Tag Archives: Pioneers

Former DU Pioneers Help Power Avalanche to NHL’s Stanley Cup Championship

Logan O’Connor became the latest Denver Pioneer to become a Stanley Cup Champion: Photo: Sportsnet Canada

The Colorado Avalanche’s third Stanley Cup Championship was won in Tampa, Florida with a 2-1 victory in Game Six over the Tampa Bay Lightning, making Denver into the new “Hockeytown USA”, as the Avalanche joined the 2022 NCAA Champion University of Denver and USA’s Hockey High School Division II National Champion Denver East High School for a troika of Denver hockey titles in 2022. Continue reading Former DU Pioneers Help Power Avalanche to NHL’s Stanley Cup Championship

Breaking: UMD’s Josh Berlo Tabbed as DU’s Next Athletic Director

The University of Denver has reached out to a familiar hockey face to lead the Pioneer Athletic Department and named Josh Berlo as its new Vice-Chancellor for Athletics and Ritchie Center Operations. The announcement will be made this morning at 10:45 at Ritchie Center on the DU campus. Berlo has been the University of Minnesota-Duluth’s Athletic Director since 2013 and had just signed a three-year contract extension at UMD just a couple of weeks ago. The Pioneers, however, were able to pry him away from Duluth. Continue reading Breaking: UMD’s Josh Berlo Tabbed as DU’s Next Athletic Director

Legendary DU Goaltender George Kirkwood Passes Away at 84

There have been a lot of great goalies at the University of Denver over the years, and one of the best of them, George Kirkwood, passed away last month at age 84 in his native Edmonton, Alberta.

Kirkwood’s passing is surely sad news for his surviving family, former teammates, friends, and associates. And the Pioneer Nation — even those younger Pio fans who never had the chance to know him personally or watch him play — will remember his name and exploits for as long as hockey players skate for the University of Denver. Continue reading Legendary DU Goaltender George Kirkwood Passes Away at 84

Puck Swami: Non-conference Opponents That DU Hockey Should Schedule

College hockey scheduling isn’t easy. There are now 63 teams playing Division I college hockey, and DU as a 72-year-old program has played most of them over the years.  Non-conference scheduling is a particular kind of art form, requiring just enough potential home wins to keep the fans (and bean-counters) happy, but not too many cupcakes either, or it can hurt your national Pairwise ranking, especially if there is an upset. Continue reading Puck Swami: Non-conference Opponents That DU Hockey Should Schedule

A Five Point Fan Wish List for DU’s Next Athletic Director

As DU winds down the current athletic year and Denver Vice Chancellor for Athletics and Recreation Karlton Creech prepares to depart for the next chapter in his career, we die-hard fans at LetsGoDU have our wish list for the next athletic director, whomever it may be.

Here are our wishes, in rough order of priority: Continue reading A Five Point Fan Wish List for DU’s Next Athletic Director

Juho Olkinuora is first DU Olympic Gold Medal Athlete Since 1952

Juho Olkinuora (lying on ice at lower right next to Olympic sign) is the first DU athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in 70 years. Photo:IIHF

University of Denver ice hockey alumnus Juho ‘Jussi’ Olkinuora (attd. DU 2011-13) won a 2022 Olympic gold medal for his native Finland on Feb. 20.  It took 70 years, but it was the first gold medal won by a DU athlete since Jerome Biffle’s gold medal for Team USA in the long jump in the 1952 Olympic Summer Games in Helsinki, Finland – ironically, Olkinoura’s home city. Continue reading Juho Olkinuora is first DU Olympic Gold Medal Athlete Since 1952

DU’s Athletic Branding Threatened by University’s Branding Change

The University of Denver’s Marketing and Communications Division is deep into a year-long process of an overall University rebranding change and, according to our sources familiar with the process, DU’s upcoming decisions on this effort may directly and potentially adversely affect DU’s most visible part of athletic branding – the logos of DU’s Pioneer athletic programs. Continue reading DU’s Athletic Branding Threatened by University’s Branding Change

Damien Goddard Makes 11th Hour Plea For CC Hockey

Following Denver’s decisive sweep of Colorado College in which they outscored the Tigers 9-0 this past weekend, Damien Goddard doubled down on his effort to bolster the lagging CC hockey program. “I put my flight suit on eBay for a reason – the Tigers need our help. Let’s bring adequate Division I men’s hockey back to the Springs!” Continue reading Damien Goddard Makes 11th Hour Plea For CC Hockey

LetsGoDU Founder Damien Goddard Auctions Flight Suit to Benefit CC Hockey

The original Damien Goddard flight suit featured in LetsGoDU on December 31st, 2021 is up for auction on eBay along with a signed Certificate of Authenticity. The auction ends in eight days. The public auction comes with a twist – all auction proceeds will go to Colorado College Athletics for hockey player recruitment. Continue reading LetsGoDU Founder Damien Goddard Auctions Flight Suit to Benefit CC Hockey