The Wyoming Cowgirls are preparing for an emotional night as they honor six seniors before their regular-season finale against UNLV on Wednesday at the Arena-Auditorium (8:30 p.m., FS1), University of Wyoming Athletics reports.
Following their 68-55 victory over Colorado State last weekend, the Cowgirls celebrated by showering head coach Heather Ezell with water in the locker room. Now, the team shifts its focus to honoring the contributions of Allyson Fertig, Emily Mellema, Tess Barnes, McKinley Dickerson, Ola Ustowska, and Joslin Igo in their final home game.
The six seniors have played key roles in shaping the Cowgirls’ success. Head coach Heather Ezell acknowledged the emotional weight of the night.
“When you’ve got a group of seniors like we have that are plastered all over the record books and have put their heart and soul into this program, it’s going to be emotional,” Ezell said. “We will enjoy it, there will be tears, and then we’ll flip the switch and focus on the game.”
The Cowgirls (19-10, 13-4 Mountain West) have won eight of their last nine games, securing sole possession of second place behind four-time reigning conference champion UNLV (24-5, 16-1).
The 6-foot-4 senior center from Glendo, Wyoming, has had a dominant season, leading the Mountain West in scoring (19.0 ppg) and rebounding (10.7 rpg).
Fertig recently became Wyoming’s all-time leading rebounder (1,133 rebounds), surpassing Michele Hoppes (1,104, 1984-87). She also ranks fourth on UW’s all-time scoring list with 1,771 points, trailing Christine Fairless (1,933), Hoppes (1,842), and Amy Burnett (1,782).
Her former high school teammate and current UW guard Joslin Igo believes Fertig deserves Mountain West Player of the Year honors.
“She has put in so much work for that,” Igo said.
Mellema, a 5-11 point guard from Lynden, Washington, was patient in earning her starting role. She was named to the All-Mountain West Defensive Team as a junior and has been a steady presence this season, averaging 10.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists.
After battling illness in the first matchup against CSU, she bounced back with 11 points, four rebounds, three blocks, and two assists in the rematch.
“When she’s at her best, she does a lot of damage—not just scoring, but facilitating and leading,” Fertig said.
Barnes, a 6-2 wing from Gisborne, Australia, has been a consistent contributor, averaging 9.7 points and 4.0 rebounds. She leads the Cowgirls with 46 made three-pointers this season.
She has also formed a strong bond with her fellow seniors, particularly Fertig and Mellema.
“I knew we were going to be friends for a long time, and now we’re like family,” Barnes said.
After leading the Cowgirls in scoring in 2021-22 and earning All-Mountain West honors, Dickerson took time off for a mission trip with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She has been rounding back into form and was a key factor in the Border War win, scoring 12 clutch points while helping limit CSU to 22 second-half points.
“We’re seeing the old McKinley—no back down, confident, and producing,” Ezell said.
Ustowska, a 5-10 guard from Kartuzy, Poland, has been a defensive specialist throughout her six-year career at Wyoming. She was part of the 2021 Mountain West Tournament championship team and has been a mentor to younger players.
“She showed me what ‘Cowgirl tough’ means,” Ustowska said of Dickerson.
Igo transferred to Wyoming from Casper College and has been an integral part of the team, helping prepare her teammates in practice. She also had the opportunity to dribble out the final seconds of the Border War win over CSU.
“It’s bittersweet. This experience has been amazing, and I’m sad it’s coming to an end,” Igo said.
