University of Wyoming Cowboy Football opens practice Wednesday

LARAMIE — The Wyoming Cowboys officially opened the Jay Sawvel era on Wednesday with the first official practice of the 2024 season. Wednesday’s practice began a one-month countdown to the season opener at Arizona State on Saturday, August 31.

Wyoming will conduct 20 fall camp practices prior to game week against the Sun Devils. UW will rotate their practices between War Memorial Stadium and the North 40 practice fields. Practices are closed to the public.

Tickets to all six Cowboy home games are now available for
purchase. Fans can lock in seats for matchups including the Gold Out game against Idaho, the Stripe Out game against BYU and a clash against Mountain West foe
Boise State.

For any questions or additional assistance, contact the Wyoming Athletics Ticket Office at tickets@uwyo.edu
or 307- 766-7220.

AN EXCITING CORE OF PLAYERS

Sawvel returns a core of veteran players to his roster including three players who earned All-Mountain West honors a season ago along with the MVP of the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl.

Jordan Bertagnole earned second-team All-MW honors and is joined by Wyett Ekeler (honorable mention) to anchor a veteran group that also features the return of linebacker Shae Suiaunoa and host of other returners, as Wyoming brings back six of their top seven tacklers from last season.

The Wyoming offense welcomes back honorable mention All-MW running back Harrison Waylee along with a strong group that includes tight end John Michael Gyllenborg and quarterback Evan Svoboda, as he helped lead the Pokes to a comeback win in the win over Toledo in the Arizona Bowl. Kicker John Hoyland was named the MVP of the 2023 Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl.

Preseason honors

Wyoming had two players earn Preseason All-MW honors on the offensive side of the ball with tight end Gyllenborg and offensive guard Jack Walsh garnering the honor by the league’s media. Defensive tackle Bertagnole was named to the defensive team for the second straight season.

A pair of national publications released their preseason All-Mountain West squads, and numerous Cowboys were named to the teams by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele. The publications named 15 different Cowboys to preseason honors.

Athlon Sports released its team, and 15 Cowboys were named to the squad with eight players on defense and six on offense with one special teamer.

Honored were Bertagnole, Suiaunoa and Ekeler (first team defense); defensive ends DeVonne Harris and Sabastian Harsh and safety Isaac White (second team defense); nickel Wrook Brown (third team) and Tyrecus Davis (fourth team).

The offense was highlighted by running back Waylee, tight end Gyllenborg and Nofoafia Tulafono (first team); offensive linemen Walsh and Wes King (second team); and offensive lineman Caden Barnett (fourth team).

Kicker Hoyland was named All-MW fourth team as a specialist.

Phil Steele also named his teams with Waylee and Gyllenborg earning a spot on the first team offense. Bertagnole and Suiaunoa earned spots in the Steele first team defense. Second team honors on offense went to Walsh with Harsh and Ekeler earning second team honors.

Davis earned third team defense honors, and Hoyland earned fourth team recognition as a specialist.