As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on in the United States, sports at all levels are rushing to adapt. Schedule changes, season truncation, and attendance adjustments all appear to be in the offing. But today, a major scheduling change for DU Hockey – an opening weekend matchup with the Wisconsin Badgers in Madison is now a road trip to Tempe to play the Arizona State Sun Devils – has absolutely nothing to do with the spread of the virus. In fact, it has to do with another college sport whose immediate future is in question: football. Continue reading Denver Hockey’s opening weekend road trip destination changes from Madison to Tempe
In midst rampant national athletics cuts, DU announces addition of women’s triathlon
With a grant from USA Triathlon, DU is adding a 18th sport, women’s Triathlon.
Triathlon was added to the list of NCAA emerging sports for women at the 2014 NCAA Convention and the USA Triathlon established grants aimed at sponsoring the sport at the collegiate level. The ’emerging sports program’ was created to help schools provide more participation for female athletes – the sport has a 10-year window in which to establish 40 schools sponsoring the sport before it can become an official NCAA championship. Continue reading In midst rampant national athletics cuts, DU announces addition of women’s triathlon
College Athletics Begin Discussing Crowded Spring Season
As athletic departments struggle to plan for the 2020-2021 athletic season in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and as the virus spread among younger age groups, the prospect of a fall season appears particularly vexing for athletic departments, athletes, and even fans. One solution, now much more widely discussed than it was just a few weeks ago, is moving college fall sports to spring. Continue reading College Athletics Begin Discussing Crowded Spring Season
DU Assistant Coaches among COVID-19 Departures, Men’s Head Golf Coach Exits
Denver Athletics was instructed by the University of Denver administration to make significant cuts to its budget in the wake of COVID-19. In recent weeks, the Athletic Department’s web directory now shows that the Pioneers were likely forced to eliminate associate head coaching and/or assistant coaching positions in men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis and in the skiing program (Co-ed). This round of coaching cuts to DU’s small-roster sports had to be particularly difficult for DU Athletic Director Karlton Creech, who has a well-documented reputation of strongly supporting his coaching staff both at Maine (where he was AD before Denver) and here at DU. Our attempts to confirm/clarify these specific coaching cuts have been met with silence from DU Athletics to date, likely (and understandably) out of respect for their former co-workers. Continue reading DU Assistant Coaches among COVID-19 Departures, Men’s Head Golf Coach Exits
St. Thomas is (almost) in
The NCAA issued a statement today which allows St. Thomas (DIII) to reclassify and move to the DI Summit league. The statement read that while the new guidelines for reclassification are under consideration, “the Council indicated it would be receptive to a formal waiver request from Division III St. Thomas (Minnesota) and the Summit League that would allow the school to begin the reclassification process.” Continue reading St. Thomas is (almost) in
Women’s Hoops Coach Jim Turgeon Apparently No Longer at DU
It appears that Jim Turgeon is no longer the head women’s basketball coach at the University of Denver. While DU has not posted a press release detailing Turgeon’s departure or the circumstances related thereto, the school has posted a new job listing for head basketball coach and has removed Turgeon from the DU athletics web site. Our sources would not confirm Turgeon’s departure, nor the cause of his earlier administrative leave since January of 2020, reportedly for what was considered to be insensitive behavior. Continue reading Women’s Hoops Coach Jim Turgeon Apparently No Longer at DU
St. Thomas University to Get NCAA Hearing, Decision this Week
The April membership vote was delayed by COVID-19 but the NCAA 40-man committee reconvenes this week to determine if St Thomas University can make the unorthodox jump from DIII to DI and the Summit League. The Tommies certainly have the capability to make the move after being rejected by their old conference, the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, for being ‘too good’. Continue reading St. Thomas University to Get NCAA Hearing, Decision this Week
Family Feud May Hit Denver & North Dakota Ice in 2021
After watching his older brother play for the North Dakota Fighting Hawks for the past two years, Okotoks Oilers (AJHA) defenseman Seth Bernard-Docker (5’11”, 186 lbs.) made the obvious choice – come to DU to play hockey. Seth’s brother, Jacob also played for the Oilers, but now plays for the UND and was taken in the first round and 26th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. The prospect of seeing these two brothers collide for different rival schools is tantalizing, but alas, unlikely to actually happen. Continue reading Family Feud May Hit Denver & North Dakota Ice in 2021
DU Reveals $45 Million COVID-19 Shortfall, Begins Wielding Budget Axe
DU Chancellor Jeremy Haefner announced in a Community Meeting today that DU has a current budget shortfall of at least $45 million, as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, DU will be making some large budget cuts to mitigate the losses, including at least 38 full layoffs announced today, along with 37 more employees who were given extended administrative leave with benefits, along with other across-the-board salary reductions of up to 10% for those earning more than $90,000 annually and other projected administrative savings. Continue reading DU Reveals $45 Million COVID-19 Shortfall, Begins Wielding Budget Axe
Non-Revenue DU Athletes May Be Big Beneficiaries of Name, Image and Likeness Guidelines
Want a golf lesson from DU golf phenom, Anna Zanusso? You may have to pay for it.
The NCAA is moving to a standard approach to Name Image and Likeness (NIL) for student-athletes beginning in 2021. While details are currently being worked out, a surprising beneficiary of the new regulations may be non-revenue athletes. Continue reading Non-Revenue DU Athletes May Be Big Beneficiaries of Name, Image and Likeness Guidelines