When we revived LetsGoDU seven years ago, we opened the blog with a number of articles about the progressive professionalization of college sports, the increasing power of the Power Five conferences, and the increasing power of student-athletes with less-restrictive transfer rules, cost-of-attendance stipends, and NIL (name, image & likeness) rights. Turns out, most everything we wrote about has come to pass and now, DU needs to face these changes head-on with a clear strategy. Continue reading The End of Division I Athletics As We Know It Is Coming, Part 1
Monthly Archives: February 2022
Juho Olkinuora is first DU Olympic Gold Medal Athlete Since 1952
University of Denver ice hockey alumnus Juho ‘Jussi’ Olkinuora (attd. DU 2011-13) won a 2022 Olympic gold medal for his native Finland on Feb. 20. It took 70 years, but it was the first gold medal won by a DU athlete since Jerome Biffle’s gold medal for Team USA in the long jump in the 1952 Olympic Summer Games in Helsinki, Finland – ironically, Olkinoura’s home city. Continue reading Juho Olkinuora is first DU Olympic Gold Medal Athlete Since 1952
Denver Struggles While Hutchinson Shines
Authored by LetsGoDU Contributor Jill Cattrysse-Larson
Denver fans, it’s time to hitch our wagons to Sophomore Jessica Hutchinson on the road to nationals! As a team, the wheels officially fell off this weekend at the 2022 Metroplex Challenge. This meet was the culmination of a weekend of gymnastics in Fort Worth, TX with everything from young competitors to Team USA elite qualifiers.
Pioneers’ PK Falters as Comeback Effort Falls Just Short Against Broncos
The #3 Denver Pioneers (22-7-1, 15-5-0-1 NCHC, 44 pts) fell to the #6 Western Michigan Broncos (20-8-1, 12-7-1-1-0-1 NCHC, 37 pts) 6-4 in Kalamazoo on Saturday night to clinch the road split. DU’s penalty-killing effort fell flat, giving up three goals on eight chances, all in the first and second periods, en route to spotting the Broncos a 5-1 lead. Magnus Chrona gave up all five goals on just 20 shots before being replaced by Matt Davis, who did not allow a goal on 13 WMU shots. Almost immediately, though, the Pioneers responded, scoring two quick goals before the second period ended and an early one in the third to pull back to within one at 5-4. Unfortunately, the tying goal just would not find twine behind WMU goaltender Brandon Bussi and the Broncos added an empty-netter for good measure with just over a minute left to seal it. Continue reading Pioneers’ PK Falters as Comeback Effort Falls Just Short Against Broncos
Denver Men’s & Women’s Lacrosse have Mixed Results on the Road
Denver women’s lacrosse defeated Stanford for the second game in a row, following on last season’s NCAA tournament win, 8-6, at Stanford, California. Denver men’s lacrosse was not so fortunate with a Saturday morning loss to Duke, 19-10, in Durham, North Carolina.
Continue reading Denver Men’s & Women’s Lacrosse have Mixed Results on the Road
Denver Uses Power Play to top Western Michigan
Western Michigan’s Lawson Arena has been a house of horrors for the University of Denver hockey but Denver snapped their four-game road losing streak to the Broncos Friday night. #3 Denver (17-6-1, 15-4-0) met the #5 Broncos (19-8-1, 11-7-1) in Kalamazoo, Michigan and the Pioneers capitalized on the man advantage to score three power play goals in the 4-1 win. Continue reading Denver Uses Power Play to top Western Michigan
Denver Blows 8-Point Lead in Final Minute-and-a-Half to Fall at Omaha
Denver (9-20, 5-11) traveled to Omaha Thursday night to take on the Mavericks (5-22, 4-12). Denver sat in 7th and Omaha in 8th in the Summit League standings. After a poor shooting first half, Denver shot 58% in the second half but collapsed in the waning minutes, allowing Frankie Fidler to score all 11 Mavs points in the final 1:29 at Baxter Arena. Denver has dropped six of their last seven games. Continue reading Denver Blows 8-Point Lead in Final Minute-and-a-Half to Fall at Omaha
Denver Battles Iowa State & Judges Cards in Big XII Action
Authored by LetsGoDU Contributor Jill Cattrysse-Larson
The #12 Pioneers gymnastics team beat #37 Iowa State on Sunday afternoon in Magness. Just like last week, this meet wasn’t about their competition at Magness, but about their national ranking. Although the Pioneers topped last week’s team score by seven-tenths of a point, the judges didn’t do them any favors. The Pios are attempting to climb back up the national rankings and dealing with some injuries to key athletes. If we compare Sunday’s performances to other teams around the NCAA, DU should have been scored at least four-tenths higher as a team. As it was, Denver won with a 196.850, ahead of Iowa State’s 195.775. Even though they improved their performances, Denver’s score was right at their season’s average, so ranking won’t change much this week.
Continue reading Denver Battles Iowa State & Judges Cards in Big XII Action
Pioneers Drop 3-2 Thriller to Bulldogs for First Home Loss
You can’t win ’em all. No matter how well the #3 Denver Pioneers (21-6-1, 14-4-0-1 NCHC, 41 pts) had been playing, and they had been playing extremely well, winning each of their last nine games, you simply can’t win every game. In a game where the Pioneers dominated nearly every facet, a loss didn’t seem likely but combine poor specialty teams play with two elite goaltenders on the #6 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs’ (16-11-3, 9-6-3-0-1-1 NCHC, 32 pts) roster and it was the perfect combination for the Pios to drop their first game of 2022 and their first loss at Magness Arena all season. The Pios had their looks and plenty of them, but in the end, the Bulldogs came away with the thrilling 3-2 victory. Continue reading Pioneers Drop 3-2 Thriller to Bulldogs for First Home Loss
Denver Falls in Disappointing Loss to South Dakota
In a season of hope, Denver men’s basketball (9-19, 5-10) delivered a clunker in Hamilton Gym Saturday afternoon. Denver never could stop the University of South Dakota (15-10, 8-6) on the offensive end and they were unable to make timely baskets as the Coyotes cruised to the win on DU’s Senior Day. The only positive was the effort put out by senior Taelyr Gatlin in place of Jordan Johnson (COVID protocol) who left every ounce of effort on the court in the exasperating home finale. Continue reading Denver Falls in Disappointing Loss to South Dakota