DU has longed for West Coast Conference membership since rejoining Division I athletics in 1998, according to Athletic Director Josh Berlo during the joint WCC/DU virtual press conference announcing DU’s acceptance of the conference’s membership offer. The deal was finalized in lightning speed as it took less than two weeks to seal final acceptance.
WCC commissioner Stu Jackson cited informal social contact, especially over the past year, as the start of discussions. Then, after a series of meetings across both organizations, after less than two weeks of in-depth discussions, the WCC extended an offer to the Pioneers. DU’s administration, athletic department, and Board of Trustees showed rare combined agility, speed, and alignment in accepting the offer to join the West Coast Conference. DU is the conference’s 11th member, and Jackson confirmed that the search will continue for a 12th, noting that a dozen members matches the conference’s ideal membership vision. Continue reading The Decision: Nimble DU Navigates Rapid West Coast Membership Offer→
We have waited years for this to happen. Friday, a tweet by ESPN’s Pete Thamel confirmed it – DU is moving from the Summit League to the West Coast Conference on July 1, 2026. The Denver Post followed the tweet with an article citing the tweet and the move of nine DU sports to the West Coast Conference (WCC). Denver will be joining a conference of equals – largely private schools with similar size, funding and academic profile in alignment with the University. The move will increase DU’s academic profile and give the University greater visibility to the valuable California student market while basketball most certainly will receive a boost in national interest.
Westword aptly named it a “Greek greasy-spoon go-to” at DU’s most recognizable intersection – University and Evans. Tired and ready for a facelift, Pete’s Cafe could not keep up with today’s restaurant demands and new economic realities. However, the memories of hangover omelets, meeting with friends, or just the family-friendly dining environment will last a lifetime for many. The current operation is a throwback to a different time when nearly everyone who went to DU spent time at Pete’s. It’s a sad, but not totally unexpected development for the space. Continue reading Pete’s University Park Cafe to Shutter in November→
Bruegger’s Bagels, located a block east of Magness Arena, has ceased operations at the southeast corner of Asbury and University. Bruegger’s was a regular morning stop for student-athletes, students, faculty, staff, and local patrons. The steam from freshly made bagels covered the windows on winter mornings, bagels were made in-store instead of a commissary, and customers streamed into the store for coffee, bagels, and conversation. The store operated for more than a dozen years at the location and was the last remaining Bruegger’s in the state of Colorado. Continue reading Local Gathering Place, Bruegger’s Bagels, Abruptly Closes→
For the second year in a row, the University of Denver moved up in the US News & World ReportNational Universitiesrankings, which were released today, to #117. Denver’s 2026 ranking moved up from a recent low of #123 two years ago to #121 last year and gained another four places in this year’s edition.
According to numerous sources, colleges and universities are conducting risk assessments and budgeting accordingly, anticipating lawsuits over Title IX legislation. As the Power Four conferences look to profit-share up to $20 million with student-athletes, they have a difficult and potentially costly decision to make. Either equitably split the revenue spoils with their male and female athletes or allocate the money to revenue-producing sports (or a mix of the two options). The same goes for in-house generated NIL (Name, Image & Likeness) funds.
An article by Mark Novicoff in The Atlantic contends that the end of Division I college sports as we currently know them is coming. The author considers all niche, non-revenue sports outside of football and basketball as dodo birds, headed for certain extinction. We, of course, heartily disagree. Continue reading The End of Niche College Sports?→
Pioneer Field hosted a pair of matches Thursday night. DU women’s soccer (1-0-3) faced Texas A&M in their home opener in the late afternoon and men’s soccer (1-2) took on San Diego in the nightcap. The long, rain-delayed evening resulted in 158 minutes of soccer frustration. Continue reading Soccer Doubleheader Delivers Double Frustration→
