COWBOY COACHES Head Coach STEVE McCLAIN HEAD BASKETBALL COACH (Chadron State ‘84) ow entering his eighth and 2000-01); Marcus Bailey (2000-01 and 2001-02); Uche Nsonwu- season as head coach Amadi (2002-03); Donta Richardson (2002-03) and Jay Straight Nof the University of (2004-05). Wyoming men’s basketball The high point of the Cowboys’ return to national prominence was Coaches program, Steve McClain has Wyoming’s appearance in the 2002 NCAA Tournament. It marked the led Cowboy Basketball program school’s fi rst appearance since 1988. Wyoming’s fi rst round win over through one of its most No. 6 ranked Gonzaga, 73-66, on March 14, 2002, was Wyoming’s fi rst successful periods in school NCAA Tournament win since March 14, 1987, when UW defeated No. history. When you begin to list the 4 ranked UCLA, 78-68. With their fi rst round win in the 2002 NCAA accomplishments of McClain’s Tournament, the Pokes ended the season among the Top 32 teams teams over the previous seven in the country. For his outstanding coaching, McClain was selected seasons, one begins to realize the 2001-02 MWC Coach of the Year by his fellow coaches. how far the Cowboy Basketball In the 2000-01 season, he earned Mountain West Conference program has come. Coach of the Year honors from CollegeInsider.com, and earned the In four of the last seven seasons, Wyoming has appeared in same honor from MWC media members for the 1999-2000 season. postseason play. The Pokes advanced to the Second Round of the Wyoming won 18 games in McClain’s first season, 19 his 2002 NCAA Tournament and the Second Round of both the 1999 second year, 20 his third season, 22 his fourth and 21 his fi fth. and 2003 National Invitation Tournaments. UW also appeared in the The three consecutive 20-win seasons marked the fi rst time that 2001 NIT. had been accomplished since the 1985-86, 1986-87 and 1987-88 But perhaps his most impressive accomplishments are those campaigns. that have come in Mountain West Conference play. Since joining the During his fi rst seven seasons, the Cowboys defeated three Top Mountain West six years ago, McClain’s teams have been among the 25 ranked opponents — No. 20 TCU on Jan. 14, 1999; No. 24 Utah elite programs in the Mountain West. During that timespan, Wyoming on Feb. 28, 2000; and No. 6 Gonzaga on March 14, 2002. captured two of the fi rst six MWC titles, sharing the title for the 2000- Heading into the 2000-01 season, ESPN Magazine’s preseason 01 season and winning it outright in 2001-02. The back-to-back issue listed McClain as a member of Dick Vitale’s All-SportsCenter regular-season conference titles were the fi rst since the 1980-81 Team — the fi ve “Coaches Who Need Some PT on TV for more PR.” and 1981-82 seasons. The outright title in 2001-02 was Wyoming’s His 2001-02 Cowboy squad broke two of the nation’s longest fi rst outright championship in 20 years. winning streaks. With its 73-66 win over No. 6 ranked Gonzaga in McClain has guided Wyoming to 48 regular-season conference the opening round of the 2002 NCAA Tournament, Wyoming broke wins over the past six seasons — that is the most of any coach in Gonzaga’s 14-game winning streak, which was a Gonzaga school Mountain West Conference history. Woming possesses a 48-36 record. Earlier in the year at Utah, the Cowboys 54-46 win in Salt record and a winning percentage of 57.1 percent in Mountain West Lake City broke Utah’s 48-game home win streak against conference Conference regular-season games, which ranks as the second best record in conference history. In those six seasons, the Cowboys have also fi nished in the top half of the league in fi ve out of six seasons. Only two other MWC members, Utah and UNLV, fi nished in the top half of the league that often. Coach McClain has posted the fi fth highest winning percentage in school history — 60.6 percent (126-82 record). His teams have averaged 18 wins per season through his fi rst seven seasons. McClain has coached two All-Americans in his fi rst seven years in Laramie. Josh Davis was an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American in his senior season of 2001-02. Prior to the 2002-03 season, Marcus Bailey was one of only 50 players nationally named to the John R. Wooden Award Preseason All-America team. In fi ve of the six seasons that Steve McClain has coached in the Mountain West Conference, at least one Cowboy has been named First Team All-Mountain West Conference: Josh Davis (1999-2000 Kim, Dylan and Steve McClain 60 WYOMING Head Coach opponents, which was the longest conference for four seasons. While at TCU, McClain helped lead the Horned winning streak in the country. Frogs from obscurity to a Top 25 ranking and an NCAA Tournament The 2000-01 season concluded with appearance in 1998. Wyoming winning 20 games (20-10 record) for McClain, 43 (Aug. 15, 1962), was an original member of Billy the fi rst time since the 1990-91 season. Tubbs’ staff at TCU. The year prior to the Tubbs’ staff taking over in Wyoming shared its first regular- Fort Worth, TCU posted a record of 7-20. Three years later, the Horned Coaches season conference title since the Frogs posted a 22-13 record, advanced to the Championship Game of 1985-86 season, and earned a spot the 1997 Western Athletic Conference Tournament and played their in the 2001 NIT. way into the Second Round of the National Invitation Tournament. In In the 1999-2000 season, 1998, TCU joined the elite programs in the country, posting a 27-6 McClain led a veteran team into record and leading the nation in scoring at 97.2 points per game. The the newly-formed Mountain Horned Frogs earned an NCAA Tournament bid in ‘98, and ended the West Conference. Wyoming season ranked No. 15 in the fi nal Associated Press poll. TCU also earned a 19-12 record, and became the fi rst team in Western Athletic Conference history to go improved its conference undefeated in league play, posting a 14-0 record in ‘98 on way to record to 8-6. Along the winning the WAC Pacifi c Division title. way, UW defeated Utah and Not only did McClain enjoy success as an assistant coach, but he UNLV in Laramie, and swept brought to Wyoming an outstanding record as a head coach. In 1994 the season series with New as the head coach at Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Mexico. Wyoming advanced Kan., he won the National Junior College Championship in only his to the semifi nals of the 2000 third season, and was named the National Junior College Coach of MWC Tournament. the Year. McClain’s first season At the junior-college level, McClain compiled a 91-16 (.850) of 1998-99 was highlighted record in three seasons, and his teams were known as high-scoring by Wyoming’s appearance in squads. His 1994 National Championship team averaged 90 points per the 1999 National Invitation game on way to a 35-4 (.897) record. In 1992-93, the Hutch Dragons Tournament (NIT), where UW compiled a 29-5 (.853) record, averaged 92.6 points and ended the advanced to the NIT Second season ranked No. 11 in the NJCAA. His fi rst season as head coach, Round. McClain guided Wyoming to an 81-77 victory over USC in 1991-92, Hutchinson posted a 27-7 (.794) record. the First Round of the NIT in Laramie, marking the Cowboys’ fi rst Prior to becoming head coach at Hutchinson, McClain served as postseason win since the 1990-91 season. Wyoming posted an 18- an assistant coach there for fi ve seasons, helping guide the Dragons 10 record, 7-7 in the Western Athletic Conference. to the 1988 NJCAA National Add to those accomplishments the excitement that McClain’s Championship. Before up-tempo style has brought to the Cowboys, and you have one of the coaching at Hutchinson, he most exciting teams in the country. The 2001-02 season saw the was also an assistant coach Pokes average 75.0 points per game to rank No. 2 in the Mountain at: Independence Community West Conference. For the 2000-01 season, Wyoming led the MWC in College in Independence, scoring, averaging 76.1 points per game. In 1999-2000, the Cowboys Kan.; Sioux Empire Junior averaged 82. 8 points per game to rank No. 5 in the nation in scoring College in Iowa; and his alma average. In Coach McClain’s fi rst season at UW, the 1998-99 season, mater Chadron State College in the Cowboys averaged 81.6 points per game to rank No. 10 among Chadron, Neb. all NCAA Division I teams. A native of Orient, Iowa, On April 22, 1998, Steve McClain became the 19th head McClain is a 1984 graduate of basketball coach in the history of the University of Wyoming. Chadron State College. He “My goal had always been to be a Division I head coach, and is married to the former I thank the University of Wyoming for giving me this opportunity,” Kim Van Asselt of McClain said. “I’m here to build a program. I’ve had numerous Hutchinson, Kan. opportunities to get out in the state, and meet Cowboy fans throughout On May 27, 2001, Wyoming.