Cowboy Mothers: A Tribute

CHEYENNE -- A Wyoming receiver pulls down a pass in the end zone or a linebacker crushes the opposing quarterback for a sack, and the crowd goes wild. Among those cheers, certain voices are louder than the rest, carried by the fervor of joy and pride only a mother can know for her son.

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In countless interviews with players throughout our journalistic careers, we've heard from athlete after athlete, at every level, the importance their mothers had in their lives and paths. So, on this day, set aside for these amazing women who bore and raised us, we reached out and asked current and former players from the UW football program to send us their photos so we could show these moms some love.

Current offensive stars like Xazavian Valladay were happy to jump in, as well as those enjoying the NFL spotlight like Josh Allen, and past names we still hear over the War Memorial Stadium speakers in our memories like Marcus Harris and Ryan Christopherson — heck, even UW athletics director Tom Burman joined in.

So take a moment to scroll through and meet (and maybe thank) the women who brought Wyoming football some of its best athletes.

Ayden and Desi Eberhardt

Marcus and Mona Marie Miller Harris (RIP)

Chase and Vicki Appleby

Chase and DeeAnn Roullier

Brian and Nancy Hendricks

Sean and Britteny Chambers

Tanner and Robin Gentry

Gunner and Robin Gentry

Marques and Debra Brigham

Mitch and Bill Donahue (RIP) and Virginia Helsby

Ryan Christopherson and Julie Koller

Lucas and Karen Wacha

Dontae and Jennifer Crow (RIP)

Tom and Janet Burman (RIP)

Eric Abojei and Florence Iweorah

Cooper and Marci Rothe

Logan and Carla Wilson

Jovon and mom Michele and sister Shayla Bouknight

Jeff Boyle and Linda Taylor

Patrick Chukwurah and Patricia Odiachi

Garrett and Jill Crall

Levi and Sherie Williams

David and Chris Leonard

Xazavian and Jamese Valladay

Richard and Doris Peace

Alijah and Timika Halliburton with brother Daijon Smith

Casey Bramlet, mother Jill and family

Cole Godbout and Penelope Christianson

Dan and Esther Christopulos

David and Luella Cronk

Jackson and Theresa Marcotte

John and Carol Wendling

Josh and Becky Harshman

Josh Wallwork and Greta Yerian

Logan and Tara Harris

Mitch and Kay Unrein

Rudy and Shanna Stofer

Tyler and Cindy Holden

Josh and Lavonne Allen

Thank you to all the players who sent their photos to make this tribute to Cowboy mothers possible. Happy Mother's Day.* This story was originally published in May of 2020. Some of the photos and players seen in the original version did not make it over to the new website.