UW men's hoops signs versatile prep school wing

LARAMIE – University of Wyoming men’s basketball coach Allen Edwards announced the signing of 6-foot-6, 185-pound wing Trevon “TJ” Taylor Wednesday, which is the first day of the early signing period for college basketball teams.

Taylor is from Chesapeake, Virginia, but currently plays at Hillcrest Preparatory Academy in Phoenix, Arizona.

“He fits what we have in the program,” Edwards said in a statement from UW. “He can dribble, pass and shoot. He can also play multiple positions. He is a guy with a high basketball IQ with great athleticism. He is talented enough to handle the basketball at the point guard position, but the toughness to guard big players. He fits in perfectly with what we are doing here at the University of Wyoming.”

Taylor visited UW the weekend of Oct. 6 and committed a week later.

Taylor is currently averaging 15.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. A left-hander, Taylor is shooting 46 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 85 percent from the free-throw line.

“He is very humble person,” assistant coach Jermaine Kimbrough said, who was highly involved in Taylor’s recruitment. “He fits what coach Edwards is all about on and off the floor. We are extremely excited to have him as part of our basketball family.

“TJ has a unique versatility on the floor. He plays inside and out. He is a two way player, his abilities on the defensive end are blocking shots and rebounding.”

As a senior at Oscar Smith High School in Chesapeake, Virginia, in 2016-17, Taylor averaged 16.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, and also blocked 1.3 shots per contest. Taylor shot 56 percent from the field (89 of 143 attempts) and led his team to a 23-3 record.

Taylor also was recruited by Utah State, New Mexico, Weber State and San Francisco.

Cowgirl hoops adds three

The UW women’s basketball team signed three recruits during the first day of the early signing period.

The three include 5-10 guard Karla Erjavec of Zagreb, Croatia; 5-9 guard Quinn Weidemann of Omaha, Nebraska; and 5-10 guard Maria Torreblanca of Melilla, Spain.

“All three players provide flexibility and fill a need at the perimeter position,” Cowgirls coach Joe Legerski said. “They all will have an immediate impact on the program.”

Erjavec is a member of the Croatia under-18 national team and averaged 15.1 points in the Under-18 FIBA Women’s European Championship. Her under-18 team won four gold medals in the under-18 state championships.

Weidemann is a two-time All-Nebraska selection entering her senior year at Omaha Westside High School. As a junior Weidemann averaged 18.9 points and three rebounds in leading her team to a 22-4 record.

Torreblanca is a member of Sergle XXI the past two seasons, and was also a member of the U16 Spain national team that won the 2016 FIBA European Championships.

Cowboy wrestling signs four

The Cowboys picked up four recruits Wednesday during the early signing period.

The signees included Jacob Greenwood of Livermore, Colorado; Logan Jensen of South Jordan, Utah; Tate Samuelson of Castle Rack, Colorado; and Chase Zollman of Poway, California.

“We focused in on these four early and made them aware of our desire to have them be part of the team,” Cowboys coach Mark Branch said. “I think they could see they are going to fit in and add to a very successful era in Wyoming wrestling.”

Greenwood is a three-time Colorado state champion at Poudre High, as well as a two-time USA Wrestling Preseason Nationals champion. Greenwood will wrestle at 141 or 149 pounds.

Jensen, the brother of current Cowboy Jaron Jensen, is a Utah state champion and an All-American in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling at the Fargo Junior Nationals. He’ll wrestle at 157.

Samuelson went 44-0 during his junior year at Castle View High School in winning the Colorado Class 5A state title as well as being runner-up in 2016. Samuelson also is a four-time All-American at the Fargo Junior Nationals. He’ll wrestling at 174 or 184.

Zollman enters his senior year as a three-time California CIF state placer for Poway High School.

He’ll wrestle at 133 or 141.