We’ve heard this story before. A mid-major program outgrows its conference, has ambitious plans to grow, and nowhere to land.
Wichita State is looking to exit the Missouri Valley Conference for greener pastures – flush with an influx of University cash and a basketball program that has been making noise in March.
The Shockers’ biggest draw is its basketball program, which has been to a school-record five consecutive NCAA Tournaments, and went 35-1 during the 2013-14 season, which culminated in a final Four berth. Continue reading Wichita State’s Dilemma No Shocker→
Just as DU engineered a master stroke in moving women’s lacrosse to the Big East, Big 12 expansion talks are heating up again. According to an SB Nation article yesterday, the Big 12 is getting close to adding two more teams. The league commissioned a study to run models on the net impact of expanding back to a 12-team member conference with eight regular season conference games and a title game. This format would provide the Big 12 the best chance to make the College Football Playoff. The odds, when calculated by a consulting firm, predicted a 4-5% greater chance to compete for the national championship annually with 12 members instead of 10. Continue reading Conference Realignment Talk Triggers Possibilities→
Announced Monday morning (May 3) Denver women’s lacrosse will join its male counterparts in the BIG EAST conference effective immediately in the 2017 season. The Pioneers become the tenth team alongside Butler, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Florida, Georgetown, Marquette, Temple, Vanderbilt, and Villanova competing in the BIG EAST. Continue reading Women’s Lacrosse to Join BIG EAST in 2017→
Illustration: How DU fans see the Summit League rivalries.
Rivalries go beyond the act of competition. Rivalries are compelling and appeal to fans’ rational and irrational emotions. Beating a rival counts for more than a regular league or conference win. The winner gets bragging rights. More people want to attend those games. If you miss a rivalry game to go to a wedding, during vows you check your phone for live updates from your pew.Continue reading Summit League Lacks Rivalries→
Denver (9-9) hung close to undefeated USC (18-0) in the first half but the Trojans scored four unanswered goals to start the second half and blew the game wide open.
Denver drew first blood at 24:41 on a fast break goal by Elizebeth Behrens. USC tied the match on a free shot by Cynthia Del Core at 19:39 to even the score, 1-1. A minute later, DU’s Nicole Martindale gave Denver the lead again, 2-1. Denver called a timeout at the 16:03 as the momentum begun to shift to the Trojans and DU fouls started to give USC numerous penalty shots. DU junior goalie Maddie Stevenson held up to the mounting pressure. At 12:57, after a long DU offensive possession USC gained control and created a fast break goal by Amanda Johanson to tie the contest. Six minutes later, USC scored again on a Johanson assist to Cynthia Del Core. Layne Vorhees fouled at 7:05 set up a penalty draw and goal by the Trojans Amanda Johanson – and a 3-2 SC lead. At the 2:00 minute mark, USC’s Gabby McMahon scored to double SC’s lead. Martindale countered for DU with only six seconds left to close out the opening frame 4-3, Trojans. Continue reading USC Runs Away from DU 10-5→
Thanks to Thursday night’s victory over UC-Davis, DU Women’s Lax will advance to the MPSF semifinals against undefeated USC (17-0).
So what do we know about USC?
It’s a private football school that also offers academics. One of their football coaches was removed because he was drinking before, during, and after games. O.J. went there. Most students go there because it is easier to spell than UCLA. The University neighborhood is known as Fortress USC – with an accompanying high crime rate. Want a job in LA? It is known as the ‘University of Special Connections’ – which is better than its other nickname, ‘the University of Spoiled Children’. Continue reading Preview: DU Women’s Lax Gets USC in Semis→
DU demolished UC-Davis, behind a 41 minute run, to avenge an earlier defeat against the Aggies to advance to the MPSF semifinals tomorrow night.
UC-Davis drew first blood at 27:40. Denver responded 40 seconds later with a goal by Sarah Kasun with an assist from Nicole Martindale to tie the score. UC-Davis’ Sam Axenroth made it 2-1 at 25:56. DU knotted the score 2-2 on Audrey Schreck’s penalty shot. Denver took their first lead, 3-2, on a nifty shot from Casey White – a lead DU would never relinquish. Early in the game, UCD was putting pressure on Reece and double-teaming Nicole Martindale so the pair were looking for assists. However, a free position strike by Reece doubled the score to make it 4-2. That goal seemed to open the flood gates for the scoring duo. Elizebeth Behrins made an unassisted goal to make it 5-2 on a low shot into the net. Denver won the draw and kept the pressure on the Aggies and extended the lead on a Christa Reece goal assisted by Audrey Schreck. Then, at 7:25 Martindale scored again to make it 7-2. Once again, Denver took control of a loose ball and Reece made it a hat trick to extend DU’s lead to 8-2 with 1:12 to go in the first half. The half ended 8-2 with DU enjoying a 7-goal run. Denver got off 17 shots to UC-Davis’ 11. Continue reading DU Crushes UC-Davis – Advances to MPSF Semis→
Photo: By Jeremy Papasso, buffzone.com Feb 12, 2016
As DU women’s lacrosse (#5 seed) heads to Palo Alto for a Thursday night’s game against UC-Davis (#4 seed), they face the unenviable task of winning 3 games in three days to secure the tournament win and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Continue reading Denver Women’s Lax: MPSF Tournament Preview→
The red hot DU women’s lax team is headed to Palo Alto, California with the wind at their backs to begin the MPSF playoffs Thursday night. The Pioneers (8-8, 5-4 MPSF) received yet another break when they moved up to the 5th seed, avoiding a first round showdown with #3 Colorado and then, tournament host – #2 Stanford. Continue reading The Team No One Wants to Play – #WhyNotDUWLAX→
4,395 miles marks the distance Jessica “Jess” Carty traveled to pursue her collegiate golf career from her hometown Holywood, Northern Ireland to Denver, Colorado. Holywood is located outside of Belfast and has a population of just over 12,000 people, including Carty and current PGA and the world’s #3 ranked golfer Rory McIlroy. Continue reading Holywood’s Heroes – Carty and McIlroy→
