Wyoming Cavalry

History

Original franchise (2000-2014)

The team began play in 2000 as an expansion member of the original Indoor Football League as the Casper Cavalry. Despite a successful inaugural season, they fell in the playoffs to the Black Hills Machine. When the original IFL folded, the Cavalry moved to the newly formed National Indoor Football League as the "Wyoming Cavalry" and became a charter member. The team also saw front office changes, as they were purchased by a local ownership group, headed by Mike Argeri Layton. The team was decently successful, making the playoffs in four of their seven overall seasons, as well as making it to the inaugural Indoor Bowl, losing to the Mississippi Fire Dogs.

On August 18, 2007, the Cavalry officially announced they would join the American Indoor Football Association as a flagship team of the league's new Western Division. On July 26, 2009, the Cavalry hosted the Reading Express in AIFA Bowl III and were defeated 65–42. On July 25, 2010, the Cavalry traveled to Baltimore to take on the Mariners in AIFA Bowl IV and would go on to lose 57–42. As of the end of the 2010 season, the Cavalry are 0–5 in championship games.

On September 1, 2010, the Cavalry announced they would be joining the Indoor Football League as an expansion member for the 2011 season.

For the 2013 season, its third in the IFL, the Cavalry hired rookie head coach Ryan Lingenfelder to replace longtime head coach Dan "Majic" Maciejczak. Lingenfelder, a former AFL player, served as defensive coordinator of the Tri-Cities Fever for the previous three seasons. Shortly before the 2013 season began, the owner of the Cheyenne Warriors died and the IFL revised its schedule to accommodate the now 9-team league. The Cavalry had been scheduled to play two games against the projected in-state rival. Barney O'Donnell III joined the team as the new starting quarterback. After compiling a 2–24 record in 2 seasons, Lingenfelder was relieved of his coaching duties. In September 2014, majority owner Mitch Zimmerman announced that the team would cease operations. Ownership cited a decline in attendance, despite robust sponsorship.

Cavalry legacy reborn (AIF, 2026)

The Wyoming Cavalry name lives on with a new expansion team which is set to play for American Indoor Football in Gillette, Wyoming, in 2026 at the Wyoming Center at the CAM-PLEX. Dominic Montero, founder of the current incarnations of AIF and the Calvary, and former owners Mike and Argeri Layton granted a joint interview with Cowboy State Daily in which the Laytons gave their blessing to Montero for the new venture.

Season-by-season

• = Current Standing--

Notable players

Awards and honors

The following is a list of all Cavalry players who have won league Awards

All-IFL players

The following Cavalry players were named to All-IFL teams:

• WR Jasonus Tillary (1), Troy Evans (1), Samuel Charles (1)
• K Travis Atter (1)

All-NIFL players

The following Cavalry players have been named to All-NIFL Teams:

• QB Matt Strand (2)
• RB James Jones (1)
• WR Dante Dudley (2)
• DL Marcus Jones (1)
• DB Brandon Everage (1)
• DB Brian Guthrie (1)
• DL Tyrone Saterfield (1)
• LB Jeff Main (3)

Head coaches

References

References

1. Jack Nowlin. (September 25, 2014). "Wyoming Cavalry cease operations". Casper Star Tribune.
2. (January 27, 2001). "Casper Cavalry returns under NIFL". The Billings Gazette.
3. Jack Nowlin. (October 25, 2011). "Wyoming Cavalry owners promise to stay in Casper". Casper Star-Tribune Online.
4. (August 18, 2007). "Wyoming Cavalry join AIFA". Our Sports Central.
5. Jack Nowlin. (September 2, 2010). "Cavalry break with AIFA, joins IFL". Casper Star-Tribune Online.
6. Jeff Kirshman. (June 7, 2014). "Lingenfelder's tenure as Wyoming Cavalry coach ends after two seasons". Casper Star-Tribune Online.
7. Madison, David. (April 28, 2025). "Wyoming Cavalry Will Return To Arena Football — In Gillette With A New Owner".
8. Nowlin, Jack. (September 26, 2012). "Wyoming Cavalry hire former AFL player as new head coach". [[Casper Star-Tribune]].
9. (October 22, 2012). "Wyoming Cavalry release 2013 schedule". [[Casper Star-Tribune]].
10. (January 21, 2013). "IFL Announces Revised 2013 Schedule". [[Indoor Football League]].
11. (March 7, 2013). "Cavs' open IFL season on the road". [[Casper Star-Tribune]].
12. Bonner, Michael. (March 8, 2013). "Former Warrior star O’Donnell returns to CR as QB1". [[The Gazette (Cedar Rapids).