A native of Cutbank, Mont., who attended high school in Casper, Wyo., Karen Sanford Gall specialized in middle-distance and distance running events at the University of Wyoming. She earned All-America honors in the 3000 meter run in 1982. She also earned AIAW All-Conference and All-Region honors in 1980, and was a part of the relay team that won the conference championship in the 4 x 800 in 1981. She still holds the Wyoming record for the Indoor 2000 meter run, and was a member of the relay teams that still hold records in the Indoor 4 x 800 relay and Outdoor 4 x 800 relay. She once held school records in the 880 yard run and the 1000 yard run, as well as the Indoor mile. Following college, she was a graduate assistant coach for the UW Track teams for a year, and continued as a competitive distance runner, racing in the Boston Marathon, New York Marathon, and Chicago Marathon, among other events. She is a four-time qualifier for the Olympic Trials in the Marathon (1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004). She also served as the Outreach Director of the UW Cowboy Joe Club in 1988-1989 and on the UW Alumni Board of Directors from 1992-96.

A star on both offense and defense, Chuck Lamson led the Cowboys to conference championships in both 1960 and 1961, earning honorable mention All-America honors both years. A native of Ames, Iowa, Lamson began his collegiate career at Iowa State before transferring to Wyoming, where he played quarterback as well as defensive safety. In 1960, Lamson led the Cowboys in total offense and passing and was 2nd in rushing behind Jerry Hill, gaining 543 yards for an average of 5.5 yards per carry, completing 20 of 42 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns, punting three times for an average of 30.7, returning one kickoff for 16 yards and one punt for 17 yards. As a defensive safety, Lamson had two interceptions for a Cowboy defensive unit which ranked first nationally in rushing defense and total defense. A unanimous all-conference selection, Lamson ranked 36th nationally in rushing, while ranking 4th in the conference in total offense, 5th in rushing, and 7th in passing. In 1961, Lamson was named “Back of the Week” by Sports Illustrated after guiding the Cowboys to a 15-14 upset win over North Carolina State and star quarterback Roman Gabriel. That year, he led the team in rushing with 93 carries for 451 yards (an avg. of 4.8 yards per carry) and two touchdowns. He also led the team in scoring, threw for 172 yards passing and two touchdowns, as well as one punt return, one kickoff return, and one interception on defense. The Cowboys compiled a record of 14-3-2 with Lamson at quarterback. The captain of the 1961 team, Lamson was honored as UW’s best student-athlete in 1962 as the winner of the Admiral Land Award. He was drafted in 1960 by the Minnesota Vikings and played professionally as a defensive back for the Vikings (1962-63), the Philadelphia Eagles (1964), and the Los Angeles Rams (1965-68).

One of the best kickers in UW football history, Bob Jacobs served as both the placekicker and punter for the Cowboy football team from 1968 through 1970 and led the team in scoring in both 1968 and 1969. He kicked 37 field goals in his career, the most ever at the time. During his sophomore season in 1968, Jacobs led the nation in field goals made, ranked third in the nation in scoring by a kicker with 68 points, and ranked 5th nationally in punting average. That year, he kicked a 47-yard field goal against Arizona State and had a 77 yard punt at BYU. In 1969, he was named to the Look-FWAA All-American Team as well as The Sporting News All-American Team after setting a national record with 18 field goals and leading the nation in scoring by a kicker with 76 points. A two-time All-Western Athletic Conference player, he averaged 41.8 yards per punt for the Cowboys and led the WAC in punting in both 1968 and 1969. He still holds UW records for average punts per game (career), average punts per game (season), total punts in a season, and co-holds the UW records for average field goals made per game and punts in a single game. As a senior he was chosen to play in the AFCA All-American Football game, the Blue-Gray game, and the Hula Bowl. He still holds the Hula Bowl record for most PATs with 6. For his career, Jacobs kicked 37 of 77 field goals, 57 of 64 PATs, and scored 168 points for the Cowboys. His career-long field goal was a 48-yarder against Arizona State in 1970. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1971.

A three-time All-America, Hybertsen won the national championship in Cross Country Skiing three years in a row (1973-74-75), and finished 7th nationally as a senior in 1976. At the time, Hybertsen was only the fourth three-time NCAA repeat champion in skiing history, and remains the only three-time cross-country champion ever. Recruited to Wyoming by fellow skier Staale Engen, Hybertsen anchored an exceptional group of Nordic skiers who led the Wyoming ski team to second-place finishes in 1973 and 1974, and a third-place finish in 1975. Hybertsen also competed in cross country for the UW Track team. A native of Honefoss, Norway, Hybertsen came to Wyoming after a stint in the Norwegian army, where he was a member of the King’s Guard ski team, a prestigious unit which represents Norwegian royalty in competition. A terrific all-around athlete, he also won the Norwegian pentathlon and represented his country in the Scandinavian Championships.

One of Wyoming’s all-time great wrestlers, Jerry Frude was a two-time All-America (1959 and 1960). In 1959 as a sophomore, he won the Mountain States/Skyline Conference title at 147 pounds and then went on to a second-place finish in the NCAA Championships, helping the Cowboys to a 6th-place team finish. He again finished second in the nation in the 147-pound weight class in 1960, while Wyoming finished third as a team. After sitting out a year in 1961, Frude re-joined the team in 1962 and was named co-captain. He won his second Skyline Conference championship at 147 pounds and won his first two matches at the NCAA Championships before falling to eventual national runner-up Kirk Pendleton of Lehigh. A native of Laramie, Frude was never pinned by an opponent during his college career. Wyoming’s wrestling teams finished 6th (1959), 3rd (1960), and 11th (1962) in the nation during Frude’s time at UW and won the Mountain States/Skyline Conference team championship each year (1959, 1960 and 1962).

A two-sport letterman, Staale Engen excelled in both Nordic Skiing and Cross Country Track during his career at Wyoming. He won the national title in cross country skiing in 1972, and finished second nationally in 1971 and 1973. Earning All-American honors in 1971, 1972, and 1973, Engen led Wyoming’s ski teams to a third-place finish in 1972 and a second-place in 1973. In Track, Engen earned All-Conference honors in cross country and track in 1971 and 1972, participating in the 3000 meter steeplechase and the 1500-meter run. He once held the UW record in the 3000 meter steeplechase, and competed in the 1972 NCAA Outdoor Track Championships. Engen was honored with the Admiral Land Award as UW’s top student-athlete in 1973. He also spent time as an assistant track coach at Wyoming. A native of Drammen, Norway, Engen was a four-time Norwegian champion in track and won the King’s Trophy as the best Track and Field athlete in Norway in 1970. Engen also contributed to UW’s success by recruiting other top Norwegian skiers and runners to attend the University.

The 1986-87 Cowboy Basketball team captured the hearts of the Wyoming fans. Riding high from their NIT finals appearance the year before, the 1986-87 Cowboys were 24-10 overall, 11-5 in the conference. They had a chance to win a share of the regular season Western Athletic Conference title, but lost a heartbreaker at UTEP, 74-72, in the last game of the season and ended up tied for third place. The `Pokes then went on a magical run in the WAC tournament at the Pit in Albuquerque, winning three consecutive two-point thrillers. The Cowboys defeated Utah in the first round, 56-54, on a short jumper by junior guard Reggie Fox with three seconds left. Facing league champion UTEP in the semi-finals, the Cowboys needed a three-pointer from Fox with ten seconds left to win, 77-74. In the final round, the Cowboys were up against New Mexico on its home floor. This time, the Cowboys won 64-62 on two free throws from senior guard Sean Dent with 11 seconds left to capture the WAC Tournament championship and the NCAA automatic bid. Junior center Eric Leckner was named the MVP of the WAC Tournament (for the second year in a row) after scoring 67 points in the three games. The Cowboys were seeded 12th in the NCAA Tournament West Regional at Salt Lake City, and Wyoming fans flocked to neighboring Utah to cheer on their team. The Cowboys surprised 5th-seeded Virginia of the Atlantic Coast Conference, 64-60, behind Leckner’s 22 points and junior swingman Fennis Dembo’s 16 points and nine rebounds. In the next round, the Cowboys became everyone’s “Cinderella” team by defeating UCLA and its star Reggie Miller, 78-68. Dembo became a household name by scoring 41 points, including a tournament record 16-16 from the free throw line. Advancing to the “Sweet 16” in Seattle, Wyoming faced eventual national runner-up UNLV and played well before losing, 92-78. For his efforts, Dembo was named first team all-conference, first team all-district VII, and the WAC player of the year. Leckner was also named first team all-conference and first team all-district VII. Dent set the Wyoming single-season assist record with 183 assists, while Dembo set the single-season record for three-point field goals with 78. With all five starters returning On the heels of the “Sweet 16” appearance, and with all five starters and ten lettermen returning, the Cowboys were ranked #10 in the 1987-88 pre-season polls and Dembo was featured on the cover of the Sports Illustrated college basketball preview issue.

The first Wyoming swimmer ever to compete in the Olympic games (2004), Scott Usher earned five All America honors (four first-team) over the course of his college career. He earned a trip to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens after placing second in the 200-meter breaststroke (2:10.90) at the US Olympic Team Trials on July 11, 2004, finishing second to a World Record swim by Texas’ Brendan Hansen (2:09.04). He placed seventh in the finals of the 200-meter breaststroke at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. He swam a finals time of 2:11.95, the fifth fastest semi-final time of 2:12.00 and the ninth best preliminary time of 2:13.59. Usher still holds the Mountain West Conference record, the Wyoming record, the MWC Championships record and the Corbett Pool record in both the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events. A six-time conference champion, Usher won 35 of the 36 dual meet breaststroke events he raced while at Wyoming and placed second once. In his freshman year, he won the 200 breaststroke and placed fifth in the 100 breaststroke at the 2002 MWC Championships. As a sophomore, he won both breaststroke events at the conference championships and placed sixth in the 200-yard breaststroke at the 2003 NCAA Championships with a time of 1:57.05. He was selected as an All-American for his finish. He also placed 15th in the 100-yard breaststroke in a time of 54.75, earning honorable mention All-American honors. In 2004, he was named MWC Swimmer of the Year after again winning both breaststroke events at the conference meet and was again a two-time All-American after placing third in the 100-meter breaststroke (59.01) and second in the 200-meter breaststroke (2:07.66) at the NCAA Championships. As a senior, he won the fourth 200-yard breaststroke title of his career at the 2005 MWC Championships, swimming to a time of 1:57.51. He placed second in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 54.33. He was awarded the MWC’s Senior Recognition Award following the championships. Usher then earned the fourth first-team All-American and fifth overall honor of his career by placing fourth in the 200-yard breaststroke (1:55.33) at the 2005 NCAA Championships. Usher earned a spot on the 2005 U.S. World Championship team by placing second in the 200-meter breaststroke at the World Championship Trials, April 1-5, 2005 in Indianapolis, Ind., and participated in several national and international events. A four-time letterwinner at Wyoming, he also earned Mountain West Conference Swimmer of the Week honors three times during his career. He is one of two sons of Tom and Pam Usher, and graduated from high school in Grand Island, Neb.

Quarterback Jim Walden transferred to Wyoming from Itawamba (Miss.) Junior College prior to the 1958 season and immediately became a crowd favorite. Nicknamed the “Mississippi Gambler”, Walden led the Cowboys to back-to-back Skyline Conference championships. Known for his “passing, running, punting and sparkling leadership”, according to the 1960 Wyoming media guide, Walden was a dynamic player who could turn nothing into something. In 1958, Wyoming was 8-3 and won the Sun Bowl over Hardin-Simmons. Walden was second team all-conference and made several all-opponent teams. He led the Cowboys in passing with 491 yards and five touchdowns, and in punting with 20 punts for 801 yards (40.1 yard average). In 1959, the Cowboys finished with a 9-1 record. Walden earned Honorable Mention All America honors and was voted the player of the year in the Skyline Conference. He set a conference career record for average gain per play (6.57). He ranked 13th nationally and 1st in the conference in total offense with 1211 yards. He again led the Cowboys in passing with 882 yards and 11 touchdowns and in punting with 35 punts for 1291 yards (37.0 yard average). He also was second on the team in rushing with 329 yards and led the team in punt returns with ten returns for 86 yards. He ranked 2nd in the conference in passing and 5th in punting. He set Wyoming records for most touchdown passes (11) and average gain per play (7.0) in 1959. He was chosen to play in the Shrine East-West all-star game after the season, where he split quarterback duties with SMU’s Don Meredith. Walden was drafted by the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League and by the Denver Broncos of the American Football League, but he elected to play for Vancouver of the Canadian Football League. He played three years in the CFL before starting his coaching career at the high school level in his native Mississippi. Former Wyoming coach Bob Devaney gave him his start in college coaching, hiring him as an assistant at Nebraska. He was then an assistant coach at Washington State before being named the head coach of the Cougars in 1978. He spent 9 years at Washington State and then 8 years as the head coach at Iowa State. He retired from Iowa State in 1994 and became a radio color commentator.