University of Wyoming
South Dakota Mines (Exhibition)
10/28/2026 12:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball
LARAMIE, Wyo. (Oct. 28, 2026) – The Wyoming Cowgirls host their second and final exhibition in preparation for the 2026-27 season Friday at 6 p.m., as South Dakota Mines comes to town. Friday will be Wyoming's final tune up before the regular season tips November 2 at 6:30 p.m., against Santa Clara.
Friday's exhibition can be heard across the Cowgirl Radio Network with Logan Hunter on the call.
ABOUT THE COWGIRLS
Wyoming is coming off a 75-50 victory in its first exhibition Monday night over Colorado Christian. The Cowgirls held the Cougars to just 13 second half points in the win. UW shot 46-percent in the exhibition and went 16-for-30 from the floor in the second half. Norah Clark and Taylor Donaldson led the Cowgirls in scoring against CCU, both finishing in double figures while Liv Blomkvist neared a double-double in the exhibition and led Wyoming in rebounding. Kati Ollilainen led the Cowgirls with five assists in just 16 minutes of action.
Wyoming played all available Cowgirls in Monday's win and got good minutes from the newcomers. UW has nine new faces this season, including six transfers and three freshmen. The transfers for the Cowgirls have played in a combined 287 collegiate games and made 169 career starts at their previous schools.
Ollilainen, who is returning after missing all of 2025-26 with an injury, averaged 3.7 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game two seasons ago in a reserve role as a sophomore. The Cowgirls also return a pair of starters from last season in Payton Muma and Jane Rumpf. Rumpf, who was a member of the 2025-26 Mountain West All-Freshman Team, was also selected to the Preseason All-Mountain West Team earlier this month. Rumpf averaged 7.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game last season and was second on the team with 53 made 3-pointers and led UW with 38 blocks. In conference play, Rumpf averaged 10 points and 5.6 rebounds a contest and led the league in blocks (1.60) and 3-pointers per game (2.35) during MW play. Muma, meanwhile, averaged 3.8 points per game in 2025-26 and led the Cowgirls with 79 assists.
SCOUTING SOUTH DAKOTA MINES
South Dakota Mines went 9-19 and 7-13 in the RMAC in 2025-26. The Hardrockers return 2026 RMAC Freshman of the Year in Addison Miranda, who started in all 28 games a season ago and averaged 9.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game on nearly 35-percent shooting from 3-point range and led SDM with 67 made 3-pointers. Miranda was also third on the team with 34 steals in 2025-26. The Hardrockers look to replace their two leading scorers from last season in Savea Mansfield (15.8 PPG) and Morning Grace Spotted Bear (12.4). Carolina Ruiz Molina returns after leading SDM with 2.6 assists per game.
South Dakota Mines averaged 62.8 points per game last season and allowed nearly 68 a contest. The Hardrockers shot 39-percent from the field and 30-percent from beyond-the-arc. SDM opponents shot just over 40-percent overall and 30.2-percent from 3-point range. The Hardrockers averaged 13 assists per game and forced more turnovers than their opponents. South Dakota Mines was minus-6.7 in rebounding margin in 2025-26.
SERIES HISTORY AGAINST SOUTH DAKOTA MINES
Wyoming is 2-0 against the Hardrockers during regular season action in program history, with both contests coming in Laramie. The Cowgirls' margin of victory in the two contests is 42.5 and last hosted South Dakota Mines in December of 2014.
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