Men's Basketball

Another Twin City hoops prospect could mean big things for DU

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Photo: JaVonni Bickham, #42, celebrating the 2A Minnesota State championship. Photo – Courtesy of the Pioneer Press

The number 42 is all about transformation – think Jackie Robinson going to the Dodgers. To a lesser degree, there is a #42 out of Minneapolis that could help propel the ongoing transformation of Denver basketball forward under the guidance of Rodney Billups and his coaches Ricardo Patton, Dan Ficke, and Steve Snell.

Denver continues to draw players from the Twin Cities and JaVonni Bickham, who proudly wears number 42,  could continue that trend if he accepts Denver’s offer to join the Pioneers.  Continue reading Another Twin City hoops prospect could mean big things for DU →

Hockey, Men's Basketball, Men's Sports, Skiing, Women's Basketball, Women's Sports

Puck Swami: DU Athletic leadership change offers new Vice Chancellor possibilities

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Screen Shot 2017-08-27 at 11.01.04 PM(Photo Credits: University of Denver (Grahame, Peck), Swarthmore College (Akotaobi), Tulane University (Macneill), St. Cloud St. University (Weems), Blacktop Colorado (Willis)

We’ve now had a few days to process the major change in athletic leadership coming our way as DU fans: DU Vice Chancellor for Athletics and Recreation Peg Bradley-Doppes announced her retirement at the end of the 2017/18 school year.  While longtime DU Deputy Athletic Director Ron Grahame is taking over the athletic director’s day-to-day responsibilities immediately, DU also announced that a nationwide search would take place this year to ultimately fill the vice-chancellor’s position that Peg has filled so well for the last nearly 15 years. Continue reading Puck Swami: DU Athletic leadership change offers new Vice Chancellor possibilities →

Men's Soccer

Denver Edges Akron 1-0 in Scrappy Match

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A whopping 26 fouls were committed in Monday night’s hostile match between The [3/4] University of Denver Pioneers and the [16/18] University of Akron Zips on Monday, Aug. 28. The Pioneers rose victorious in the grueling match extending their regular season unbeaten streak to 37 games.

Denver (2-0-0, 0-0-0 Summit League) edged Akron (0-2-0, 0-0-0 Mid American Conference) a historically elite program, with a score of 1-0. Continue reading Denver Edges Akron 1-0 in Scrappy Match →

Hockey, Men's Sports

Will Butcher makes it official, signs with New Jersey

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Photo credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

The New Jersey Devils announced today that they have officially signed 2017 Hobey Baker Award winner and former University of Denver captain Will Butcher to a two-year entry-level contract. Butcher’s signing officially ends a drawn-out saga that saw the Colorado Avalanche, the team that drafted him in the fifth round of the 2013 NHL Draft, lose out on the prized defenseman prospect. Continue reading Will Butcher makes it official, signs with New Jersey →

Men's Soccer

“Fighting Football” Propels Pioneers Past FGCU in Season Opener

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The road to Philadelphia is officially underway as the [3/4] University of Denver Pioneers embarked on their 2017 season opener. Riding on a 36-game unbeaten regular season streak, the Pioneers returned to CIBER Field capping the [23/15] Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) Eagles 3-1 in a chippy match on Friday, Aug. 25.

“We coined that phrase ‘fighting football’ so that means to us that we play to play. There’s a resiliency, a collectiveness, there’s a fight that’s associated with that,” Head coach Jamie Franks said. “That’s the mentality that we went into the game with. It was crazy, there were injuries, there were subs, there were goals, but for us the biggest take away that I have is that I have good leaders and guys willing to step up when it gets difficult. Above anything else that’s what I’m most pleased about; that my older guys are ready to take ownership of this team.” Continue reading “Fighting Football” Propels Pioneers Past FGCU in Season Opener →

Men's Sports, Women's Sports

Making sense of the shakeup atop Denver’s athletic department

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Photo courtesy the University of Denver

In case you missed the news, University of Denver Vice Chancellor for Athletics and Recreation Peg Bradley-Doppes announced in her 14th annual Divisional Address this week some changes at the top of the athletic department. She announced that Ron Grahame, former DU hockey goalie and long time DU administrator would take over the role of the day-to-day athletic director, effective immediately. Bradley-Doppes also announced that she plans to retire next June 30, after the end of the academic and athletic year. She will remain in her current position for 2017-18, but with a focus on more long-term projects and fundraising. Continue reading Making sense of the shakeup atop Denver’s athletic department →

Men's Soccer, Men's Sports

2017 DU Men’s Soccer Preview: Pioneers poised for more success

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Photo credit: Getty Images

As the University of Denver continues to establish itself as an athletically dominant force on a national scale, the Pioneer Men’s Soccer program has contributed to that success with its recent elite success.

Ranked No. 3 in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll, the DU Pioneers have excelled as a program with a berth in the 2016 College Cup while maintaining a 35-match regular season unbeaten streak dating back to Halloween 2014. Denver is the first program to finish unbeaten throughout two consecutive seasons since Clemson University did so in 1977-78. Continue reading 2017 DU Men’s Soccer Preview: Pioneers poised for more success →

Men's Sports, Women's Sports

Peg Bradley-Doppes Announces Retirement Plans: Ron Grahame to Assume AD Role

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Photo: Courtesy Denver Post

Peg Bradley-Doppes has announced (DenverPioneers.com) that she will be stepping down from her current role and retiring from the University of Denver in June 2018. She will be immediately replaced by Ron Grahame while the University launches a search for her replacement in the fall.

According the announcement, she will continue her role as Vice Chancellor for Athletics, Recreation and Ritchie Center Operations until then, but will shift her focus to high-end fundraising, coaching endowments, raising money for the Denver Tennis Park and other Capital Projects.

Peg Bradley-Doppes announcement comes at the high water mark for Denver Athletics since moving to NCAA D1 athletics.

LetsGoDU will provide our point of view on the changes at University and Evans in an article tomorrow.

Men's Basketball

Big Shots: Top potential DU prospects – Jordan Guest

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Photo: Santa Margarita’s Jordan Guest makes our list of Top 3 prospects for University of Denver basketball. Denver has three scholarship openings for 2018-2019.

It’s been said before and we’ll say it again – Denver needs to add ‘athletic size’ to their roster while still continuing their up-tempo playing style. So, they need a smart, athletic big man that can play both ends of the floor. That player is 6’9″, 235 pound Jordan Guest. He is a highly rated 3-star (ESPN) power forward with outstanding upside. He could play center at Denver, too with the graduation of seniors Daniel Amigo and Christian Mackey after this season. He will receive immediate playing time. While he has a soft shooting touch, as witnessed by his game film, he can be nasty inside the paint defending space and securing rebounds. That grit would be a huge benefit to the Pioneers, especially when the tempo inevitably slows down during tight conference games, one possession games, and hopefully the NCAA Tournament. Continue reading Big Shots: Top potential DU prospects – Jordan Guest →

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