Tag Archives: Olympics

Hockey, Pioneers, University of Denver

70 Years of DU Hockey History Part II: A Temporary Decline – 1970-1994

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Our own Puck Swami has authored a four-part historical retrospective for the 70th anniversary of the DU Hockey program. This is Part II. Part One can be found here, and Parts III and IV will follow in the coming weeks. While these stories will run far longer than our usual stories, remember that 70 years is a lot to cover. Enjoy!

Given DU hockey’s successes in the program’s first 20 years, there was no reason to believe that the Pioneer hockey program was about to enter a 35-year period with no NCAA titles. After all, there was plenty of talent in the pipeline. In the early 1970s, DU leveraged its 1960s dominance to attract a number of star players who would move on the NHL — George Morrison, Peter McNab, Bruce Affleck, Rob Palmer, Mike Busniuk, Rich Preston, Mike Christie, Mike Lampman, Vic Venasky and Ron Grahame would all wear the Crimson and Gold in the early-to-mid 70s before moving on to the highest level. Continue reading 70 Years of DU Hockey History Part II: A Temporary Decline – 1970-1994 →

Hockey, University of Denver

Puck Swami: Amazing 70th Anniversary Celebration Brings DU Community Together in Epic Style

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On November 2 at Magness Arena, you could feel something powerful.

It was tradition — the glue that binds us all together as part of a special DU community.

Carson and Buddy BlOM
DU Goalie Michael Corson (center) who would go on to shut out Niagara in his first DU start —  perhaps the biggest night of his sports career to date — gets between-period encouragement from Buddy Blom, a goaltender who played for DU in the mid-1960s. The admiring look on Corson’s face encapsulated the feeling of the entire 70th Anniversary Weekend. Photo: University of Denver

Continue reading Puck Swami: Amazing 70th Anniversary Celebration Brings DU Community Together in Epic Style →

Hockey, Men's Sports

70 Years of DU Hockey History: The First 20 Years 1949-1969

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Our own Puck Swami has authored a four-part historical retrospective for the 70th anniversary of the DU Hockey program. Part One begins today, and the other three parts will follow in the coming weeks. While these stories will run far longer than our usual stories, remember that 70 years is a lot to cover. Enjoy!

As we celebrate 70 years of Pioneer hockey this coming weekend (Nov. 1-2, 2019), it helps to know just how far the DU Hockey program has evolved in those 70 years. The first 20 formative years saw DU go from a terrible start-up program to the dominant program of the 1960s as a five-time NCAA Champion. Part One of this series reviews those first 20 years of DU Hockey. Continue reading 70 Years of DU Hockey History: The First 20 Years 1949-1969 →

Hockey, Men's Basketball, Men's Lacrosse, Men's Soccer, Men's Sports

Puck Swami’s Guide to 2018-2019 DU Sports Fan Road Trips

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Traveling to watch Pioneer Sports is one of the great joys of life.  Photo: Aviation Stackexchange

While not all of DU’s teams have announced their 2018-2019 schedules yet, we know just enough to start planning potential road trips to see our beloved Pioneers play in some of America’s most iconic destinations. If you’ve never travelled to see the Pioneers play, you are missing out on some amazing experiences.  There is a special “us against the world” feeling that comes from watching DU on the road as Pio fan, and when the team gets a road win, it can feel even more special than a home win, because the team just needs you more on the road. Here are some possibilities to help get you started, with DU men’s  hockey, basketball, soccer and lacrosse road trips, in alphabetical order by area:

Continue reading Puck Swami’s Guide to 2018-2019 DU Sports Fan Road Trips →

Hockey, Men's Sports

DU Adds Ben Scrivens as Second Former NHL Player to Pioneer Hockey Team Staff

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Ben Scrivens, Nail Yakupov,
Former NHL Goalie Ben Scrivens (left) has joined the DU Hockey Staff/Photo: Sportsnet Canada

Denver Pioneer head hockey coach David Carle continues to add experienced NHL insights to his program staff, having named named former Cornell all-American and eight-year NHLer/Team Canada goaltender Ben Scrivens to the newly-created position of Team Manager on Sept. 6, 2018.

The new position will be filled while Scriven’s earns his masters degree at DU. Carle had previously added longtime NHL player Steve Reinprecht as a volunteer assistant earlier in the summer, making room for two former NHL players to enter the team’s brain trust.

“We are excited to add someone to our staff with the playing pedigree that Ben has,” Carle said in a DU Press Release. “While he pursues his masters at DU, he will be able to add a valuable perspective to our staff.” Continue reading DU Adds Ben Scrivens as Second Former NHL Player to Pioneer Hockey Team Staff →

Hockey, Men's Sports

Terry, Borgström, Gambrell and Hillman All Leave Denver Early for NHL Contracts

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Left: Troy Terry, Upper Right: Dylan Gambrell and Lower Right: Henrik Borgström

As expected, the talented Denver forward trio of Troy Terry,  Henrik Borgström and Dylan Gambrell have all elected to forego their remaining NCAA hockey eligibility and have all signed three-year NHL Entry Level Contracts (ELCs) with the respective teams that held their draft rights. These ELCs have a maximum base salary of $925,000 per season, and the players may also earn signing and performance bonuses that may cap out at up to $3.75 million. All ELCs are two-way contracts, meaning that if the player is sent to play the AHL, they will be paid a minor league salary of about $70,000. Continue reading Terry, Borgström, Gambrell and Hillman All Leave Denver Early for NHL Contracts →

Co-ed Sports, Hockey, Men's Sports, Skiing, Women's Sports

Five Denver Pioneers to compete in 2018 Olympic Winter Games in South Korea

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Troy Terry (DU’19) is one of  only four NCAA players to make the US Olympic Ice Hockey Team (Photo: University of Denver)

Your University of Denver Pioneers will be very well-represented when the Olympic Winter Games begin in Pyongchang, South Korea later this February 9th-25th, with five Crimson and Gold athletes set to compete, representing four different countries and two different sports. Continue reading Five Denver Pioneers to compete in 2018 Olympic Winter Games in South Korea →

Hockey, Men's Sports

PUCK SWAMI: Saying goodbye to Pioneer Hockey Champion Jim Wiste

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Over 1,000 people, ranging from famous NHLers to Campus Lounge bar regulars, came to say goodbye to former Pioneer Captain Jim Wiste (1946-2018) at a touching memorial service on the ice of the University of Denver’s Magness Arena on January 11th.

DU and Wiste’s family put together an impressive tribute, complete with on-ice floral displays, an excellent video of Wiste’s life (shown on the scoreboard), and a post-event reception with extensive photos of Wiste’s life well-lived — as hockey player, entrepreneur, tavern-owner and host, husband, father, and grandfather. Continue reading PUCK SWAMI: Saying goodbye to Pioneer Hockey Champion Jim Wiste →

Co-ed Sports, Gymnastics, Hockey, Men's Basketball, Men's Golf, Men's Lacrosse, Men's Soccer, Men's Sports, Men's Tennis, Skiing, Swim/Dive, Volleyball, Women's Basketball, Women's Golf, Women's Lacrosse, Women's Soccer, Women's Sports, Women's Tennis

Puck Swami: Is the men’s soccer team making the 2016 College Cup DU’s greatest sporting achievement?

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When Denver centerback  Kortne Ford (above/Photo by David Grooms) carved open the Clemson backline to convert Alex Underwood’s cross to score the game-winning goal in Dec.2’s NCAA Soccer Quarterfinal with a minute left in the game to book a first-ever DU berth in the College Cup, it set off a big celebration for every Pioneer fan.

I would argue that it may have been one of DU’s greatest collegiate sporting achievements of all time.  Here’s why: Continue reading Puck Swami: Is the men’s soccer team making the 2016 College Cup DU’s greatest sporting achievement? →

Gymnastics, Men's Golf, Men's Sports, Women's Sports

Three Pioneer Alums Headed to 2016 Rio Olympics

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Three DU 2016 Olympians: Left: Jessica Lopez ’09 Gymnastics, Venezuela, Top Right Espen Kofstad ’11 Golf, Norway; Lower Right: Simona Castro ’13 Gymnastics, Chile.  Photos Courtesy University of Denver

Three University of Denver athlete graduates  will represent their respective countries at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil — one men’s golfer and two women’s gymnasts, representing the countries of Norway, Venezuela, and Chile, respectively. Continue reading Three Pioneer Alums Headed to 2016 Rio Olympics →