Wyoming hires state native Sundance Wicks as new coach

Wyoming hired Sundance Wicks as its new head coach on Sunday, three days after Jeff Linder departed to take an assistant coaching job at Texas Tech.

Wicks, 43, is a native of Gillette, Wyo., and served as an assistant coach with the Cowboys from 2020-23.

Wicks coached Green Bay to an 18-14 record last season and was named Horizon League Coach of the Year. He had inherited a 3-29 squad.

"First off, please know that I am honored, humbled and immensely grateful for this opportunity at the University of Wyoming," Wicks said in a news release. "This opportunity would have never been possible without the belief that Green Bay chancellor Mike Alexander and athletics director Josh Moon had in our mission and vision a year ago at UWGB. ...

"You cannot put into words what it means for a kid from the country roads outside of Gillette to represent the State of Wyoming and the Cowboys as their new head basketball coach."

Wyoming athletic director Tom Burman wasted no time pursuing Wicks after Linder (63-59 in four seasons) departed.

"Sundance will bring a great energy to our program and the entire State of Wyoming," Burman said. "Being a native of this great state, Wicks knows the pride Cowboy fans take in the program and he will work tirelessly for his student-athletes and the community."

Among Wicks' stops as an assistant coach were Colorado (2006-07), Northern Illinois (2007-11) and San Francisco (2015-16). He also was a head coach for two seasons at Division II Missouri Western, compiling a 30-32 record from 2018-20.

Wyoming went 15-17 last season for its second straight losing season following a 25-9 mark and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2021-22. The Cowboys lost 66-58 to Indiana in the First Four at Dayton.

--Field Level Media