In the final edition of the BI roundtable, the writers look back at their favorite moment from Wyoming sports from the past year. 

Mike Morris:

The best moment of the year in Wyoming Cowboy athletics was something that transpired outside of the realm of competition and, as a result, completely transcended sport.

Five evenings after the tragic death of freshman linebacker Ruben Narcisse, the Wyoming Cowboys traveled to Austin with unimaginably heavy hearts to play the then No. 5 ranked Texas Longhorns in one of the most anticipated road games in recent program history.

Instead, the prospect of football was transcended by something much, much more important: the memory of a promising and beloved young man who was taken far too soon.

The 101,339 fans at Royal Memorial Stadium stood for a moment of silence as Narcisse’s image was displayed on the jumbo-tron. 

For that moment, differences in uniforms, schools and passions were rendered meaningless.

Every football fan was a human being—human beings collectively mourning the loss of a promising young individual.

The UT marching band, rather than playing its usual “Deep in the Heart of Texas,” played Wyoming’s fight song “Cowboy Joe,” which was a tremendous honor and an outreach of thoughtfulness. 

It truly embodied what college athletics should be about: camaraderie and togetherness.

Few may remember the otherwise forgettable game or the utterly forgettable seasons of both Wyoming and Texas; however, the tribute to Ruben Narcisse on a warm Austin evening in September 2011 should never be forgotten. 

Zach Greubel:

Given the many disappointments from Wyoming sports this past year, it’s somewhat difficult to find a greatest moment of the year.

I’ll go with junior guard Francisco Cruz’s fading buzzer-beater against New Mexico that gave UW its first conference win of the season. It was a seemingly impossible shot that found the bottom of the net, just nano-seconds after the buzzer sounded. 

Rarely seen Poke pandemonium ensued, and Cowboy fans were given a glimpse of hope for just a moment, even if it was just for a moment.

Tom Hesse:

I could take the pessimistic stance and say that the best moment of this year was the regime change in the basketball program. 

However, addition by subtraction is hardly the way to end the year. 

The best moment for Wyoming sports could have been any number of senior send-offs, mostly on the women’s basketball team.

However, I’m personally fond of when Joe LeBlanc won in a sudden-death match against Nebraska. LeBlanc rewarded the fans by dropping the No. 10 wrestler in the nation in dramatic fashion. 

With few winning moments to choose from, I have to declare that LeBlanc provided my favorite memory this year.