 Wicks in 2025 | |
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head coach |
| Team | Wyoming |
| Conference | Mountain West |
| Record | 25–31 (.446) |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | (1980-08-09)August 9, 1980 (age 45)[1] Gillette, Wyoming, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1999–2003 | Northern State |
| 2003–2004 | Södertälje Kings |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 2004–2006 | Northern State (GA) |
| 2006–2007 | Colorado (assistant) |
| 2007–2011 | Northern Illinois (assistant) |
| 2015–2016 | San Francisco (assistant) |
| 2016–2018 | Northern State (assistant) |
| 2018–2020 | Missouri Western |
| 2020–2023 | Wyoming (assistant) |
| 2023–2024 | Green Bay |
| 2024–present | Wyoming |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 73–77 (.487) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Awards | |
| |
Sundance "Sunny" Wicks (born August 9, 1980)[1] is an American collegiatebasketball coach, currently men's head coach at theUniversity of Wyoming. He has also been the head coach forGreen Bay, an assistant at Wyoming, and two years as the head coach for theMissouri Western Men's Basketball Team. Wicks spent eleven years as an assistant at four different colleges, includingNorthern State,Colorado,Northern Illinois, andSan Francisco.[2] Between early coaching stints, Wicks launched the Arizona Power Basketball Academy and worked as a skill-instructor and director from 2011 to 2015. He has trained notable NBA pre-draft prospects at the Impact Basketball Academy in Las Vegas, and worked with athletes such asKawhi Leonard,Marvin Bagley,Isaiah Thomas,Xavier Silas, andAlec Burks.
Wicks is the oldest of three children born to Mark and Barbara (Barb) Wicks inGillette, Wyoming, and has athletic lineage on both sides of his family. Mark played football atWashington State from 1961–64 and one season with theNew Orleans Saints. Mark Wicks is a member of theCougars' Hall of Fame. Barb played volleyball atBlack Hills State inSpearfish, South Dakota, and was on the rodeo team.[3]
From 1999 to 2003, Wicks played basketball forNorthern State inAberdeen,South Dakota, under coachDon Meyer. He scored a total of 1,174 points and pulled in 665 rebounds, which is 10th all time at Northern State. He was named All-NSIC twice, all-Conference academic selection twice, and won theClark Swisher Male Athlete of the Year once in the 2002–03 season. Wicks helped Northern State win twoNSIC conference titles.[1] Wicks has two degrees fromNorthern State University. In 2003 he got a bachelor’s degree in international business and in 2006 he earned a master’s degree in health, physical education, and coaching.[4]
Wicks was twice an All-NSIC performer in the 400-meter hurdles.
During the 2003–04 season, Wicks played for theSödertälje Kings in Sweden. He led he team in scoring and rebounding.[5]
In 2004, Wicks became a graduate assistant under coachDon Meyer for two years until 2006.
Wicks coached underRicardo Patton atColorado as an assistant. He was in charge of film exchange and editing, individual workouts, in-state recruiting, as well as Ricardo Patton Basketball Camps.
In 2007, Wicks became an assistant coach forNorthern Illinois for three years, and one year as the associate head coach, again underRicardo Patton.
From 2011–15, Wicks launched the Arizona Power Basketball Academy. He built APBA from the ground up and served as a skill instructor and program director based out of Gilbert, Arizona.[4] Wicks did not take a salary when he began APBA. Determined to succeed, he lived out of his car, showered at the gym, and slept on a beanbag.[6]
Wicks served as an assistant forSan Francisco for one season under head coachRex Walters. Also on the staff was his brother, Luke Wicks.[7]
Wicks spent two seasons as an assistant coach for his alma materNorthern State for two seasons under head coachPaul Sather. During the2017–18 season, Northern State compiled a record of 36–4 and were national runner-ups in the2018 NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament.[8]
On March 28, 2018, Wicks was named the fifth men's basketball head coach atMissouri Western.[9] In his first season leading the Griffons, Wicks recorded a 12–18 (6–13 Conference) record. That was the best record for Missouri Western since the 2015–16 season. He has had one player make the All-Conference Second Team, Lavon Hightower, and had two players receive honorable mentions, Tyrell Carroll and Bryan Hudson.
In his second season, Wicks led the team to an 18–14 record, the best Missouri Western has had since their 2009–10 season. This included a win against a ranked opponent:Missouri Southern. They also had a home record of 12–1, losing only to number one rankedNorthwest Missouri State by a score of 92–69. Tyrell Carroll received first-team ALL-MIAA and Will Eames became Missouri Western's first-ever Freshman of the Year.
On March 27, 2020, Wicks resigned from Missouri Western to joinJeff Linder at Wyoming as assistant coach.[10]
On March 15, 2023, Wicks was named the ninth men's basketball head coach atGreen Bay.[11] In his first season as head coach, Wicks won the 2023–24 Horizon League Coach of the Year and the Joe B. Hall National Coach of the Year.[12]
On May 12, 2024, Wicks was named the 23rd men's basketball head coach atWyoming, where he had previously served as an assistant coach for three seasons.[13]
Wicks' sister Kelsey played basketball for theUniversity of Notre Dame before entering theDominican Sisters of St. Cecilia's convent inNashville. Wicks often jokes that when they played against one another in basketball, it was "nun-on-one," and has stated that Kelsey was the best athlete in the family.[14] She later left religious life, became executive director of theACI Group, and in 2025 president ofCatholicVote.[15][16]
Wicks' brother Luke was a point guard atNorthern State, and a former college basketball coach atSheridan College,San Francisco, andPacific.[17] The Wicks brothers were on the same staff at San Francisco.[18][7]
Wicks is a devoutRoman Catholic and coaches with aSaint Benedict Medal in his pocket, the patron saint of protection as well as the patron saint of students.[19] Wicks also has a bust ofPadre Pio in his office, which serves as a perpetual reminder to be faithful, direct, and honest with people at all times.
Wicks' married his first wife, RyAnne Ridge, in 2014.[20] His second wife, the former Courteney Steinhauser, is a former college volleyball player. They met during his second stint as a coach at Northern State and have a daughter, Grace, and son, Skywalker.[21]
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri Western Griffons(Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association)(2018–2020) | |||||||||
| 2018–19 | Missouri Western | 12–18 | 6–13 | 12th | |||||
| 2019–20 | Missouri Western | 18–14 | 13–6 | 4th | |||||
| Missouri Western: | 30–32 (.484) | 19–19 (.500) | |||||||
| Green Bay Phoenix(Horizon League)(2023–2024) | |||||||||
| 2023–24 | Green Bay | 18–14 | 13–7 | T–3rd | |||||
| Green Bay: | 18–14 (.563) | 13–7 (.650) | |||||||
| Wyoming Cowboys(Mountain West Conference)(2024–present) | |||||||||
| 2024–25 | Wyoming | 12–20 | 5–15 | 9th | |||||
| 2025–26 | Wyoming | 13–11 | 4–9 | ||||||
| Wyoming: | 25–31 (.446) | 9–24 (.273) | |||||||
| Total: | 73–77 (.487) | ||||||||
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