucking Bulls, Howl Rodeo Bulls, the Pickup Men- Jared Gill and Duane Gilbert, and the CWC facility staff for always keeping the facility looking very professional.”