by staff–21 Mar ’16
University of Wyoming Athletics Director Tom Burman announced Monday that Larry Shyatt has decided to step aside as head coach of the Cowboy basketball team. During his six seasons at the helm, Shyatt returned the Pokes to national prominence with renewed success on the court and in the classroom.
“We are extremely grateful to Coach Shyatt for what he has done for these past five seasons in building Wyoming basketball into a program Cowboy fans are proud of,” Burman said. “From leading his team to the Mountain West tournament championship and an NCAA berth last year, to the academic success of the young men who have played for him, he has built this program the right way. We thank him and his wife, Pam, for their years of service to the University of Wyoming, and we wish them all the best in the next phase of their lives.”
Shyatt leaves Wyoming as one of the most successful coaches in program history. He led the Cowboys to five postseason berths, including the NCAA Championships last March. That 2014-15 season included winning the Mountain West tournament title to secure the Pokes’ first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 2002. Under his direction, the Cowboys have eight wins over top-25 opponents, including three against top-10 foes, as he is the fastest coach ever to reach 100 wins at UW.
Individually, Shyatt coached eight Wyoming players to 18 all-conference honors, including a MW Player of the Year and two MW Defensive Players of the Year. He also recruited and coached Larry Nance Jr., who was picked 27th overall in the first round of last year’s NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. Shyatt finished with a 117-78 overall record in his six seasons at Wyoming.
In the classroom, Shyatt has helped the Pokes to a four-year average APR of 951, the highest mark in the program’s history, as a total of 15 players have earned their degrees since his return. Current Cowboys Josh Adams and Jason McManamen are also on track to graduate this spring. The team has earned above a 2.8 grade-point average each of the last six semesters.
