Registration is still open for this year’s Denver Athletics Hall of Fame awards dinner to be held Friday, October 15th, 6-9 pm MT ahead of the Hall of Fame hockey game against Air Force on Saturday at Magness Arena. Originally scheduled for last year, but postponed due to COVID-19, this year’s induction class is one of the most impressive groups of athletic alumni ever assembled at DU.
The last Hall of Fame event was held in 2014 but, due to a variety of circumstances, has not been hosted until this year. DU Athletics plans to resume this important tradition every other year going forward. This lengthy delay, however, has created one of DU’s strongest and most compelling classes in Denver sports history. There are still seats and sponsorship opportunities available but space is running out so be sure to sign up.
For our money, just seeing and hearing legendary hockey head coach George Gwozdecky is worth the price of admission. But depending on your interests, there are a number of other DU sports stars being enshrined into DU’s Sports Hall of Fame who are equally accomplished.
The inductees in one sentence:
George Gwozdecky – Sixteen 20-win seasons and two consecutive national hockey championships.
Video: Coach Gwozdecky presided over the most exciting 1:25 seconds in DU sports history.
Lisbeth Johnsen – Johnsen won both classical and freestyle Nordic skiing national collegiate championships in 1996.
Kristie Leggio – A two-time Denver athlete of the Year, Leggio was voted DU’s first woman all-American lacrosse player.
Dick Peth – Averaged 18.4 wins over 12 seasons as men’s basketball head coach at DU from the mid-1980s to the mid 1990s in DU’s NAIA and NCAA D-II era.
Geoff Snider – This Canadian lacrosse faceoff star was a standout for DU, world tournament MVP & two-time gold medal winner for Canada.
Nat Borchers – An outstanding four-year soccer defender at DU, won two MLS Cups in his 14-year professional career.
Stephanie Sherlock – A two-time all-American golfer, averaged 73.65 strokes per match, second-best in DU history.
Bill Dorn – A 92-year-old faculty Athletic Representative, Dorn embraced Denver student-athletes and continues as a life-long fan and supporter of Denver athletics.
Jamie Norwood – Soccer star Norwood distributed 14 assists in a single season which ranks second to this day in DU’s DI history along with 12 goals.
Paul Stanford – A four-time NAIA All American and Swimmer of the year, Stanford won the 200 and 400 Individual Medley National Championship at the 1982 NAIA Championships.
2008-2009 Women’s Golf Team – The 2008-09 women’s golf team backed up a sixth-place finish at the 2008 NCAA Championships with a regional title and fifth-place finish at the national tournament in 2009, the two best finishes in the program’s history.
1955-57 Ski Teams – Led by legendary ski coach Willy Schaeffler, this class built on DU’s first National Ski title by bringing home three consecutive national titles to University and Evans.
DU’s Hall of Fame weekend happens the week after DU’s Homecoming Festivities.
DU picked to finish fourth in NCHC. Can someone give George a call and see if he can bail this program out?
It’s a little early to start calling for Carle’s head, don’t you think?
Gwoz had seven seasons in his 19 years at DU when DU missed the NCAAs altogether, and also had a couple of losing seasons in there, too.
Losing seasons happen to every program.
And a fourth place NCHC finish is still usually good enough to be in NCAA tourney consideration. DU’s 2004 NCAA title team was tied for the fourth place WCHA finisher that year as I recall, as it got hot at the end of the season.
Sorry Swami, I don’t agree. Gwoz entered a program in shambles. Carle entered a program that had been built to succeed. Gwoz got the keys to a Yugo, Carle got the keys to a Benz. The time for excuses is over. As they say in Texas, “it’s time to fish, or cut bait”. Use whatever cliche you like, the trajectory this program is taking is troubling. There is a leadership void.
It wasnt that long ago that DU was in the Frozen Four under Carle. I do not like the fact that Minnesota-Duluth seems to have our number (in addition to UND) over the past several years. We need to win some series against the top NCHC teams during the regular season. Anything can happen during 1-game playoffs but the regular season is a good measure of a program’s standing. I think David is doing a good job but looking forward to progress over the next several years. I am sure he is, too.
While I think it’s premature to suggest Carle isn’t the right man for the job, I do think it’s a pivotal season of sorts for him and the program. In his first year, the team came within a goal of playing in the title game. Year 2 appeared promising before the COVID outbreak. Last season was obviously a strange one due to the pandemic, but the team itself and the on-ice product took a major step backward. The chemistry seemed off, there didn’t seem to be solid leadership and the goaltending was subpar. It was painful overall. Lots to prove this year, and that comes with the territory of leading a perennial national power.
Can’t to see these guys next weekend in person.
Carle is good, Montgomery was great. But neither of them are Gwoz. Congrats to Gwoz on the honor, and thanks to Letsgodu for posting that clip of the 2004 championship. Still remains my favorite sports memory of all time, and I feel so fortunate to have been in Boston to see it live. There may never be another DU championship as great as that one. Berkhoel, Carle, James, Gauthier, Caldwell, and Gwoz…DU legends.