Richard Anderson photo
Wyoming junior Aubrey Vandiver, far right, watches from the bench Tuesday against CU-Colorado Springs.
By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org
There’s no doubt Joe Legerski and the Wyoming Cowgirls miss not having Aubrey Vandiver out on the court as they prepare for the regular season.
Vandiver, last year’s third leading scorer who has been sidelined with mononucleosis, probably misses it more.
“It’s frustrating. I look forward to every season, and the past two years I haven’t been slowed down by injuries or anything,” Vandiver said.
Vandiver, who averaged 10.6 points a game last season and was a third team All-MWC pick, finally was able to get back out on the court this week -- albeit for short periods of time.
“It’s a day-to-day situation,” Legerski said after the Cowgirls opening exhibition win on Tuesday, “but I know we need her.”
Vandiver was diagnosed with mono in mid September. She had a hunch something was wrong earlier, not feeling well the previous month before the diagnosis.
“I was feeling kind of low on energy,” she said. “I got sick one day and I came back the next day for weights and conditioning and it just sort of obliterated my body. We knew something might be wrong then. About a week later, Dr. Kleppinger diagnosed me with mono.”
For much of the time since then, all the 5-foot-11 junior point guard could do was rest and let her body heel.
“It’s been frustrating not being able to be on the court with the girls, just to be able to hang out with them,” Vandiver said. “The trainers and I know this is the best thing possible. The team is just doing just fine.”
For now, patience will also be a virtue as she strives to get back to her old self.
“When I start feeling better, we can moved forward from there,” she said.
Vandiver watched from the bench Tuesday in Wyoming’s big 93-48 win over CU-Colorado Springs. What Cowgirl fans saw for the first time from the young Wyoming team, Vandiver already knew. But she too likes what she sees from the squad.
“This team has so much potential,” Vandiver said. “We have some freshmen who came in who are going to be really great once they get used to this level of play. We have some veterans returning in Elisabeth Dissen, Rebecca Vanderjagt and Megan McGuffey, who are going to lead the way.”
And when Vandiver gets her health back, she’ll be running the show from her point guard position. While Legerski has been pleased with his team’s guard play, he knows he needs No. 20 back out on the court.
“I joked with Aubrey on the bench that we really needed her back,” Legerski said. “But she is stability out on the court.”
Cowgirls host Metro State
Wyoming returns to the court Friday at 7 p.m. when it hosts Metro State in the final exhibition of the season.
Legerski said he will be looking for improved play in taking care of the basketball (19 turnovers against CU-CS) and a little more intensity. He said he will once again give everyone plenty of court time, as he looks to solidify his lineup.
In fact, Legerski said that although he has been a coach who usually sticks with one starting lineup (barring injury), he might change that notion this season.
“Most of the time my rotations are down to 7-8 players. With the competitiveness and along with the youth, you’re going to see that number stretch to 8-10 players,” he said. “I thought Hillary Carlson and Jade Kennedy got their first extended minutes and we’re going to do the same thing on Friday.
“One of the things I was pleased with, we went with a different starting lineup in the second half than we did in the first half. We may be in a situation this year where somebody is playing better, they are going to through the highs and flows of a season, and we’ll go with a different lineups.”
Metro State returns one starter and six letterwinners to a team that went 19-10 overall and 14-5 in the RMAC a year ago. The two teams have met 10 previous times during the regular season. UW holds the series record 10-0. The last time the two teams met was December 18, 1996, as the Cowgirls defeated Metro State, 66-54. The Roadrunners are coached by Linda Lappe, who is in her second year with the program.
Family Friday
Prices for the game are $8 for adults and $5 for children (ages 3 through 18). Students with their i.d. can get in the game for free. It’s also Family Friday night. A family of four (two adults and two kids) receives four hot dogs, four Pepsi Products and four game tickets for $26. Tickets much be purchased prior to game day. For more information, call the UW Ticket Office at 800-922-9461 or 766-4850.
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