The University of Wyoming has promoted an assistant coach to lead the Cowgirls basketball team. Athletics Director Tom Burman hired Heather Ezell to be its new head coach following the surprising announcement that former Head Coach Gerald Mattinson is retiring.
Burman said it was important to keep the successful program intact. Ezell said there will only be minimal changes.
“Nothing changes really. We keep saying that everything will pretty much be the same, but a little different, and that’s really how it’s going to be,” said Ezell.
“There’s going to be a lot of the same stuff that we’ve been doing for the last 19 years at Wyoming, just a couple of things will be a little bit different due to how I run things.”
She said one of those things will be to shoot earlier in an offensive possession and not let the shot clock run so close to the deadline.
Ezell said becoming a head coach has been a lifelong dream.
“I had that goal and that dream ever since I started playing the game and learning from great coaches and I want to be in their shoes,” said Ezell. “I want to have the same impact that they’ve had on me on athletes and young players as well.”
She said she hopes the fact that there will be continuity within the program will convince recruits and current players to stay.
Ezell was an all conference player at Iowa State who played professionally before getting into coaching. She has been an assistant for the Wyoming team for the past seven years.