Welcome to Wyoming Hoops: Chris Pohl

LARAMIE -- "We recruit winners."

Sundance Wicks said that, referring to landing high school standouts Madden Smiley and Chris Pohl in the offseason. The latter could soon be a menace in the paint for the Wyoming basketball program. The other, leading the charge and manning the point.

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This third-year bench boss wasn't just talking about success at the prep level, though, when he made that statement. Can't forget the NCAA Transfer Portal, which has been more of a foe to this university than a friend in years past.

Did Wicks flip the script in 2026-27?

It appears so.

The Cowboys return 50% of their offensive production from an 18-win squad that punched its ticket to the postseason for the first time since March of 2022. Promising freshmen Naz Meyer (12.9 ppg) and Gavin Gores (7.3) bought into the mission. So did transfer guards Uriyah Rojas (6.2) and Khaden Bennett (10.2). Those four, along with redshirt rookie Neil Summers, are all back in the mix this fall.

That group also accounted for 15.1 of the team's 35.5 boards per game. Meyer and Bennett each averaged nearly five a night.

Damarion Dennis and his 11.2 points an outing are gone. He's now at Texas Tech, lacing them up for former UW head coach Jeff Linder. Forwards Simm-Marten Saadi (Central Arkansas) and Abou Magassa (UNC Asheville) changed addresses, too. Adam Harakow (Western Michigan) and Jared Harris (Prairie View A&M) also entered free agency.

Outside of Dennis' production, the other four combined to net just 16.4 points per contest.

Wyoming lost its leading scorer, Leland Walker (13.5 ppg), along with Kiani Saxon and Matija Belic to graduation. That trio averaged 21 a game.

Let's meet the 10 new faces on this roster:

NAME | Chris Pohl

YEAR | Freshman

HT/WT | 6' 7", 215

HOMETOWN | Marshfield, Wisc.

POSITION | Forward

JERSEY NUMBER | 8

PREVIOUS SCHOOL | Marshfield High School

YEARS OF ELIGIBILITY | Five

NOTABLE | Wyoming landed the sixth-ranked recruit out of the state of Wisconsin prior to the 2025-26 season. That guy, Gavin Gores, turned out to be pretty darn good, huh? Now, Sundance Wicks went back to his old stomping grounds and snagged the No. 4-rated Cheesehead. Chris Pohl, a three-star prospect and All-State performer, netted more than 20 points a night and hauled in 6.4 rebounds in the process. He's a high-volume shooter from the outside, but also a facilitator. His nearly four assists a game prove that. Wicks often says he loves recruits that not only fit the bill with toughness, size and feel -- also known as "Our Kind of Cowboys" -- he seeks out players from winning programs. Pohl helped lead his Marshfield High School squad to back-to-back 20-win seasons. Wicks has had his eye on Pohl since he was roaming the sidelines at Wisconsin-Green Bay. That school was still recruiting the power forward. So was Bryant. Wyoming won out.

QUOTABLE | "We love guys who want to be Cowboys, and it was evident that Chris wanted to be a Cowboy as he was our first commitment of the 26-27 class. Chris aligns perfectly with our identity of being skilled and scrappy. We fell in love with Chris' edge, high feel and his shot-making ability as a 6-foot-7 trigger-man. CP has an extremely high floor, and when the Wyoming faithful watch him play, they are going to see a young man who leaves it all on the court every night. He was the New Balance Circuit Breakout Player of the Year for a reason; he has been slept on and that is why he continues to play like he has something to prove every night," -- Wyoming head coach Sundance Wicks on the signing of rookie Chris Pohl.

WELCOME TO UW BASKETBALL SERIES:

* Mike Mora

* Madden Smiley

* Kelan Gruver

MORE UW HOOPS NEWS VIA 7220SPORTS:

* 'Extremely Underrated': Wyoming's Basketball Staff Remains Intact

* What Heights Can Wyoming Basketball Program Reach This Season?

* Rojas' Under-The-Radar Re-Commitment 'Huge' For Pokes

* Wicks, Cowboys Sign Kansas 5A Player of the Year

* Pokes Add Another Big Man to 2026-27 Hoops Roster

* Cowboys Add Length at Guard Spot, Sign Former Gold Medalist

* Wick's Cowboys Sign 6-11 Forward to Frontcourt