Wyoming junior Malene Pedersen reached a major milestone in her basketball career, scoring her 1,000th point during the Cowgirls’ 77-64 victory over San Jose State on Wednesday, University of Wyoming Athletics reports.
Pedersen, a transfer from Kansas State, became the 30th player in University of Wyoming history to achieve this feat.
Pedersen, who hails from Aabyhoj, Denmark, has made a significant impact on the team since her arrival in Laramie. Despite the 6,300-mile distance between Wyoming and her hometown, Pedersen feels at home with the Cowgirls. She credits the support she received from head coach Heather Ezell and the rest of the coaching staff, saying that from her first visit to Wyoming, she knew it was a good fit.
“It just felt like a good match for me,” Pedersen said after Thursday’s practice.
The junior guard has been a consistent contributor to the Cowgirls’ success over her three seasons at Wyoming, averaging 11.7 points per game in 76 career games. This season, she is second on the team in scoring with 12.7 points per game, behind only Allyson Fertig, who leads the Mountain West with 19.0 points per game. Pedersen is also shooting a stellar 36.5% from three-point range, 48.2% from the field, and 90.3% from the free-throw line, while adding 3.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 0.8 steals per game.
Coach Ezell, who had recruited Pedersen before she went to Kansas State, expressed her admiration for the guard’s basketball IQ and ability to execute Wyoming’s motion offense.
“She takes high-quality shots and understands the motion offense so well,” Ezell said. “She taught us new cuts and new movements that we had never thought of.”
Pedersen now joins two of her teammates, Allyson Fertig (1,637 points) and McKinley Dickerson (1,079 points), in the active 1,000-point club. With nine regular-season games remaining, Pedersen is savoring her time with the team and the six seniors, many of whom have been with the program for an additional year.
“I’m enjoying the moment and enjoying that I have them a couple months more,” Pedersen said.
As a versatile and consistent player, Pedersen’s contributions have been a key part of the Cowgirls’ success. Her skills, including her effective use of the Euro step, head fakes, and mid-range game, have made her a difficult player to defend. In the win over San Jose State, Pedersen led the team with 20 points on 10-for-14 shooting, along with two assists and no turnovers.
Looking ahead, Pedersen is focused on the team’s goals as the season progresses. The Cowgirls, currently tied for third in the Mountain West standings, will play Boise State next at the Arena-Auditorium. With March approaching, Pedersen and her teammates are optimistic about the upcoming stretch of games and are determined to finish the season strong.
“We always believe in ourselves and believe we can achieve our goals,” she said.