Now that the Pac-12 Conference (now the Pac-4) is nearly a distant memory, there is speculation about a possible merger between the Pac and the Mountain West to further dilute a once-great conference. Continue reading Conference Realignment Is Just Getting Started
Category Archives: Men’s Sports
Colorado’s Pac-12 Exit Dominoes Could Hit University of Denver, Summit League
The rumblings have been going on for weeks as the Pac-12 has continued to struggle to finalize their TV deal and hold the already falling apart conference together. Both the University of Colorado and Arizona, current members of the Pac-12 Conference, had been openly courted by Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark. As a result, today’s announcement by CU that they are returning to the Big 12 – the conference the Buffaloes called home from 1996 to 2010 (and were members of the Big Eight that preceded the Big 12 from 1948-1995) today was hardly a surprise. The conference jump by the Buffs is yet another realignment domino to fall and the results of this one may even impact the University of Denver. Continue reading Colorado’s Pac-12 Exit Dominoes Could Hit University of Denver, Summit League
World Junior Summer Showcase Cuts David Carle’s Summer Short
From July 27th through August 4th, prospective players vying for coveted spots on Team USA’s 2024 roster for the IIHF World Junior Championship will be playing games at the World Junior Summer Showcase in Plymouth, Michigan against Sweden and Finland along with an intra-squad game. Junior players can be no older than 20 as of December 31st. These games, which will see the USA squad split into two teams, White and Blue, will help determine Team USA’s final roster for the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship. The World Junior Championships will be held from December 26, 2023, through January 5, 2024, in Gothenburg, Sweden. Continue reading World Junior Summer Showcase Cuts David Carle’s Summer Short
Arizona State to Join the National Collegiate Hockey Conference
When the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) was founded in 2011, the idea was to create a conference that was truly national in nature. Efforts to add Notre Dame to the conference fell short but the idea of moving away from merely regional affiliation in hockey was given birth. The addition of Arizona State University adds a strong, visible member to the conference with new facilities in Mullett Arena and a rising hockey program. Continue reading Arizona State to Join the National Collegiate Hockey Conference
DU Wins 10th-Straight I-AAA Directors’ Cup as Best Division I Non-Football Program in the Nation
In what has become a familiar position, the University of Denver athletics finished as the top I-AAA school in the Directors’ Cup standings. The Pioneers landed in the top spot for the tenth consecutive season and 14th time out of the last 15 years. Compared to all DI programs in the nation, Denver finished in the 63rd spot with a point total of 373.25 points. The I-AAA Directors’ Cup award goes to the best DI non-football athletic program in the country. DU finished ahead of Pepperdine, their closest points competitor, by 88.75 points. Continue reading DU Wins 10th-Straight I-AAA Directors’ Cup as Best Division I Non-Football Program in the Nation
Denver’s Fingerprints on World Lacrosse Championship Opener
USA and Canada opened up the World Lacrosse Men’s Championship in San Diego last night. It was a DU homecoming of sorts with TD Ierlan, Danny Logan, and Trevor Baptiste playing for the US. Newly minted Denver head coach Matt Brown led Team Canada which featured former DU star at attack Wesley Berg, who famously scored the overtime snipe against Notre Dame in the semifinals to send the Pioneers to their first-ever national title game in 2015, as well as current Pio Casey Wilson. Following a knotted first half, Team USA stymied the Canucks in the second half to forge a 7-5 win.
Could Falling Pac-12 Dominoes Send North Dakota State to Mountain West?
According to reports, San Diego State has sent a formal letter to the Mountain West citing an interest in exiting the conference. SDSU has until the end of this month to submit a final letter to the Mountain West Conference expressing its intention to exit. The delay in PAC-12 media rights details has the Aztecs asking the Mountain West for an extension due to ‘circumstances beyond their control’ as they are also looking at a $17 million exit fee to move to the PAC-12. Continue reading Could Falling Pac-12 Dominoes Send North Dakota State to Mountain West?
Denver Hockey Releases 2023-24 Schedule
DU Hockey formally announced its full 2023-24 schedule on Wednesday. The Pioneers start their season in head coach David Carle’s home state when they travel to Fairbanks to play the Alaska Nanooks, October 7th & 8th. Two weeks later, they venture east to face college hockey powers Boston College and Providence. The Pioneers return home to open Magness Arena homecoming weekend against newcomer Augustana and regional rival Air Force on October 27th and 28th respectively. Continue reading Denver Hockey Releases 2023-24 Schedule
DU Men’s Soccer Seeks Stability by Extending Jamie Frank’s Contract
We were not entirely surprised when Denver announced a multiyear contract extension today for head men’s soccer Coach Jamie Franks. With the current uncertainty around men’s soccer in the Summit League with the exit of Western Illinois, Franks had to be on the radar for any number of college openings and his players and recruits were surely looking for answers. Continue reading DU Men’s Soccer Seeks Stability by Extending Jamie Frank’s Contract
DU Men’s Soccer at a Crossroads
Summit League men’s soccer has been on a steady membership decline, continuously losing affiliate members and having to find new affiliates to reach the required six members for an auto-qualifier to the NCAA Tournament. Over the past several seasons, affiliate members Lindenwood, Southern Indiana and Eastern Illinois have all since fled to the Ohio Valley Conference. Today, considering the recent Summit league exit of full-member Western Illinois (which fielded a men’s soccer program), the conference once again has dropped down to five soccer-playing men’s teams – one short of an the NCAA minimum six teams for an auto-qualifying bid . The men’s soccer part of the Summit is now left with DU, UMKC, Omaha, Oral Roberts, and St. Thomas. Continue reading DU Men’s Soccer at a Crossroads