The Wyoming Cavalry will have a new team and a renamed team on its schedule next season. The American Indoor Football Association announced two new teams will play in Utah next season. The teams are the Utah Valley Thunder and a to be named team in Ogden.

The AIFA is also looking at expanding in Wenatchee, Wash. League officials visited Wenatchee a few weeks ago, and the new arena there is owned by the same company that owns Arizona and New Mexico's arena, so it would be a good fit for the league. 

The AIFA's press release says the Thunder are an expansion team, but news articles say the team is the Utah Saints under new ownership and in a new location. The Saints went 1-13 last year, allowed a league-high 845 points (including 103 in a game against Wyoming), and the league had to step in midway through the season to keep the team alive on the field and financially. Utah Valley is based in Orem, and is now owned by Dave Affleck, a former BYU player. Affleck's son, Mike, was the Saints’ quarterback last season. The Thunder will be coached by Chad DeGrenier, who played quarterback for the Arizona Adrenaline last season.

I think both new teams will be good for the AIFA and the Cavs. Utah was Wyoming's closest opponent last year, so having two teams in the state will cut down travel costs. Also, a new team and a new/improved version of the Saints should mean better competition. At the very least, it adds another opponent, which is good since the Cavs didn't play outside of the West Division last year until the playoffs. With the Ogden team and possible Wenatchee team, Wyoming won't have to play the Utah six times, Arizona five times (four regular season games and one playoff game) and New Mexico (four times).

What are your thoughts on these AIFA announcements? 

The Laramie County women’s soccer team is the only Wyoming junior college ranked in this week’s NJCAA polls. The Golden Eagles moved from No. 9 to No. 6 in the rankings after beating previous No. 1 Iowa Western on Friday. Iowa Western dropped to No. 9 in this week’s poll.

Northwest is receiving votes in the volleyball poll, but it’s unclear as to how close they are to breaking into the top 20 because the poll doesn’t list points for teams outside the top 20. Western Nebraska is No. 1 in the poll.

Gillette ran in its second cross country meet on Saturday, and for the first time competed against a junior college. Gillette placed seventh (221 points) in the men’s non-Division I class at the Rocky Mountain Shootout in Boulder, Colo. Coach Chris Kozlowski e-mailed me and said he thought the team might be ranked after having a strong showing against Garden City (Kan.), which placed sixth with 153 points. Garden City is No. 8 in this week’s men’s cross country poll, while the Pronghorns didn’t make the poll.

 Click here for links to complete polls.

In case you missed it in print, the No. 9 Laramie County Community College women's soccer team defeated No. 1 Iowa Western Community College 1-0 last Friday.

Here is our cap on the game:

Women's Junior College Soccer

LARAMIE COUNTY 1, IOWA WESTERN 0: At Cheyenne, Friday, Megan Erickson (Cheyenne East) scored off a pass from Kelsey Altenbern (Cheyenne East) in the 35th minute to give the No. 9 Golden Eagles an upset victory against the No. 1 Reivers. 

No. 9 Laramie County 1, No. 1 Iowa Western 0

Friday at Cheyenne

IWCC 0 0--0

LCCC 1 0--1

Scoring: LCCC, Megan Erickson (Kelsey Altenbern).

Shots: Laramie County 8, Iowa Western 6. Shots on goal: Laramie County 7, Iowa Western 5. Corner kicks: Laramie County 4, Iowa Western 3. Saves: Laramie County 5 (Emily Michna).

The Golden Eagles are 12-2-2 and trying to make their fourth consecutive NJCAA National Tournament. Only eight teams qualify for the event each year.

Laramie County features nine players from Wyoming: Brittany Palczewski (Buffalo), Michaela Boyd (CBOE), Chelsea Eades (Kelly Walsh), Crystal Stewart (Cheyenne East), Rachel LaTorre (Lander), Sarah Newell (Lander), Sarah Gillett (Kelly Walsh), Megan Erickson (Cheyenne East), and Kelsey Altenbern (Cheyenne East).