Maggie Justinak, an accomplished T-Bird guard for Casper during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, returns as the new assistant coach. Justinak replaces Joslin Igo.
“I am excited to have Maggie back with us. She brings tremendous energy to our program and has a high basketball IQ. Her knowledge of the game and ability to connect with our players will be a great asset to our coaching staff. We’re looking forward to the impact she’ll have on our program,” said Head Coach of the Casper College women’s basketball team Nate Macy.
“As a proud Casper College alumni, where I earned my associate degree and competed for two years on the women’s basketball team, this opportunity is especially meaningful to me,” said Justinak. “Casper College played a major role in my development as both a student-athlete and a person, and I am honored to return and give back to the program that helped shape my career and its long-standing winning culture,” she noted.
Justinak was recruited to the T-Birds basketball team by then-head coach Dwight Gunnare. At the time of the announcement, Justinak was an outstanding player on the Rock Springs High School varsity basketball team. Justinak collected several honors at the end of the 2016-17 season with the Tigers, including 4A All-State and 4A All-Conference selections. She was also the second-leading scorer in the 4A division and averaged 15.3 points, five rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game during her senior season.
Justinak was a guard on the CC Women’s Basketball team. During her two seasons with the team, the Birds had a 58-10 overall record and a 27-1 record in the Sub-Region IX North Conference play. During her first season, the T-Birds won the Region 9 Championship and went to the National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s National Basketball Tournament. Justinak was named to the North All-Region Team, the North All-Region IX Defensive Team, and the All-Region IX Tournament Team following the Region IX Tournament.
Justinak continued her collegiate basketball career at Metropolitan State University of Denver, an NCAA Division II school. She finished her career tied for 14th in MSU program history with 103 made 3-pointers; tied for 16th in 3-point percentage, 33.3%; was 29th in minutes, 2,025; and ranked 30th in assists with 139. She graduated in May with her B.S. in kinesiology and health promotion. In 2022, Justinak received her bachelor’s degree in lifestyle medicine from MSU Denver.
Marina Fernandez, a guard for the T-Birds during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, reached out to Justinak to see if she was interested in playing overseas. Justinak applied to Newcastle University in the United Kingdom. While playing for the University of Newcastle basketball team, she was asked by the coach of the Newcastle Eagles women’s professional basketball team to play for them. The head coach for both teams was Noelia Cacheiro.
Justinak played during the 2022-2023 season with the Eagles, where she helped the team reach the British Universities and Colleges Sport semifinals and was awarded most improved player for performance and growth. While at Newcastle University, Justinak earned her master’s in sociology.
Wanting to play more in European leagues, Justinak signed with an agent and ended up playing for K.S. Tirana, an Albanian team based in the capital, Tirana, during the 2023-24 season. She played in two leagues that season and helped the team win the Albanian National Championship and finish third in Liga Unika, the professional basketball league for Albania and Kosovo. Toward the end of the semifinals, she broke her hand and was unable to continue playing in the Liga Unika.
At the end of the basketball season, Justinak returned to the United States. “After breaking my hand, I did some coaching with younger players since I was no longer able to be a leader on the floor.” Since she enjoyed the coaching experience, she decided to secure a coaching job.
After applying to 50 colleges upon her return, Justinak realized she needed more experience, so she returned to her hometown of Rock Springs, where she taught in the English language learner program at the high school and served as assistant coach for the junior varsity boys’ basketball team at RSHS.
Upon receiving her teaching certificate from Moreland University, Justinak began teaching social studies and United States history at RSHS and, in 2024, was named the assistant boys’ basketball coach for the varsity team. In 2025, she co-founded NextGenHoops, a basketball training program focused on youth and high school athlete development.
At a Glance: Maggie Justinak
- New Hire: Maggie Justinak, assistant coach, Casper College women’s basketball
- Replaces: Joslin Igo
- Head Coach: Nate Macy
- Announced: Friday, Aug. 28, 2026
- Background: Justinak played for the T-Birds during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, helping the team to a 58-10 overall record and a 27-1 conference record. She went on to play at MSU Denver and professionally in the United Kingdom and Albania before returning to Wyoming.
- Education: B.S. in kinesiology and health promotion; bachelor’s degree in lifestyle medicine — both from MSU Denver. Teaching certificate from Moreland University.
- Notable Stats: Ranks tied for 14th in MSU Denver history with 103 made 3-pointers; tied for 16th in 3-point percentage of 33.3%.
