Stucky, Cowgirls ready for Border War II

The Wyoming coach staff, including, from left, Tony Sunga, head coach Carrie Yerty and Jill Stucky, right, watch from the bench.


By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

No one gets more fired up for the Border War than Wyoming assistant volleyball coach Jill Stucky. The former Cowgirl player faced the Rams several times in the early to mid 1990s.

Even though she is now on the sidelines, the adrenaline continues to pump, almost out of control.

“The Border War is one of those things that every girl dreams about when they get into college athletics. They have those big dreams that one day I am going to play volleyball at the University of Wyoming and when they think of that, they think of playing against Colorado State University,” Stucky said. “It is such a huge rivalry and it is going to be so much fun. We’re going to pout our best foot forward and we’re going to drive to CSU, have a great practice and give it all we have. I think it will be a great match.”

The Cowgirls and Rams will face off for the second time this season Friday night at 7 p.m. in Moby Gym in Fort Collins.

Stucky, who lettered for the Cowgirls from 1994-96 as Jill Jones, remembers those days fondly. In fact, Wyoming and CSU split six matches in that time span.

“Even when I was not part of this institution, I always kept track of the Border War because it was always an important time for me," she said, filling in for head coach Carrie Yerty Tuesday in the weekly news conference. “It is such a huge part of who Wyoming is, I know the kids can feel it from me every time we play them. They feel that hunger for a win from me. I hope I can transfer that to them.”

The young Cowgirls haven’t had much success against CSU as of late, losing in three games earlier this season in Laramie. The Rams have also won 21 straight matches against Wyoming, with the Cowgirls last win in the series coming one year after Stucky’s graduation in 1997.

The Cowgirls, 10-14 and 1-9 in the Mountain West Conference, have also lost five straight matches this season, although they have been competitive in several of them, losing four five-set affairs in league play.

“Although we would really like to get some Ws, we have changed our lineup so we have five freshmen out of the nine kids who we rotate in,” Stucky said. “For people like (freshman) Makenzie Bartsch, who this is really her first opportunity to play, I don’t think the L in the loser column is such a big deal to her because every time she steps out on the floor, she is learning. The ball is the best teacher. Every rep she gets, she is getting better and better and better in preparing for our next opponent and for her sophomore year, her junior year and her senior year.

“Even though we’re getting Ls, we’re definitely winning right now. All of those young kids are really coming around and making great strides.”

The Cowgirls are led by freshman outside hitter Jodi Purdy, who is averaging 3.45 kills and 2.53 digs per set. She is followed by juniors Lauren Whitney and Dani Bedore. Whitney is averaging 2.48 kills, while Bedore is adding 2.10 kills and 2.00 digs per set. As a team, the Cowgirls are averaging 12.08 kills and 13.31 digs per set.

The Rams are 17-4 overall and 9-1 in the MWC. They are led by Danielle Minch, who is averaging 3.64 kills and almost one dig per set.