A member of UW’s back-to-back Mountain States Conference Champion Teams in 1949 and 1950, Hewgley played both defensive tackle and offensive guard for the Cowboys. He was credited as a key blocker for Wyoming’s all-time great running back Eddie Talboom. Hewgley earned second team AP All America honors in 1950 along with first-team All-Conference recognition. Wyoming had a record of 9-1 in 1949 and 10-0 in 1950, including a win in the Gator Bowl. Hewgley later returned to his alma mater to coach the offensive line.

Wyoming’s all-time leader in pins, Mike Hamel was a two-time Western Athletic Conference champion and a three-time Mountain Intercollegiate Wrestling Association champion. As a freshman, he was named to the Amateur Wrestling News Freshman All-American team and earned “Rookie of the Year“ honors in the WAC. A two-time NCAA qualifier, Hamel won 12 tournaments during his time at Wyoming. He was the co-captain of the 1986 undefeated Cowboy wrestling team. He led the ‘Pokes to WAC team titles in 1983, 1985 and 1986. Hamel was honored with the Admiral Land Award as UW’s top student-athlete in 1986.

Described as a “terror on defense”, Vince Guinta was an honorable mention All-America in 1955 and 1956. Playing linebacker on defense and center on offense, Guinta was an integral part of Wyoming’s success in the mid-1950s. As a linebacker, he called all the defensive signals for his team. He started and lettered for three years under Coach Phil Dickens. He displayed great team leadership and was a tenacious tackler. He led Wyoming to a Sun Bowl victory in 1955 and an undefeated Skyline Championship season in 1956.

A team physician for UW Athletics from 1973-2003, the late Dr. David Kieffer pioneered the art of Sports Medicine in the state of Wyoming and at the University of Wyoming. He led efforts in the Mountain West Conference to develop a complex management plan and dedicated physician approach to concussion treatment. He authored definitive research on the anterior cruciate ligament injury and its treatment. A co-founder of Gem City Bone & Joint Clinic, his dedication, his passion and his love for thousands of student-athletes was unmatched.

Dr. Robert Curnow served as the team physician for UW Athletics teams from 1975-2010. A co-founder of Gem City Bone & Joint, he was instrumental in the development of orthopedic and sports medicine for not only the University of Wyoming but for the entire state and beyond. A familiar figure to all who attend Cowboy and Cowgirl athletic events, his enthusiasm and dedication to the healthcare of the student-athlete is unparalleled. To this day, his professionalism and excellent standard of care has set the expectations of the Sports Medicine Department.

The 1976 Wyoming Cowboy football team brought gridiron success and excitement back to UW for the first time since the Black 14 incident in 1969. The Cowboys went 8-4 overall and were co-champions of the Western Athletic Conference with a 6-1 conference record. Led by quarterbacks Don Clayton and Marc Cousins, they beat BYU in Provo, a tough Arizona State team in Laramie, Arizona in Tucson, and finished the season with a win over UTEP in El Paso. Their only conference loss was a 19-16 heartbreaker at rival Colorado State. Coached by Fred Akers, who was named WAC and Region IX Coach of the Year, the Cowboys ran the Wishbone offense and featured All-American linebacker Paul Nunu, All-American offensive tackle Dennis Baker, as well all-conference performers Walter Howard (tight end), Nunu, Baker, Ray Stawowy (tackle), and Kevin McClain (safety). The team competed in Wyoming’s first bowl game in ten years, losing the Fiesta Bowl to national power Oklahoma on Christmas Day in 1976.

An All America Honorable Mention in 2008, Zavecz was one of the most dynamic and versatile players in Wyoming history. She was a four-time All-Mountain West Conference selection and two-time MW Defensive Player of the Year. Zavecz was the driving force and tournament MVP in leading Wyoming to the WNIT National Championship in 2007, a title run which captured the hearts of Wyoming fans everywhere and brought sellout crowds to the Arena-Auditorium. In 2008, the Cowgirls were ranked in the Top 25 for the first time in school history and earned their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Zavecz is 5th all-time in points scored with 1,746 points. She still holds the record for free throws made in a single game (17 vs. Kansas State on March 28, 2007), and is second all-time in career free throws made, 2nd in assists, 12th in rebounds, 3rd in blocked shots, 2nd in steals, and 4th in career games played. She earned all-MW Academic honors and MW Scholar Athlete status all four years, and was named to ESPN The Magazine’s Academic All District VII First Team.

One of the fastest wingbacks and finest pass receivers ever to play at Wyoming, Watts was a threat to score every time he touched the football. He earned AP All America Honorable Mention honors and was named All-Skyline Conference as a senior in 1956 as the Cowboys produced a 10-0 record and finished 19th in the final AP poll. That season, he averaged 6.2 yards per carry with ten catches for 287 yards with eight touchdowns. He was 5th in the nation in punt returns. Nicknamed the “Mississippi Flash”, he was named AP Outstanding Newcomer in the Skyline Conference as a sophomore in 1954 after averaging 8.3 yards per carry and catching ten passes for 291 yards. He led the team in scoring with eight touchdowns. In his junior year, he averaged 8.87 yards per carry to lead the conference and scored five touchdowns. Watts also excelled at Track, lettering two years and winning the 1956 conference championship in the 440 yard run.

A nine-time Wyoming Sportscaster of the Year as selected by his peers of the National Association of Sportswriters and Sportscasters, Walsh has been the “Voice of the Cowboys” since 1984. Hired by broadcasting legend and UW Hall of Famer Curt Gowdy, Walsh began as a color analyst for Cowboy football and play-by-play announcer for basketball in 1984. In the fall of 1985, he added play-by-play duties for football and his voice quickly became synonymous with Wyoming Athletics. A graduate of San Diego State University, Walsh began his career in Wyoming as the sports director at KVOC Radio in Casper and play-by-play voice of the city’s Wyoming Wildcatters, a pro basketball team. Walsh was inducted into the Wyoming Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2015, and has made famous the phrase, “the score, oh the score” after each Cowboy victory. He also produces and hosts the long-running radio show “Wonders of Wyoming”.

A three-time Western Athletic Conference champion, Stetson competed in the 1982 NCAA Championships in the 1650 freestyle, posting a school-record time of 15:23:30 which stood for 32 years until it was broken in 2013. He finished his career at Wyoming holding school records in the 1650 freestyle and the 500 freestyle, and is still in the Top 5 today. He competed in several events during his career, including the 500 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 1650 freestyle, and the 800 freestyle relay, leading his team to 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, and 4th-place finishes at the WAC championships. Over his career, the Cowboys had a record of 47-9 in dual meets. A tremendous leader and outstanding student, he was named team captain his senior year. A Rhodes Scholar finalist, he earned NCAA Scholastic All-America honors and was chosen as the Admiral Land Award winner in 1983 as UW’s top student-athlete.