University of Wyoming Athletics

Wyoming competes in NCAA Division I, meaning big-time college sports with full scholarships and serious competition. The Cowboys and Cowgirls field teams in 13 varsity sports with 417 total athletes, making up about 5% of the 8,047-student campus. The athletic department distributes nearly $10 million in scholarships annually. Wyoming plays in the Mountain West Conference alongside schools like Colorado State, their primary rival in the Border War rivalry game. Football games at War Memorial Stadium create the biggest buzz on campus, drawing fans from across the sparsely populated state. Basketball has historical significance here since former Cowboy Kenny Sailors helped popularize the jump shot in the 1940s. The athletic programs give students in remote Laramie a major source of school pride and entertainment.