Prospective Student-Athletes
Wyoming Athletics
UW Athletics Hall of Fame: Class of 1994


Paul N. Carlin
Track, 1951-53

Paul Carlin was the first Wyoming track & field athlete to become an All-American. A three-year letterman for the Cowboys, Carlin set a school record in the 880-yard run, and was the 1952 Skyline Conference champion in the 440-yard run during his junior season. As a senior in 1953, carlin broke two more school and conference records and won the 440 and 880 at the Skyline Championships. Hailed as Wyoming's greatest half-miler, Carlin finished second in the 1953 national AAU 880-yard run. One of UW's most distinguished alumni, Carlin became the United States Post Master General.

Inducted September 16, 1994

Honors and Awards

  • 1952 & 53 Skyline Conference Champion
  • School & Conference Record Setter
  • Admiral Land Award Winner


    Dr. George Duke Humphrey
    University of Wyoming President, 1945-64

    George Duke Humphrey was the visionary behind the development of a successful athletic program. One of his first acts as president was to hire Glenn "Red" Jacoby as athletic director, and together they brought Wyoming athletics to national prominence. During Humphrey's tenure, Wyoming posted a 106-39-9 record in football, which included two undefeated seasons and UW"s first three bowl appearances. Over the same period, Wyoming's basketball team tallied six 20-win seasons and five NCAA tournament appearances. In addition, the Cowboys wrestling team placed as high as third at the NCAA tournament. Humphrey was largely responsible for the construction of the state-of-art athletic facilities: War Memorial Stadium and War Memorial Fieldhouse.

    Inducted September 16, 1994


    Dr. Everett D. Lantz
    Wrestling Coach, 1937-65

    Everett Lantz devoted his life to Wyoming athletics. He served Wyoming wrestling for 27 years, the longest tenure of any coach in the UW history. Over that period, Lantz compiled a 149-81-8 dual record, 11 Skyline Conference championships and two WAC titles. His teams won eight titles in a row from 1955 to 1962. He notched seven top 15 NCAA finishes, including a third place national showing in 1960. Lantz was named the NCAA Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1960. Behind Lantz's coaching success were six NCAA place winners, 10 three-time conference champions and 30 other conference weight class winners. As an undergraduate, he lettered in football, wrestling and track for the Cowboys. He is a member of the Helms Foundation hall of Fame.

    Inducted September 16, 1994

    Honors and Awards

  • 11 Skyline Conference Championship Teams
  • 1960 NCAA Coach of the Year
  • Helms Foundation Hall of Fame


    Flynn J. Robinson
    Basketball, 1963-65

    In three seasons as a Cowboy, Flynn Robinson broke every major Wyoming basketball record except rebounding. His 701 points scored during the 1964-65 season and his 26.5 career scoring average still stand as Cowboy records. He became the 20th collegian to break the 2,000 point barrier, amassing 2, 049 career points. He led the Western Athletic Conference in scoring each year he played at Wyoming, and he was selected to the All-WAC team three times. Nearly 30 years after his career, Robinson still ranked second in the WAC in career scoring. Robinson later had an All-Star career in the National Basketball Association for the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers.

    Inducted September 16, 1994

    Honors and Awards

  • First Team All-Western Athletic Conference, 1963, 64, 65
  • WAC Career Scoring Average Leader
  • Wyoming Career Scoring Average Leader


    Mary F. Shea
    Volleyball, 1980-83

    Mary Shea, a four-year volleyball starter as an outside hitter, is considered one of the most dynamic and popular athletes ever to play at UW. Shea shattered virtually every cowgirl record, and her devastating hitting ability easily made her a crowd favorite. As a senior, Shea's tremendous leaping ability helped her tally a record 486 kills, and she led Wyoming to a 27-win season. She gained first team All-High Country Athletic Conference honors in 1982 and 1983 and earned U.S. Volleyball Association honors as a senior.

    Inducted September 16, 1994

    Honors and Awards

  • First Team All-High Country Athletic Conference, 1982 & 83
  • Wyoming Career Record Holder in Kills
  • United States Volleyball Association All-American


    William Matthew "Bill" Strannigan
    Basketball Coach, 1940-42

    As a coach and athlete, Bill Strannigan was one of the most productive cowboys of all-time. One of Wyoming's first basketball All-Americans and a three-time All-Skyline basketball player, strannigan lifted the Cowboys from two consecutive losing seasons to a 1941 conference title. He led the team in scoring and was named to Chuck Taylor's All-American team as a junior. Known as "Billy the Kid," the talented Strannigan ran the single wing as a football tailback in 1940, and he won All-Skyline honors as a baseball pitcher in 1941 and 1942. Strannigan returned to Wyoming in 1959 to guide the Cowboy basketball team. His up-tempo style yielded 179 career victories over 14 seasons, the second highest total among UW coaches. He coached Wyoming to one NCAA tournament appearance and two NIT tournaments.

    Inducted September 16, 1994

    Honors and Awards

  • All-Skyline Conference, 1941 & 42
  • Chuck Taylor All-American
  • 179 Career Coaching Victories


    Kenneth R. "Ken" Sturman
    Football, 1937-39

    Kenneth Sturman established himself as one of the first great home-grown football players. Considered one of the toughest lineman ever to don the Cowboy uniform, Sturman played on both sides of the football as an offensive and defensive end. Sturman played every down of every game as a junior and senior and was rewarded with consecutive seasons of All-Big Seven Conference honors. He captained the 1939 Cowboy squad and was named an Associated Press honorable mention All-American. Sturman was offered a pro contract with Brooklyn following his senior year, but he was pressed into World War II service before he could sign. The Lusk native was among the highest vote-getters in the 1992 Wyoming Player of the Century balloting.

    Inducted September 16, 1994

    Honors and Awards

  • 1939 Wyoming Team Captain
  • First Team All-Big Seven Conference, 1938 & 39
  • Honorable Mention All-American


    Edward "Eddie" Talboom
    Football, 1948-50

    Eddie Talboom transferred from Notre Dame in order to run Coach Bowden Wyatt's single wing offense as a tieback and kicker. The offense was a perfect fit for the athletic Talboom, who led Wyoming to a 9-1 record and first ever Skyline Conference title in 1949. Talboom engineered Wyoming's 10-0 1950 season and was named the Most Valuable Player in the 1951 Gator Bowl. He became Wyoming's first Cowboy All-American in football. Talboom set 13 Cowboy scoring records, including 303 career points and single game mark of 29 in a 103-0 rout of Colorado State College in 1949. He was also the first Cowboy to pass for 1,000 yards in a single season. After his career, Talboom was the greatest scorer in NCAA history and still ranks among the highest scoring football player ever.

    Inducted September 16, 1994

    Honors and Awards

  • 1951 Gator Bowl Most Valuable Player
  • First Team All-American
  • NCAA Career Scoring Record Holder


    Clarence Bowden Wyatt
    Football Coach, 1947-52

    In six short seasons, Bowden Wyatt established himself as the most legendary football coach in Wyoming history. He turned Wyoming's lowly football program into a national powerhouse by winning more games in six years than the cowboys complied in the 16 seasons prior to his arrival from Mississippi State. Wyatt coached the school's first two All-Americans (Eddie Talboom and Dewey McConnell), and under his leadership, Wyoming won its first conference championship (1949) and fielded its first nationally ranked team (12th in 1950). Wyoming's offense and defense finished in the nation's top three in 1949 and 1950 and he led Wyoming to its first ever bowl game. Wyatt, who was an All-American player at Tennessee, is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

    Inducted September 16, 1994

    Honors and Awards

  • Coached Wyoming's first conference championship team, bowl team, undefeated team
  • Member of the College Football Hall of Fame
  • Coached Wyoming's first two All-Americans


    1950 Skyline Champion Football Team
    Football

    The defeat of Washington & Lee in the Gator Bowl on New Year's Day, 1951 capped an incredible 10-0 season, and ushered in a new and successful era of Wyoming football. The 20-7 Gator Bowl triumph established Wyoming football as a premiere football power. Coach Bowden Wyatt's Pokes outscored opponents 363-59, recorded seven shutouts and finished the season with the third best defense in the country. Wyoming, one of three undefeated teams in the nation that season, was nationally ranked for the first ever, finishing 12th in the Associated Press poll.

    Inducted September 16, 1994

    Honors and Awards

  • First Nationally Ranked Team in Wyoming History
  • Won Wyoming's First Bowl Game
  • First Undefeated Team in Wyoming History

  • Wyoming Athletics
     
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