by staff–11 Nov ’15
University of Wyoming coach Larry Shyatt announced Wednesday that Austin Mueller of Highlands Ranch, Colo., has signed a National Letter of Intent to join the Cowboy men’s basketball program. Mueller will begin his UW career during the 2016-17 academic year.
“From the day our staff set eyes on Austin, it has been a no brainer,” Shyatt said. “He has the family values, the discipline, the toughness and the individual talent to become one heck of a Mountain West player. Austin should develop into a multi-position player and certainly continue a well-documented Colorado connection that our assistant coaches have been able to find and cultivate.”
Mueller, a 6-6, 200-pound forward, begins his senior season under coach Joe Ortiz at ThunderRidge High School on Dec. 2. As a junior he helped lead the Grizzlies to a 24-4 overall record and an appearance in the Colorado Class 5A state championship game. He scored eight points in the title game, but ThunderRidge lost to Overland, 55-42, thanks to a game-high 18 points from current Cowboy Austin Conway. Mueller earned All-Continental League honors last season and was also recruited by Colorado, Northeastern, Denver and Northern Colorado. He verbally committed to the Pokes on June 17. In the classroom, he owns a 3.7 grade-point average.
Mueller is the ninth player Shyatt has signed from the Centennial State since 2011, as five current Cowboys hail from the state. Mueller will fill the scholarship vacated by Wyoming’s only senior this season, Josh Adams, who is from Parker, Colo.
Austin is the son of Tim and Melinda Mueller. Tim played basketball collegiately at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, where he was an NCAA Division III All-American in 1988. Tim’s head coach at Capital was Dave Grube, who was an assistant at The College of Wooster during Shyatt’s collegiate career.
