Cheyenne East senior Ky Buell was chosen as the Wyoming basketball Player of the Year by Maxpreps.com. The website chose to honor a player in all 50 states and the District of Columbia at the conclusion of the season. Some state tournaments were shortened or canceled, like Wyoming, by COVID-19.

Ky averaged 22.5 points per game, while leading her team to the state tournament, where the Lady Thunderbirds were pre-tournament favorites to win the title. She also led 4A in scoring while at Rock Springs during her freshman and sophomore seasons. As a junior playing for East, she averaged 16.3 points during the 2018-2019 season, which ranked third in the state. The Thunderbirds finished the 2019-2020 season with a record of 23-3.

“This season was by far my favorite,” she says. “The girls, the experience, and everything about it was so amazing except for, of course, the State Tournament, which really put a bump in our road! (The canceled state tournament) was hard to get over, especially with it being my senior year, so having an award like that under my belt definitely lifted my spirits.”

As a senior she matched her own career high of 40 points against Scottsbluff and set an East High single game record. In the same game, she made a whopping 15 rebounds to help East win 75-66.

“Something I hope to leave for younger generations is to work hard, always,” she says. “A Lady T-Bird’s work is never done, whether it’s on or off the court. Everything happens for a reason. The only things you can do are trust God and the work that you put it. Be the best possible, for both you and your team!”

Graduating is always hard on athletes as they realize the season, and the dreams, come to an end. Most athletes speak of a team becoming a family, and it’s always hard to leave. But Buell believes once a Lady T-Bird, always a Lady T-bird, and she will always be remembered for her athletic ability, her endless enthusiasm, and her undying love for the sport.

“Saying that I am and will forever be a Lady T-bird means more than most know!” says Ky. “A legacy has never been something I thought of leaving. I’ve always just wanted to be the best for my team and myself.”

After all her success in high school, Buell signed on to continue her career at Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. The Cougars posted a 28-2 record this past spring, eventually losing to Casper College, 66-64, in the 2020 Region IX Tournament.