The No. 7 Denver Pioneers travel to Minnesota this weekend to face defending national champion Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs
Much like when a team wins the Stanley Cup in the NHL, the following season that team gets the best from every team they play on their schedule. But for the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs, they have been giving their best right back. After an astonishing run to the Frozen Four after squeaking into the tournament, Duluth was favored to win the national championship this year. They returned several key players and have been impressive yet again. The Denver Pioneers are one of the few teams who have brought the Bulldogs down to earth, but not without earning every inch of ice. This weekend will be no different in their barn.
It’s hard to imagine that just the second game of the season could present any long-term implications, but men’s lacrosse is unique in that particular way. With a regular season slate of just 13 to 15 games, the top ten clash between the #5 Denver Pioneers and the #8 Duke Blue Devils this Saturday is a taste of May competition in February. The result and individual performances become a baseline for later reflection. Continue reading Denver vs Duke: February Foreshadowing→
Fort Wayne (17-10, 9-3) played Denver (7-19, 2-10) Valentines night and it was the same old story. In the first half, Denver allowed the Mastadons to shoot 48.5% from the field and gave up 10 3-point shots (50%) to give the visitors a commanding 15 point lead at the break, 45-30.
#7 Denver battled #1 Oklahoma in front of a record Denver gymnastics crowd of 6,100 spectators but fell 197.7 to 197.4 against the Sooners Sunday afternoon. The score was Denver’s fourth highest score in program history.
The highlight of the afternoon was provided by DU sophomore Lynnzee Brown in the floor exercise. As DU’s sixth competitor in the final rotation, Brown put on an explosive routine and received a standing ovation and perfect tens from the trio of judges. Continue reading Denver Scores a Perfect 10 and Near Miss Versus #1 Oklahoma→
DENVER – From the opening faceoff to the final buzzer, the #8 Denver Pioneers’ highly-touted freshman class showed the lacrosse world why the Pios are going to be a force to be reckoned with in a dominant 11-4 victory over in-state rival Air Force. Freshmen Ellis Geis and FOGO Brett Boos were the stars of the Pioneers’ show this afternoon against the Falcons. Geis tallied a hat trick while Boos went 15/19 at the X in their respective collegiate debuts at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium.
For a team with two very large question marks looming over their heads in how will Denver replace the greatest faceoff specialist in the history of the sport and how will the Pioneers adjust to the new 80-second shot clock, this was about as great a start to the 2019 season as Denver could have asked for. It was by no means perfect as the Pios turned the ball over 15 times and struggled to clear in the second half but overall, Denver played the way they expected to and may have exceeded some expectations in some key areas. Continue reading Freshmen steal show in Pioneers’ dominant season opening win over Air Force→
The growth of lacrosse out west has cultivated a unique rivalry between the No. 8 Denver Pioneers and Air Force Falcons. Separated by an hour-bus ride, Colorado’s only Division l men’s programs have embraced a matchup that has seen everything from blizzardous conditions, NCAA tournament action, to one-goal games. It’s only fitting that both teams open their respective 2019 campaigns with an in-state showdown. Continue reading Colorado’s finest: Denver & Air Force set to open 2019 season at Peter Barton→
It was Star Wars night at ORU (9-17, 5-6). and most people who follow this year’s Pioneer basketball team had the same thought as expressed in the classic movie series – “I have a bad feeling about this”.
And, they were right.
The Pioneers had a terrible first half with only 8 field goals (28.6%), 4 three’s and 2 free throws. The final 20 minutes were a formality as ORU coasted to a double digit win. Continue reading The Force Fails Denver in Tulsa 78-65→
According to US Weekly, JJ Lane, former Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise alum, DU alum, and play-by-play sidekick of Jay Stickney, proposed to Kayla Hughes in the presence of his parents and his daughter, Gemma, in Hawaii. They also had an uninvited guest – Jay Stickney.
Stickney claimed that his trip to Hawaii at the same time was ‘coincidental’ to the beachside engagement. However, family members claim that Stickney was photobombing the couple and after a few Mai Tais was overheard saying, “don’t do it”. Both Stickney and Ms. Hughes cried when Lane went to one knee. Continue reading Jay Stickney: JJ Lane’s odd man out?→
Get ready for what may be an epic gymnastics battle Sunday between #7 Denver vs. #1 Oklahoma at Magness Arena.
Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart’s squad has always made noise in gymnastic NCAA Regionals (19 consecutive invitations) and has had their share of individual stars (Maddie Karr, Lynnzee Brown, and Jessica Lopez) to name just a few. They advanced to nationals as recently as 2008 and 2017 – four times total in their history. However, this year’s squad may be ready to take the next step and advance to the NCAA National Team Finals April 19th and 20th in Ft. Worth, Texas. Competing against perennial national title contender #1 Oklahoma this weekend gives Denver a chance to prove that they should receive consideration as the top program in the nation – a first for DU.
To add to the drama, OU is the only team to defeat Denver this season. In late January at the Metroplex Challenge in Fort Worth, OU defeated Denver 197.975 to 196.350. Denver has a chance to return the favor to the Sooners on home soil. Continue reading Big 12 rivals set to collide at Magness Arena→
The actor Kevin Conroy once said “Everyone is handed adversity in life. No one’s journey is easy. It’s how they handle it that makes people unique.” That sentiment perfectly sums up “Fight Oar Die,” the DU-affiliated group of four veterans who took on a grueling 3,000-nautical mile row across the Atlantic Ocean in a UK-based competition known as the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. Continue reading Mission Accomplished: DU-affiliated Fight Oar Die completes 3,000-mile row→
