Kevin Mckinney

A native of Cheyenne, Wyo., McKinney is a lifelong and devoted advocate for University of Wyoming Athletics. He earned a degree in Journalism from the University of Wyoming in 1971.  During his undergraduate years, he worked at various times as the Sports Editor for the Wyoming State Tribune in Cheyenne, as a staffer for United Press International, as a public information specialist for the Wyoming Highway Department, and as a student assistant in the UW Sports Information Office.  After his graduation, McKinney joined the Wyoming Highway Department as a full-time Information Assistant for one year, before returning to his alma mater in 1972 as assistant sports information director under Bill Young and has been a dynamic figure in the department ever since. He was named Director of Sports Information in 1975, where his duties included maintaining statistical information on each intercollegiate sport, the production of media guides for each sport, news releases, programs, and game management. His voice is familiar throughout the state as he serves as the radio color commentator for Cowboy basketball (since 1974) and Cowboy football (since 1998).  Among the honors he has received are the Sigma Delta Chi Excellence in Journalism award, the Frank Norris, Jr., Distinguished Service to Journalism Award, several Press Box Excellence awards from CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America), and three Press Box Citations of Excellence from the Football Writers of America. McKinney has also worked at several NCAA basketball tournaments, including two Final Fours, and volunteered as an information coordinator at the National Sports Festival in Indianapolis, Ind., in 1983.  In 2001, he was named Wyoming’s Sportscaster of the Year. He was honored with a lifetime achievement award from the Wyoming State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011. Upon being named Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Operations in 2007, McKinney took on additional duties within the department, including oversight of the Marketing program as well as the Media and Public Relations office.

Jim House

A native of Laramie, House was one of the finest linebackers in Cowboy history and played on some of Wyoming’s most decorated defenses in history.  An honorable mention All-American, House earned all-conference honors in 1967 and 1968.  He led the Cowboys in tackles in 1967 and 1968, and holds the fifth best total for tackles in a game with 18 vs. CSU in 1967.  He was honored as the Sports Illustrated National Lineman of the Week for that performance.  In 1968, House recorded 91 tackles, seven tackles for loss, one interception, one fumble recovery and three pass breakups during his senior year.  He played on three WAC championship teams and competed in the Sun Bowl (1966) and the Sugar Bowl (1968).  The 1966 and 1967 Cowboys led the nation in rushing defense, and the 1968 team led the nation in total defense.  As co-captain with Gene Huey, House received the first ever “Bronze Boot” for Wyoming’s 1968 victory over CSU.  He was one of only eight college players selected to play in the East-West Shrine Game, the Hula Bowl, and the Senior Bowl.  He went on to an illustrious coaching career, including spending ten years as an assistant coach at Wyoming (1976-85).

Jason Gervais

A seven-time all-America thrower, Gervais was the national runner-up in the discus in 2000.  He holds the Mountain West conference record in the weight throw, and holds UW school records in the weight throw and discus.  He held the school record in the shot put until it was broken in 2013 by Mason Finley.  A four-time Mountain West champion, he won all-conference honors eight times.  He was awarded the MW’s Most Outstanding Male Performer at the 2000 MW Indoor Championships after winning both the 35-pound weight throw and the shot put. In 2009, he was honored by the Mountain West Conference as a member of the All-Decade Track & Field team. Gervais transferred to Wyoming after competing at Central Arizona College, where he was the junior college national champion in the discus and runner-up in the hammer throw.  A native of Timmins, Ontario, Gervais represented Canada in the discus at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.  He also competed in the Canadian Championships, the World University Games, and the Pan Am Games.  He majored in Business Administration at UW.

Josh Davis

A tremendous athlete, Davis started at forward his entire four-year career for the Cowboys.  Named AP Honorable Mention All-America in 2001-02, Davis led the Cowboys to their first two Mountain West titles and a first-round upset victory over Gonzaga in the NCAA tournament.  A popular player known for big plays and highlight-reel dunks, he is ranked 13th in scoring, second in rebounding, third in blocked shots, and fifth in career steals.  Davis also ranks third in the conference in career rebounds.   He posted 27 double-doubles as a Cowboy.  A three-time all-conference selection (twice named to the first team), Davis was selected First Team All-District 13 by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) twice and was twice named All-District 8 by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA).  He averaged 12.4 points and eight rebounds per game.  A three-time MW Player of the Week, Davis was voted to the MW all-tournament team in 2001.  Davis was selected to participate in the 2000 USA Basketball Men’s National Team Trials in Colorado Springs, Colo.  A native of Salem, Ore., he played professionally for the Philadelphia 76ers and the Memphis Grizzlies, among other NBA teams.  He also competed in several foreign countries.

Carrie Bacon

Namedhonorable mention All-America by the WBCA in 2003, Bacon averaged 15.1 points and 6.8 rebounds during her Cowgirl career.  She earned all-Mountain West and all-District VII honors three times in her career.  A forward/center, she scored 1,692 points (fifth all-time at UW) and brought down 761 rebounds (eighth).   As a freshman in 1998-99, she was voted to the MW All-Newcomer team.  An excellent all-around athlete, she twice led the Cowgirls in scoring and was among the team leaders in rebounding, blocks and steals each of her four years.  She recorded 23 double-doubles in her career.  In 1999-2000, she was second in the conference in scoring and led the league in free throw percentage (.830) as a sophomore. She produced the fourth- and fifth-best offensive games in Cowgirl history, scoring 34 points against UNLV in 2000 and 33 points vs. Idaho State in 1999.   She is also third in steals (169) and third in free throws made (390).  Named MW player of the week twice, she co-holds (with Ashley Elliott) the Arena-Auditorium record for field goals in a game by a Wyoming player with 13 vs. Penn in 1999.  A three-time all-conference academic selection and Mountain West Scholar-Athlete, she was also named Academic All-District VII three times.  A native of Colorado Springs, Colo., Bacon majored in Exercise and Sport Science at Wyoming.

1943 NCAA Championship Team

Basketball The first basketball team from the Rocky Mountains to win an NCAA Basketball Championship, the 1942-43 Wyoming cowboy basketball team posted a record of 31-2 despite playing just nine home games during the year. After losing at Duquesne in the fourth game of the season, the cowboys did not lose a game to another college team the rest of the season. Their only other loss was to the Denver Legion team. The Cowboys opened the NCAA Tournament beating the University of Oklahoma, 53-50, in the first round. Wyoming then beat the University of Texas, 58-54, and advanced to the NCAA Championship finals. Wyoming beat Georgetown University, 46-34, for the NCAA title. Two days after winning the NCAA Championship, the Wyoming team played NIT Champion St. John’s in a Red Cross benefit game for the war effort. It took an overtime, but Wyoming beat St. John’s 52-47, in Madison Square Garden, to earn the title of World Champions of 1943. The Cowboys outscored their opponents by an average of over 20 points per game and that 1942-43 squad became the first Wyoming team to score over 100 points in a game, by beating Regis 101-45.Honors and Awards

  • First team in Rocky Mountains to win an NCAA Championship
  • Only Wyoming basketball team to win an NCAA Championship
  • Record of 31-2
  • Defeated NIT Champions St. John’s in Red Cross Benefit Game

John Winterholler

John Winterholler is regarded as one of the most outstanding all-around athletes in University of Wyoming history. Winterholler, a native of Lovell, Wyoming, was an outstanding four-sport athlete, earning all-conference in football as a back, basketball as a forward, and baseball as a centerfielder from 1936 through 1939. He also competed in track and field as a sprinter. Winterholler was Wyoming’s 1937 leading scorer in basketball averaging 8.2 points per game. He was named to the Sports Illustrated Silver Anniversary All-America football team in 1964Inducted October 29, 1993.

Honors and Awards

  • Earned letters in four sports, football, basketball, baseball, track &field
  • Wyoming’s leading basketball scorer, 1937
  • Selected to the Sports Illustrated Silver Anniversary All-American Football Team, 1964

Ev Shelton

Ev Shelton coached Wyoming to the 1943 NCAA Championship. As Wyoming’s head basketball coach from 1939-59, Shelton posted a 328-201 record for a .620 winning percentage. He left as Wyoming’s all-time winningest coach. He guided the Cowboys to eight conference championships and eight NCAA tournaments. He was an instrumental fund raiser for War Memorial Stadium and Fieldhouse. During his career, he served as the President of the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Shelton also served as Wyoming’s baseball coach. In 1982 he was awarded the highest honor in basketball when he was posthumously elected to the National Basketball Hall of Fame. Inducted October 29, 1993.

Honors and Awards

  • Coached eight Conference championships, 1941, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1958
  • Coached eight NCAA tournament teams
  • Coached Wyoming’s only NCAA Basketball Championship
  • Elected to the National Basketball Hall of Fame, 1982

Kenny Sailors

Listen to audio interviews with Kenny Sailors by the Wyoming State Archives. Kenny Sailors is the only basketball player in Wyoming history to earn All-American three times. Sailors, a native of Hillsdale, Wyoming, was selected an All-American in 1942, 1943, and 1946. He was the unanimous selection for College Basketball Player of the Year in 1943 and was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1943 NCAA tournament. After serving in Word War II, Sailors returned for his final season, and earned All-American and Player of the Year honors in 1946. He guided Wyoming to the NCAA championship in 1943. Sailors is credited with inventing the jump shot and played several seasons in the NBA. Inducted October 29, 1993

Honors and Awards

  • All-American, 1942, 1943, 1946
  • NCAA Tournament Most Valuable Player, 1943
  • College Basketball Player of the Year, 1943
  • Inventor of the Jump Shot

Jay Novacek

Jay Novacek, a two sport All-American at Wyoming, was a record setting football player and track and field performer. He was selected to the Kodak All-American football team in 1984 after setting an NCAA record for receiving yards per receptions by a tight end. He had 83 career receptions for 1,536 yards and 10 touchdowns as a tight end. Novacek won the Western Athletic Conference decathlon championships earning All-American honors. He set UW records for decathlon points, 7,615, and in the pole vault, 16’4″. Novecek was a member of the 1993 Super Bowl Champion Dallas Cowboys. Inducted October 29, 1993.

Honors and Awards

  • First Team All-Western Athletic Conference, 1984
  • Football All-American, 1984
  • Track &Field All-American, 1984
  • Western Athletic Conference Decathlon Champion, 1984
  • NCAA record holder
  • Wyoming record holder in Decathlon and Pole Vault