In Part 1, we talked about how DU basketball came unraveled. Part 2 discusses the implications of this saga on future basketball at DU.
As we already discussed, the process of the recent “mutual agreement to part ways” between basketball head coach Jeff Wulbrun and DU was messy and likely avoidable, and like all major coaching decisions, there will be consequences. Today, we outline what we believe may be the future implications for the DU Men’s Hoops program.
It’s anyone’s guess as to what it was about Arizona State for the Denver Pioneers this season but these matchups and blown DU leads went together like peanut butter and jelly. The Pioneers dropped three of their four regular-season games against the Sun Devils this season and blew multi-goal leads in two of their losses and their overtime victory. So, naturally, when #2 seed ASU and #3 seed DU met in the 2025 Frozen Faceoff Semifinals at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, everyone should have expected DU to blow their 2-0 first-period lead. ASU did indeed tie it in the final minute of the second period. But this Sun Devil comeback did not sink the Pioneers and the defending NCHC champions scored twice in the third, including an empty-netter by Connor Caponi, to end ASU’s season and advance to their second-straight conference title game. Continue reading Pioneers Survive Another Blown Lead vs. ASU to Advance to 4th NCHC Title Game→
Yesterday’s announcement that now former basketball head coach Jeff Wulbrun and the University of Denver “mutually agreed part ways” lacked transparency and context. Wulbrun was placed on leave on February 21 for what, at the time, appeared to be a serious and urgent reason. The players we spoke to in the following weeks, under the condition of anonymity so they could freely share their thoughts, could not identify any student safety issues, patterns, or events that would warrant such action on DU’s part. Continue reading Jeff Wulbrun Out – Part 1: How It All Unraveled→
Today, DU Athletics announced the departure of basketball Head Coach Jeff Wulbrun on Twitter stating “DU Athletics and head coach Jeff Wulbrun have mutually agreed to part ways.”
Denver men’s basketball update: DU Athletics and head coach Jeff Wulbrun have mutually agreed to part ways after Wulbrun’s four seasons with the program.#GoPioshttps://t.co/X2DPVJU2Bz
— Denver Men’s Basketball (@DU_MensHoops) March 20, 2025
If there is an image that should accompany the phrase “leave no doubt” in your mind, it’s the box score of game three of the 2025 NCHC Quarterfinals series between the #3 seed Denver Pioneers and #6 seed Colorado College Tigers. After dropping game one and rebounding in game two, the Pioneers led game three wire-to-wire, took control of the game in the second period, and stepped on the Tigers’ throats in the third en route to the 9-2 victory and 2-1 series win. With the win, the Pioneers advance to the last Frozen Faceoff in St. Paul next weekend with hopes to defend their 2024 conference title and the impressive status as the only program to advance past the Quarterfinal round in each of the NCHC’s 11 conference tournaments (2020 was canceled, you’ll remember). Continue reading Leave No Doubt: Pioneers Rout Tigers in Game Three to Advance to 11th-Straight Frozen Faceoff→
It was a glorious afternoon for college lacrosse – especially if you were a Buckeye. It was a mid-season clash between the University of Denver men’s lacrosse and [9/10] Ohio State at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. Following a 15-10 road loss to Yale the prior week, this was a chance for DU redemption against a Top 10 team. It was not to be as DU fell 15-11.
After an effort that head coach David Carle generously described as “lackadaisical” led to a 3-1 loss to the visiting #6 seed Colorado College Tigers at Magness Arena last night, the #3 seed Denver Pioneers’ hopes to defend their 2024 NCHC Championship were on life support. But after an opening 10 minutes that left a lot to be desired, the Pioneers flipped the switch and cruised to a 6-3 Game Two victory to force a series-deciding Game Three tomorrow night. Continue reading Special Teams Shine as Denver Bounces Back to Force Game 3 with 6-3 Game 2 Victory over CC→
Heading into this rivalry game, four things seemed to be true. One, DU would outshoot Colorado College. Two, there would be penalties and skirmishes. Three, the score would be tight heading into the third period. Four, DU would leverage their talent and experience to ultimately seize the game. Just like Friday night’s game to clinch the Gold Pan, this 4-3 win held many similarities to the night before. And, while Friday’s game was for the Gold Pan, Saturday was all about Pairwise and avoiding the bubble. DU sits in 9th nationally after the win. Continue reading Denver Sweeps CC in Nail Biter, 4-3→
The 2025 NCAA Championships concluded Saturday with Nordic Freestyle. Denver moved up to fourth in the team standings but trailed the eventual team champion, Utah, by 206 points. And yes, that is a significant margin. Colorado was second and host Dartmouth finished third. Obviously, all Pioneer ski fans wanted a better team finish but DU also had some outstanding individual performances. Continue reading Final Day: Denver Finishes Fourth at 2025 NCAA Championships→
Sara Rask did it again, this time in the Giant Slalom. The Pioneer senior sat in the second spot after her first run but delivered the best second run to seize the NCAA Giant Slalom title. CU’s Magdalena Luczak was leading after the first run but scored a DNF on her second run. The victory for Rask stacked National Championship titles in both women’s Slalom and GS – an incredible accomplishment. Continue reading Day 3: Rask Sweeps Alpine Events to Earn Second National Title→
