Wisconsin Hockey Player Punches Party Guests

(left) A day after signing a 3-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings, University of Wisconsin defenseman Brendan Smith was charged with disorderly conduct

From: Wisconsin State Journal


Former Wisconsin Badgers hockey player Brendan Smith, who signed a three-year contract with the National Hockey League’s Detroit Red Wings this week, was charged Friday with disorderly conduct for a fight outside a Downtown house party earlier this month.

Smith, 21, a defenseman who was a nominee for college hockey’s Hobey Baker Award, repeatedly punched a man who had tried to get into the party around 2 a.m. on May 6, according to a criminal complaint filed in Dane County Circuit Court.

Smith is scheduled to appear in court on June 1. Disorderly conduct is a misdemeanor that carries a maximum of a $1,000 fine or 90 days in jail.

Smith told police that the man and his friend had been told to leave but kept trying to push their way into the party, the complaint states.

According to the complaint:

Alexander J. Popp, who lived next door to the party in the 400 block of West Mifflin Street, told police that he and a friend, Grant L. Roeming, knocked at the door, which was answered by Smith, Popp said he tried to pull out his identification to show he was a neighbor when Smith punched him in the face and pushed Roeming.

Popp said he fell off the porch onto the sidewalk, and Smith came down and punched him again. Someone held Smith back, and Popp called 911. While he was on the phone, he said, Smith threw several punches at his face.

Smith told police he pushed Popp and Roeming off the porch after they were told to leave and said one of them sucker-punched him, so he went after that man, punching him twice in the face. He said his chain was ripped off his neck during the fight.

In his junior year at Wisconsin last season, Smith, of Mimico, Ontario, led the nation’s defensemen with 15 goals, 37 assists and 52 points. He decided in April to forgo his senior year and turn pro.

DU "Flash Mob" At May Days Includes Boone

University of Denver Flash Mob from Jerad Larkin on Vimeo.


Each Spring the University of Denver Programs Board plans out a week long party outside in the sun, known as May Days. One of the things DUPB planned for the spring of 2010 was a surprise for all. The "flash mob" was quite the sight to see.

A flash mob is large group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual and pointless act for a brief time, then quickly disperse (Wikipedia.com).

This flash mob was filmed from several different angles with many different video cameras ranging in quality.

UMD Recruit Arrested For Beating Girlfriend

(left) Minnesota Duluth recruit Chris Stafne is accused of hitting his girlfriend with a door

From: Duluth News-Tribune.com

A 2010-11 University of Minnesota Duluth freshman hockey recruit was arrested early Tuesday on domestic assault charges after allegedly attacking his girlfriend in her College of St. Scholastica dorm room.

Christopher Michael Stafne, 20, of Duluth is charged with fifth-degree domestic assault. He was arrested and booked in the St. Louis County Jail about 2 a.m. Tuesday. He was later released pending his next court appearance, scheduled for June 15.

A court order also was filed Tuesday prohibiting Stafne from having contact with his alleged victim. Stafne returned a reporter’s phone call Tuesday but declined to comment on the charge against him.

According to police reports:

Stafne’s girlfriend told police he has an anger problem. She didn’t want to talk to him Monday night and she turned off her cell phone. She said she was trying to sleep when Stafne showed up at her dorm room. The woman said Stafne was upset with her because he thought she was cheating on him, and his suspicions led him to wanting to see her cell phone.

She said he took the cell phone from her and when she tried to take it back, he pushed her down and she fell between the bed and the dresser.

The woman said that Stafne then went into the bathroom with her cell phone and tried to close the door. She tried to open the door but he pushed her and slammed the door, hitting her with the door. A roommate of the woman said Stafne also was verbally abusive to his girlfriend.

The victim sustained a bruise on her forearm, a scrape with redness on her neck and marks on her back, allegedly as a result of the assault.

Police asked the woman if she thought what Stafne did was an assault. She thought that it was.

The woman was asked if she thought Stafne would seriously injure or kill her. She said that she did not think so, that he just has anger issues.

An officer asked the woman the most frightening event or worst incident of violence she had been subjected to by Stafne. She said Stafne got mad at her last summer, took her phone from her and pushed her down, causing marks on her neck.

Officers went to Stafne’s residence and told him he was being arrested for domestic assault.

According to police reports, Stafne became angry with officers, saying that he didn’t mean for any of it to happen and that it was not that big of a deal. He said he went to the dorm room and the woman “freaked out” and began to swing and hit at him.

Officers observed no injuries on Stafne. He said that he pushed the woman down in an attempt to keep her away from him.

Officers said Stafne became more agitated and yelled at them as he was being arrested. He was asked if he was willing to record an interview. He said that he was not willing to do so, police said.

Stafne told officers that he had never been arrested or charged with any assault-related crimes.

According to court records, Stafne pleaded guilty in 2006 to fifth-degree assault in juvenile court and was adjudicated delinquent. That juvenile conviction is public information because it was a felony offense and Stafne was at least 16 years old at the time of the offense.

Stafne graduated from Denfeld High School in 2008, where he set a school record for goal-scoring with 47 goals and 77 points during the 2007-08 season. He accepted a scholarship from UMD in 2008 to join the Bulldogs after playing in the U.S. Hockey League. He played in that league for Indiana and Fargo during the 2008-09 season and for Des Moines in the 2009-10 season.

Stafne is listed among the UMD freshman recruits for this upcoming season. UMD hockey coach Scott Sandelin did not return a phone call seeking comment Tuesday on the status of his recruit.

News & Notes From Around PioNation

Kyle Ostrow was officially named Captain next season. Jesse Martin, Chris Nutini and Dustin Jackson are the assistant captains.
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Tyler Ruegsegger's younger sister Rebecca, has been invited to USA hockey's most prestigious goaltender camp. Rebecca is the starting goaltender on the University of Wisconsin's women's team. 36 goaltenders will attend the third annual Warren Strelow National Team Goaltending Camp, May 27-30, in Ann Arbor, Mich. The goaltenders chosen represent the top goaltenders eligible for international play in select age groups.
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The International Ice Hockey Federation has awarded the World Under 18 Championships in 2015 and the World Junior Hockey Championships in 2018 to the United States. Colorado would be a great host for one of these two events, but no sites have been determined yet.
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Rumor has it that the New York Islanders are trying to entice Matt Donovan to leave DU this summer and report to the AHL Bridgeport Sound.

DU Alum Matt Carle To Play For Stanley Cup

(left) DU Alum Matt Carle will play in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks

From: ESPN Chicago
by Pierre LeBrun

An Original Six Stanley Cup finals this is not, and for that, some hockey fans may be sad. But the Philadelphia Flyers bring a storied hockey history of their own to the NHL's championship series with the Chicago Blackhawks, two huge hockey markets with teams looking to end long droughts.

The Flyers haven't won the Cup since the Broad Street Bullies were beating up opponents on the way to back-to-back titles in 1974 and 1975. Thirty-five years? Ha, that's nothing. The Blackhawks carry the burden of the NHL's longest drought, a 49-year stretch that the Madhouse on Madison wants no part of seeing reach half a century.

The Hawks, of course, are the favorites; they have been a powerhouse from the superior Western Conference from Day 1 this season. In September, the Flyers were picked by many (including this writer) to take the East, but a moribund regular season saw them struggle to make the playoffs despite a talent-laden lineup. They settled for the seventh seed in a mediocre Eastern Conference.

So, technically, they are the underdogs, but potent ones. That deep lineup finally figured it out this spring, somewhere around the time they were down 3-0 in the second round against Boston. The Flyers have won eight of nine games entering the championship series. While Chicago deserves the favorite label, this series could surprise people.

Most years, it stands to reason that when the Stanley Cup finalists line up, there are Norris Trophy-caliber defensemen on each side. While the jury might be out now regarding just how much you really need to spend on goaltending these days, it's certainly not the case on the blue line, where more and more teams are spending their cap space on the men controlling the defensive zone and keying the transition game from the back end.

Philadelphia has Chris Pronger and Kimmo Timonen, while Chicago counters with Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith -- four super-elite rearguards who have had a huge say in their teams' deep playoff runs. The supporting cast isn't too shabby, either, with Matt Carle and Braydon Coburn for the Flyers and Niklas Hjalmarsson and Brian Campbell for the Blackhawks.

KeyMatchup: Flyers' top defense duo of Pronger and Carle versus the NHL's hottest line, Patrick Kane, Toews and Dustin Byfuglien: The Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks are terrific hockey teams, but they had no answer for Chicago's top line, which has come up big for the Hawks game after game. Kane has been electrifying with the puck, backing up blueliners and creating space for his linemates. Toews, well, he just has points in 13 straight playoff games, a franchise record. Byfuglien? "Big Poppa" had three game-winning goals in the Western Conference finals alone. Scary proposition for Pronger and Carle.

St. Louis Blues Still Regret Not Drafting Stastny

(above) The St. Louis Blues may have missed out on drafting DU Alum Paul Stastny, but the St. Louis Pipeline has been producing talented recruits for DU ever since

From: StlToday.com
by Jeff Gordon

Fans may remember departing Blues scouting director Jarmo Kekalainen more for one player he missed -- DU alum and star center Paul Stastny -- than all the promising players drafted on his watch.

Stastny grew up in St. Louis. His father, former Blues player and scout Peter Stastny, is one of the true legends of the game.

Paul hung around the team as a kid. He skated with various Blues and Blues alumni. Even though he went off to play Omaha of the USHL and Denver University, he returned home for the summers.

He was sitting for the Blues in the second round of the 2005 draft, 37th overall, but the Note took rugged defenseman Scott Jackson instead. Stastny went to the Colorado Avalanche at 44th overall . . . and the rest is unpleasant history for the Blues.

Stastny has become one of the elite playmakers in the NHL. He has scored 264 points in 279 regular-season games for Colorado.

He became the No. 1 center the Blues so glaringly lack. Stastny is one of those rare players who make teammates better. He is becoming a “franchise” talent. With the help of his agent, former Blues scout Matt Keator, he landed a $33 million contract extension in Colorado.

And what became of Jackson? He never signed with Blues and later landed with the Tampa Bay Lightning as a free agent. He did a solid job for Norfolk in his second AHL season, earning a one-game promotion to the NHL.

(In fairness to Jarmo, most scouts liked Jackson. TSN ranked him 29th among prospects for that draft. He had potential. And it wasn’t like Stastny was rated as a can’t-miss player in ‘05. Central Scouting ranked him just 74th among North American skaters that year. But still.)

Kekalainen made some great draft calls for the Blues. Defenseman Roman Polak, picked 180th overall in 2004, was his biggest score. Polak has become a force on the blue line, arguably the team’s best all-around defender.

But what if Jarmo had hit one more home run – Stastny? The Blues would have become a perennial playoff force.

Imagine him playing with David Perron, T. J. Oshie, Patrik Berglund and Lars Eller. And how about the prospect of Stastny and Erik Johnson running the power play for years to come?

Passing on Stastny was like 1987 all over again for the Blues. That year Blues scouts loved a center from the Western Hockey League, but general manager Ron Caron opted to draft for need.

After all, the Blues already had two strong offensive-minded centers, in Bernie Federko and Doug Gilmour. What they needed was a scoring winger.

So Caron took Keith Osborne 12th overall, on the strong recommendation of rookie Blues coach Jacques Martin. The center the Blues liked, Joe Sakic, went to Quebec instead three picks later.

Sakic went on to play for the Nordiques with Peter Stastny. Many years later, he tutored the younger Stastny while winding down his 1,641-point career. Symmetry!

Such stories explain why the Blues have never won a Stanley Cup. The franchise has done lots of good things, but it has never quite put it all together. It has been one move short many times.

For all the good Kekalainen has done the franchise, his biggest whiff came on the most obvious prospect imaginable.

Sports executives can’t live in the past, but that one has to sting. The impact was massive.

Had the Blues drafted Stastny, perhaps they, and not the Blackhawks, would be the Western Conference’s breakout team.

Had Jarmo made that call, perhaps he would have realized his dream of becoming a NHL general manager. Instead, he heads back home to run the Jokerit franchise in Finland.

Hopefully he learned to never, EVER overlook a talented prospect in his own backyard again.

Doremus Selected In 1st Round Of USHL Draft

(left) Dan Doremus

2012 University of Denver recruit Dan Doremus (6'1 178 lbs) was selected 11th overall in the 1st Round of the USHL Draft by Sioux Falls. DU hasn't had too many recruits taken in the 1st round of the USHL Draft in the past, so its a testament to this guy's ability.

“I was surprised that Doremus was still available as I thought he would be one of the first three picks in the draft,” said Sioux Falls Director of Scouting and Player Development John Rosso.

Doremus is from Colorado and plays for the Thunderbirds, has also been pursued by the NAHL, BCHL and AJHL. He played his youth hockey in Steamboat and Aspen.
2010 Recruiting Class
F Jason Zucker (U.S. Under-18)
D David Makowski (Green Bay, USHL)
F Nick Shore (U.S. Under-18)
F Beau Bennett (Penticton, BCHL)
F Dan Olszewski (St. Louis, NAHL)
F Jarrod Mermis (Lincoln, USHL)
G Sam Brittain (Canmore, AJHL)

2011 Recruiting Class
D Scott Mayfield (Youngstown, USHL)
F Zac Larraza (U.S. Under-17)
F Garrett Allen (Fargo, USHL)
D Matt Van Voorhis (U.S. Under-17)

2012 Recruiting Class
F Tyler Pham (Team Illinios)
D Dakota Mermis (St. Louis Jr. Blues, AAA)
F Daniel Doremus (Colorado Thunderbirds, AAA)

Chamber's Blog Looks At WJT Candidates

As many as six DU players could be selected to Team USA's World Junior Team in December. Jason Zucker, Drew Shore, Nick Shore, Beau Bennett, William Wrenn and Adam Murray may be invited to the Selection Camp this summer. Chambers breaks down the chances of each player making the team.

Denver Post Breaks Down 2010-11 Schedule

(above) DU's new Captain Kyle Ostrow will lead DU against some of the best programs in college hockey next season

From: Denver Post

by Mike Chambers


The first 10 games of the University of Denver hockey team's schedule next season is beyond tough. Difficult is an understatement.

Try brutal.

"It's as good as it gets, no question about it," DU coach George Gwozdecky said Tuesday (read rest of article).

Chambers Blog Reports DU's New Captains

Mike Chambers Blog has the inside scoop on the Captain and Assistant Captains for the 2010-11 DU hockey team.

DU also released their Official Schedule for next season. No major changes from what we had earlier except that it looks like the Denver Cup will have a "showcase format" like last season. DU will play Lake Superior State the first night and Air Force the following night.

DU Has Eye On Local 16 Year-Old Recruit


The USHL Draft is going to be held today. Thanks to the mushrooming success of the state's youth hockey programs, a record number players with Colorado ties are expected to be selected.

According to SB-Nation, DU is interested in forward Brad Hawkinson (5'11", 175 lbs.) from Aurora, Colorado. He collected 26 points (13g, 13a) in 38 games this past season with the Thunderbirds. He was second on the Colorado Thunderbirds in scoring. Hawkinson really excelled was on the powerplay scoring six of his 13 goals. Hawkinson is considering Boston University, Cornell, Denver, Harvard, Northeastern, and Yale.
1st Round - Gavin Stoick (Littleton, CO) - Green Bay
3rd Round - John Dora (Erie, CO) - Tri-City
3rd Round - Bradley Hawkinson (Littleton, CO) - Lincoln
3rd Round - Christain Heil (Westminister, CO) - Chicago
3rd Round - Matias Cleland (Longmont, CO) - Waterloo

Chambers' Blog Reports DU's L.O.I. Signings

Mike Chambers Blog has the latest info on the Letter of Intent signings of DU's five incoming recruits.

Supposedly the WHL Kelowna Rockets made a push to sign DU recruit Nick Shore and lure his brother Drew to Canada. Seems a little far fethched to me that both brothers would abandon their college careers and not play hockey in front of their family and friends for a season or two at DU.

These are the times we live in, and now the OHL Kitchener Rangers are making a big push to sign 2011 DU recruit Scott Mayfield. Mayfield is considered to be a sure fire 1st round NHL Draft choice in 2011. Like the Shore family, Mayfield's parents met at DU.

DU Lax Falls To Stoney Brook


From: LaxPower.com


The No. 9 University of Denver men's lacrosse team (12-5, 7-0 ECAC) fell 9-7 to the Stony Brook University Seawolves (13-3) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday evening at LaValle Stadium in Stony Brook, N.Y., in front of a crowd of 4,262 fans.

"Hats off to the Stony Brook players and coaches for playing us hard and really making it difficult for us out there," said head coach Bill Tierney. "Despite the loss, I am so happy for the way this team came together this season and for the sacrifices they made to get to this point. Our group of seniors provided great leadership to this team this year and their example will provide guidance for our program for years to come." (read rest of article)

DU Lax vs. Stoney Brook Preview Video

News & Notes From Around PioNation (Lax Edition)

(above) Click on picture above for DU Lax Shirts from DenverPioneers.com

DU assistant coach Trevor Tierney talks about DU's upcoming participation in the NCAA playoffs in his Inside Lacrosse Blog.
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We haven't heard where DU Lacrosse fans will be watching the NCAA Playoff game at 3:30 PM MT on Saturday. The game is being televised nationally on ESPN-U. If you are heading to a local Denver watering hole post it in the "Comments Section" below.
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The Boston Globe had an article about DU defenseman Jeff Brown.

Channel 20 To Televise Campus Lounge Special

Thursday Night at 9:30 pm on Channel 20 in Denver there is a 30 minute special on Jim Wiste, the Campus Lounge and a little about DU hockey.

Tierney Revamps DU Lax In Year One

(above) You won't find any DU lacrosse players with long hair or playoff beards while Coach Tierney is at the helm
"It's not going to change a kid as a player if his hair is a little longer, but when you can get a group to buy into that mentality, it's soothing for them," Tierney said. "I think kids want direction, want discipline, but they'll never ask you for it."
- Bill Tierney
From: Greenwich Time.com
by Pat Graham


The Hall of Fame lacrosse coach arrived on Denver's campus with the responsibility of making the Pioneers relevant, of making the sport even more reputable and renown out West.

No easy project, no easy venture.

Bill Tierney left the security of Princeton for this assignment, saying farewell to a place where he was revered after turning the Tigers into a national power, winning six NCAA championships and 14 Ivy League titles.

To come to Denver last summer raised some eyebrows. This was a school that had never won an NCAA tournament game in lacrosse and only started fielding a Division I program about a decade ago.

And this was a part of the country where the sport was hardly the religion it was back East, with just Denver and Air Force boasting men's Division I programs west of the Mississippi.

To build a successful legacy out here would take patience, energy and time.

Yet in Year One, Tierney led Denver to a No. 9 national ranking, a 12-4 record, an Eastern College Athletic Conference title and a spot in the NCAA tournament, where they face Stony Brook on Saturday.

The success has come so swiftly Tierney feels the need to tap the brakes on runaway expectations.

"Look, there's a lot of work to be done yet," said the 58-year-old Tierney, who was named the conference's coach of the year. "I don't want people thinking that this is going to automatically produce a national champion and we're going to walk off into the sunset."

The Mile High City has a healthy history of lacrosse, with the Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse and the Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League frequently playing to big crowds. There's also a thriving youth program in place.

Still, a chance to legitimize lacrosse out West even more was the impetus for Tierney leaving Princeton after 22 seasons.

Judging by his upcoming recruiting class, he's already making inroads. Tierney's bringing in kids from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, players passing on traditional powers such as Syracuse, Johns Hopkins, Virginia and Princeton to follow Tierney's migration.

"His decision to go to Denver is an important milestone in the ongoing evolution of college lacrosse," said Steve Stenersen, president and CEO of U.S. Lacrosse, the sport's national governing body. "People know how successful of a coach he is."

As for his role in the team's turnaround, Tierney — in typical fashion — downplayed it.

"There was so much hype, over-hype, overemphasis, overstatement as to what I could do," Tierney said. "The players are the ones that had to put up with it. ... All we did was come in and convince them that they could be as good as they are."

Not that it took much convincing. Given his track record, Tierney's tactics were an easy sell.

He was an icon at Princeton, leading the Tigers to 10 NCAA Final Fours in compiling a 238-86 record.

Tierney never really intended to depart Princeton. But when the Pioneers parted ways with Jamie Munro last season, the school contacted Tierney just to see if he knew anyone who might be interested.

By the way, would he be interested?

With his son, Trevor, already in Denver, and he and his wife, Helen, hoping to eventually retire in the Rocky Mountains anyway, Tierney decided to make the leap.

His departure for Denver and the West had lacrosse circles buzzing. It was an unprecedented decision.

Sometimes, though, a change of scenery is necessary.

"He had been at one place for so long, and been so successful, there was a part of him that wanted to try something new," said Trevor Tierney, who serves as his father's defensive coordinator. "It's been great for him."

Bill Tierney's first order of business was reuniting a fractured team.

Last season, the Pioneers had off-the-field issues, dismissing three players for violating team rules during a 7-8 campaign.

"There was just an inconsistency for discipline," team captain and conference defensive player of the year Dillon Roy said.

That's been remedied under Tierney, who quickly set ground rules.

Listen to him, Tierney implored, and they would be better for it.

Better students for sure. Better citizens, too.

That's all he could promise.

He made his players sit in the first two rows at class, pick up trash they saw on the ground, wear coats and ties on road trips. He also had them keep their hair short, shave every day and tidy up the locker room.

Tierney's rationale was simple: Little things off the field may spill over onto it.

"It's not going to change a kid as a player if his hair is a little longer, but when you can get a group to buy into that mentality, it's soothing for them," Tierney said. "I think kids want direction, want discipline, but they'll never ask you for it."

For a coach who's all about order, Tierney's desk is completely disheveled. There are recruiting tapes stacked haphazardly, assorted paperwork spilling out of folders and scouting reports scattered about. Yet he knows where everything lies under those piles.

Organized mayhem, he joked.

He also has Post-It notes stuck everywhere, little reminders of friends and colleagues who've called to congratulate him.

These days, those Post-It notes are piling up fast.

Denver's surge under Tierney has drawn vast amounts of exposure. Newspapers, magazines and television crews have shown up to chronicle the team, wanting to know how, in such a short time, the Pioneers have morphed into a squad that's won nine straight, including a recent victory over a ranked Loyola squad to wrap up the league title.

Easy, Roy insists — Tierney.

"When I walk around town and people see my DU sweat shirt, people that know nothing about lacrosse, know about this coaching change," Roy said. "He's a big name and having that big name in the West is going to inspire kids to play."

Precisely why he's now here.

Colorado College Lowers Season Ticket Prices

(above) Click on image to enlarge

Colorado College is aggressively marketing their season ticket packages for the upcoming ice hockey season. The prices are as low as $17 per game for Center Ice prime seats and drop accordingly throughout World Arena.

More info is available at: cctigers.com

Red Line Reports Ranks DU's Recruiting Class 4th

The Red Line Report, an independent international scouting service, ranked the University of Denver's 2010 incoming recruiting class the 4th best in college hockey. Its important to note that this ranking is based on the prospects chances of making the NHL and not how much of an impact they will have on the ice for DU.
RLR's Top 9 NCAA Recruiting Classes
1). Minnesota
2). North Dakota
3). Boston University
4). Denver
5). Notre Dame
6). Boston College
7). Colorado College
8). Wisconsin
9). Minnesota-Duluth

DU's 2010 Recruiting Class
F Jason Zucker (U.S. Under-18)
D David Makowski (Green Bay, USHL)
F Nick Shore (U.S. Under-18)
F Beau Bennett (Penticton, BCHL)
F Dan Olszewski (St. Louis, NAHL)
F Jarrod Mermis (Lincoln, USHL)
G Sam Brittain (Canmore, AJHL)

DU's Strength Center Named For Broncos Owner

(above) Pat Bowlen (far left) at the naming ceremony on Friday

From: DU Clarion
by Steve Coulter

The University of Denver announced Friday afternoon that the strength and conditioning complex in the new soccer stadium will be named for Pat Bowlen, owner of the NFL Denver Broncos who donated a reported $1.5 million toward the soccer stadium and strength complex project.

The stadium’s total cost was $6.3 million and it took almost two years to complete.

The 10,000-square foot training facility is located beneath the soccer stadium seating and was dedicated as the Pat Bowlen Training Center last week.

“When I look at this university now I think of a university that is one of the best private institutions in the United States,” said Bowlen at the dedication.

Bowlen, who has been a member of the DU Board of Trustees since 1987, was present at a ceremony held last Friday at the Ritchie Center.Chancellor Robert Coombe introduced Bowlen at the ceremony.

The Pat Bowlen Training Center will be attached to west side of the Ritchie Center.

“Today is a celebration, it is a celebration for the entire Pioneer community” said Peg Bradley Doppes, the vice chancellor for Athletics and Recreation. “This training facility is one of a kind and it is one of the last jewels in the crown called the Daniel L. Ritchie Center.”

The Pat Bowlen Training Center was constructed simultaneously with CIBER Field, DU’s new soccer stadium and will include 12 Olympic lifting stations and a 66-yard turf track for speed and agility training.

In addition the new strength and condition complex will have warm-up areas, cardio and rehabilitation stations and an equipped video screening room.

All 17 athletic teams are supposed to use the facility to get better physically as well as mentally.

“I think it will be a terrific asset,” said Bowlen (read rest of article).

DU Lax To Open NCAA's On Long Island

(above) Click on image to enlarge


The selections and seedings for the Men's Division I NCAA Tournament were announced on Sunday evening on ESPNU. The University of Denver Lacrosse team will face #6 ranked Stony Brook University next Saturday at 3 PM MT on ESPN-U.

Quick Analysis: Denver heads to Long Island and take on the Seawolves after defeating them March 20th. That win started the Pioneers on a nine-game win streak that carried them through the ECAC slate unbeaten and gave Bill Tierney a trip to the tournament in his first season in Denver. (Denver's third overall). Stony Brook hasn't lost since falling by three at home to Cornell on March 23rd.
Mount St. Mary's @ #1 Virginia - Sat. 5:30 PM MT (ESPN-U)
Denver @ #8 Stony Brook - Sat. 3 PM MT (ESPN-U)

Johns Hopkins @ #5 Duke - Sat. 10 PM MT (ESPN)
Delaware @ #4 North Carolina - Sun. 3 PM MT (ESPN-U)

Hofstra @ #3 Maryland - Sat. 1 PM MT (ESPN-U)
Notre Dame @ #6 Princeton- Sun. 12:30 PM (ESPN-U)

Loyola @ #7 Cornell- Sat. 12:30 PM MT (ESPN-U)
Army @ #2 Syracuse - Sun. 5:30 PM MT (ESPN-U)

DU Lacrosse Star Brings Plenty To The Table

(above) Alex Demopoulos has 34 goals and 54 points for the DU men's lacrosse team

From: Denver Post
by Mike Chambers

University of Denver lacrosse star Alex Demopoulos is a meet-you-in-the-middle, family-type guy. His ideal evening is enjoying Greek cuisine at a large table full of relatives, talking about hockey and lacrosse.

Demopoulos, who has started every game this season, opened the season with four goals against second-ranked Syracuse. He also had four goals against Hobart and three apiece against Albany, Bellarmine and Quinnipiac. He has a point in every game.

Demopoulos' older brother, Nick, soon will graduate from the University of California, where he was a kicker on the football team. His younger brother, Stefan, is set to begin his second season playing for the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League, then hopes to play at DU (read rest of article).

DU Recruit Dakota Mermis Draws Praise

From: College Hockey 247.com
by Michale Spath

USA Hockey has filled 17 spots for its National Team Development Program Under-17 team for next season, including the defensemen.

CollegeHockey247.com spoke to USA Director of Player Personnel Ryan Rezmierski for his thoughts on the blue liners, including 2011 DU recruit Dakota Mermis.

Alton, Ill., defender Dakota Mermis committed to the University of Denver in early March, jumping at the chance to play two seasons with older brother Jarrod.

"Dakota is a very impressive young man," Rezmierski said. "He's a little under the radar and strength will be his biggest issue -- he's only 5-10, 165 pounds right now -- but he's another offensive-minded, puck-moving defenseman. He'll be just as good on the penalty kill as the power play because he is willing to play both ends of the rink.

"He has a big frame, and we project that he'll eventually carry 195 pounds, so he has some growth coming.

"Everybody just loves this kid. He's a leader and one of the things we noticed at our Evaluation Camp was when we put these kids through some adversity, they asked Dakota to lead. He commands that respect very quickly and his intangibles, as well as his on-ice skill, will provide him a great chance to succeed here and down the road."

Memorial Service For Davis James Johnson

The University of Denver Division of Athletics and Recreation will remember and celebrate the life of Davis James Johnson, son of Denver women's basketball head coach Erik Johnson and his wife, Laura, on Tuesday, May 11. Davis unexpectedly passed away in the morning on May 6 at the young age of four.

A special memorial service will be held on Tuesday, May 11 on the DU campus at 10 a.m. at the Newman Center - Hamilton Hall located at 2344 East Iliff Avenue in Denver. A reception at nearby Joy Burns Plaza will immediately follow the memorial service.

In lieu of flowers, you are encouraged to donate to the charity of choice or to The Davis Johnson Fund. Donations can be addressed to the University of Denver, c/o Athletic Director, Room 4676, 2201 East Asbury Ave., Denver CO 80208.

In addition to his parents, Erik and Laura, Davis is survived by his sisters, Daly (8) and Avery (6).

Memorial Service - Tuesday, May 11 - 10 a.m.
Newman Center - Hamilton Hall
2344 East Iliff Avenue
Denver, CO 80208

News & Notes From Around PioNation

The NCAA bound DU Lacrosse team closed out the regular season with a 15-7 thumping of Air Force on Saturday. It was the 9th straight win for the Pioneers. With the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament already clinched, the Pioneers now await the announcement of who they will play and where. The NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Selection Show is on Sunday, May 9 on ESPNU and will run from 6:30-7:30 p.m. MT.
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The DU Women's Golf team missed the NCAA Tournament by one stroke yesterday. Needless to say this is a crippling blow to a program that finished 5th in the NCAA Tournament last season and had two of the hottest recruits in the nation join the team this season. Former three time All-American Stephanie Sherlock bogeyed the last five holes of her collegiate career. DU Golfer Kimberly Kim will still play in the NCAA Tournament. The trouble for DU started earlier in the season when Freshman Sue Kim quit the team.
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The Colorado Thunderbirds, one of four Triple-A hockey organizations in Colorado, were recognized by the Denver Post for captured the state's first Tier 1 national championship April 11 in Woodridge, Ill. They went 6-0 at nationals without Quetin Shore, who suffered a wrist injury in practice before the team left. Shore is the younger brother of Drew & Nick Shore and has a scholarship offer from DU.
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The USHL best of seven championship series between the Fargo Force and Green Bay Gamblers features two DU recruits, David Makowski and Garrett Allen. The series is tied, two games apiece. In the fourth game of the series Allen scored a goal for Fargo and Makowski had two assists for Green Bay.
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In the NHL playoffs, Boston may lead the Phildelphia Flyers three games to one, but DU Alum Matt Carle had four assists on Friday night. Carle had just two assists through eight playoff games. He doubled that production, capping his four-assist effort with a brilliant pass that enabled Simon Gagne to score the overtime winner which kept the Philadelphia Flyers' season alive. NHL.com interviewed Carle after the game.

Proposed NCAA Tourney Format Could Favor DU

According to an article in the Grand Forks Herald, a revised NCAA Hockey Tournament format should favor the college hockey powers. It also should enable more DU fans to see NCAA Tournament action.

Under the most popular proposal, the tournament would stay as a 16-team field, but the first round would be a best-of-three series played at the venue of the higher seed.

The proposed changes would take place in the 2011-12 season.

News & Notes From Around PioNation

(above) DU recruit Garrett Allen

2011 DU recruit Garrett Allen is having a huge post-season for the USHL Fargo Force. In the USHL best-of-seven Championship Series, Allen scored the game winning goal in Game 1 as Fargo won 2-0. In Game 2, Allen tallied his fourth goal of the playoffs, which extended his point streak to five games and gave the Force a two-goal lead.
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DU Assistant Lacrosse Coach Trevor Tierney has his own Blog in Inside Lacrosse Magazine and his posting this week talks about DU's big victory against Loyola. Its a great read so check it out.
Invoices for the 2010-11 Denver Pioneer hockey season have been e-mailed to current season ticket account holders. Log-in information, payment options, and Select-A-Seat information are included in the e-mail. Season ticket account holders may access their MYDU Ticket Account information by clicking here.

DU Student Election Results From Clarion

(above) DU's new Prez & Veep Jim Francescon & Felipe Diaz

From: DU Clarion Student Newspaper
by Arianna Ranahosseini

Junior Jim Francescon and running mate Felipe Diaz defeated junior Dillon Doyle and running mate freshman Megan Marshall in the election for undergraduate student body president 962-332, respectively.

“I’m so excited,” Francescon said. “We have so many great platform ideas and things we’re so excited to implement this year that are goingbenefit our undergraduate students in a positive way. We’re really excited to get going and we’re going to hit the ground running tomorrow.”

Francescon is the current student body vice-president.

Twenty-nine percent of the student body voted for president and vice president, down 5 percent from last year.

The winners for the remaining 19 senator positions and the number of votes they received are as follows:
Arts and Humanities Senator: Nikki Deutsch - 71 votes
Daniels College of Business Senator: Vanessa Torres Gangoo - 80 votes & Charlie Wondergem - 79 votes
Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Senator: Dario Ogaz - 19 votes
International Studies Senator: Luke Niforatos - 34 votes
Junior Senators: Milan Chatterjee with 106 votes and Caitlin Lorenz - 129 votes
Natural Science and Mathematics Senator: Stuart Portman - 67 votes
Off-Campus Senators: Katie Bernell with 127 votes and Carrie Gamper - 50 votes
On-Campus Senators: Katherine Snow - 383 votes & Julia Godshaw - 207 votes
Performing Arts Senator: Jeanne Ireland - 30 votes
School of Engineering and Computer Science Senator: Trevor Kroeger - 14 votes
Senior Senators: Kelly Walker - 159 votes & Mindy Stone - 99 votes.
Social Science Senator: Craig Kirokawa - 99 votes
Sophomore Senators: Sam White - 176 votes & Jordan Loyd - 174 votes

BU Rap Video "Party Like A Puck Star"


(above) YouTube music video that sealed the fate for a couple of Boston University hockey players

Not sure if the Boston University hockey players were kicked off the team because they "Partied Like A Puck Star Video," they used the BU mascot & logo without permission or because the music & singing really sucked.

Should Gwoz Demand Skating Cheerleaders In Contact Dispute With DU?

(above) What's a nice girl like you doing on a Blog like this?

(above) Opposing goalies would be distracted during timeouts at Magness Arena

(above) The New York Islanders lead the NHL in only one category:
"Best Ice Girls"


(above) DU Alum Matt Carle probably isn't too bored during timeouts at Flyers games

An alert LetsGoDU reader found this site with photos of "NHL Ice Girls." DU must not lose the arms race to the Colorado Avalanche or other WCHA rivals.

Bad Boyz: BU Hockey Star Kicked Off Team

(left) Vinny Saponari was considering DU, BU, Wisconsin and a few other schools when he was being recruited

From: The Daily Free Press
by Jake Seiner

Sophomore Vinny Saponari, a two-year starter with the Boston University men’s hockey team, said Tuesday he was “shocked” by his dismissal from the Terrier squad earlier that morning.

“I just found out today, like all of you, and I’m pretty shocked, just as shocked as everyone else,” Saponari said. “I didn’t see this coming. I know I’d made some mistakes as far as rules go, but I really didn’t think it would lead to this.”

In a meeting Tuesday morning with BU coach Jack Parker, Saponari was informed that he would be dismissed from the team. Saponari was told by Parker that he was being dismissed for breaking a team drinking rule, and then showing up late to the subsequent team bike ride, which was punishment for breaking the team rules.

His brother Victor Saponari was dismissed yesterday from the Boston University men's hockey team, and sophomore Corey Trivino will be suspended for multiple games to begin the 2010-11 season, according to a press release put out by the team today.

“Over a period of time, there have been cumulative instances in which Victor and Vinny Saponari have displayed conduct unbecoming of a Boston University hockey player,” BU coach Jack Parker said in the release. “In a related issue, Trivino will be suspended for the early part of next season.”

The were suspended in connection with an alcohol-related incident that occurred less than 48 hours before a playoff game, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation.

Rising senior goalie Adam Kraus, who was also involved in the incident, could possibly be suspended as well.

Sources said the coaching staff was recently informed that the four players were drinking on the night of March 17, less than 48 hours before the Terriers’ Hockey East semifinal matchup with the University of Maine. BU’s season came to an end with a 5-2 loss in that game.

Victor Saponari and Kraus are both of legal drinking age, but a long-standing team rule forbids players from drinking on any night other than Saturday. Vinny Saponari and Trivino are both underage.

According to sources, there were several other incidents that occurred during the season that factored into the punishments. WTBU Sports is reporting that Victor Saponari skipped a practice.

Back in 2007, four players, all of age, were suspended indefinitely for drinking on a Sunday afternoon. They returned to practice five days later and missed two games.

In 82 career games at BU, Vinny Saponari tallied 47 points (20 goals, 27 assists), while his brother, Victor, dished out two assists in 14 career games.

Boone Mascot Tryouts To Be Held This Friday

(above) Boone made numerous television appearances this year

Tryouts to become the lead Boone Mascot performer next year will be held this Friday throughout the day as well at Relay for Life Event (an all night event that raises money for cancer research). The American Cancer Society fund-raising event will be held in Hamilton Gymnasium from 7 PM- 7 AM.

Whomever wins the Tryout will be expected to perform at various DU sporting and fund raising events. Likely the student will travel to a few DU road hockey games, Mascot Boot Camp, WCHA Final 5 and/or NCAA Frozen Four as well as events on campus.

The tryout will be hosted this Friday, no experience is needed, and if you’re interested to contact Scott.Fuson@du.edu or 503.957.5303. The performer will receive guidance, funding and support from DU alumni and graduate students.

The performer will have their expenses paid to the next Dave Raymond Mascot Training Camp to be held somewhere on the East Coast.

Contact: Scott.Fuson@du.edu

Denver Post's Mark Kizla Profiles DU Lacrosse

From: Denver Post
by Mark Kizla

How crazy was this dream? It was built with sticks. Sticks. And to think: There was a time, not so very long ago, when lacrosse in Colorado was a joke.

"I remember when kids from the East Coast first came out to this part of the country to play in youth tournaments, they would ask me: 'Hey, don't you guys from Colorado ride horses to school? Or do you walk a mile uphill in the snow both ways?' We got no respect," recalled Dillon Roy, a young lacrosse pioneer in the Rocky Mountains (read rest of article).

DU Lax Pulls Off Upset To Advance To NCAA's

(above) DU's Lacrosse team celebrates their ECAC Championship in Mile High Stadium after upsetting #6 Loyola yesterday 12-4

From: West Side Lax
by Nathan Max

It looks like the Denver men’s lacrosse team has tapped into the Bill Tierney magic after all.

After a rocky start to the season that included a shocking loss to fledgling Jacksonville, the Pioneers are conference champions and heading to the NCAA Division I tournament. And, the best part. On Sunday, it was a West Coast kid who led them there.

Sophomore middie Patrick Rogers, West Coast Lax’s 2008 Oregon Player of the Year, registered a game-high five points on three goals and two assists to lead No. 16 Denver to a 12-4 victory over No. 6 Loyola before a crowd of 2,762 at Invesco Field.

“It just kind of shows the game’s expanding and it’s not as East Coast-centric as it used to be,” Rogers said. “We played a complete game.”

Sophomore Mark Matthews added four points on two goals and two assists, Alex Demopoulos scored three goals and Todd Baxter had a goal and an assist, as the Pioneers (11-4, 6-0 ECAC) won their eighth straight to clinch the ECAC title in their first year in the conference.

By winning the conference, Denver has received an automatic berth into the tournament. And the Pioneers did it in style, posting their most lopsided win of the season. Denver led by as many as nine goals in the fourth quarter.

“It’s too unbelievable, especially in light of all the accolades, all the press and all the things I’ve received through this move to the West,” Tierney said. “They’re the ones who have had to put up with it. They’re the one who’ve had to sacrifice. They’re the one’s who’ve had to change, and they’re the ones who’ve had to believe.”

Cameron Kerr, Dillon Roy and Cameron Flint all scored once for Denver, which will close out the regular season against last-place Air Force next Saturday before playing in the big show. The draw will be announced Sunday May 9.

In the cage, Peter Lowell saved 15 shots.

In defeat, four players scored once for Loyola (9-3, 6-1), which had its six-game winning streak snapped.

Denver, which has won four one-goal games this season, including three against conference opponents, finally put it all together.

Denver led 3-0 at the end of the first quarter, 5-2 at halftime and 7-3 in the third quarter before putting it away with a five-goal run. Kerr scored an unassisted goal with 5:12 to play in the third quarter to give Denver an 8-3 lead to start it.

By the time Roy scored with 6:38 remaining in regulation, Denver was ahead, 12-3, and a shell-shocked Loyola team could do nothing but await time to expire so it could return to Baltimore as the conference’s second-place team.

“All the credit goes to the guys in that room,” Tierney added. “All we did was come in and convince them that they could be as good as they are.”

DU Women's Lax Loses Championship To Stanford

From: LaxPower.com

The No. 18 University of Denver women's lacrosse team took No. 15 Stanford to double overtime, but the Cardinal's Karen Nesbitt scored a sudden victory goal to give Stanford an 11-10 win in the championship game of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship Tournament on Sunday afternoon at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium.

“I am very proud of how we played against a tough Stanford team,” head coach Liza Kelly said. “We showed a lot of heart and emotion on the field. I am especially proud of our seniors who stepped up and showed their leadership.”

No. 1 seed Denver (13-5) took an early 2-1 lead, but No. 2 seed Stanford (14-5) scored five-straight goals over a nearly 29-minute stretch.

Ali Flury's hat trick gave her 202 career goals, the most in Denver history, and her 236 points ranks third in the program's record book. Flury scored at least one point in all 69 career games at Denver and had a goal in her final 48 games, both the second longest streaks in the NCAA.

Students Want "Hot Dog Guy" At DU Events

(above) Jakov a.k.a. "The Famous Hot Dog Guy"

Supposedly there is a Hot Dog vendor named Jacob or Jakov (Russian pronunciation) who sells Dogs from his pushcart on Asbury Ave. Several DU students started a Facebook page to petition DU to allow Jacob to sell his Hot Dogs, Bratwurst, Italian Sausage, Polish Sausage, Chicken Sandwiches, other Meats as well as Nachos and Cheese.

I'm sure that DU's lawyers will find a million ways to keep Jacob off campus, but LetsGoDU always stands up for the little guy against the DU Machine. At least a little publicity might drive a few curious fans and students over to Jacob's Hot Dog Stand.

According to DU hockey fan Stephen Younger, Jacob's food is is GREAT TASTING and CHEAP.

Join Jacob's Facebook Group today and read the reviews of his Hot Dog Stand from alums, students and fans.

News & Notes From Around PioNation

The University of Denver men's lacrosse team will host No. 6 Loyola University at INVESCO Field at Mile High today at 1 p.m. MT in the final regular season home game for the Pioneers. DU has a seven game winning streak and today's game will be for an NCAA tournament bid. Loyola has most likely already clinched an At-large bid.
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As expected, Jason Zucker's performance at the World Under 18 Championships sent his NHL Draft stock upwards. He cracked the Top 30 of the International Scouting Service's List of Top 30 Prospects for the upcoming NHL Draft. Zucker and incoming Freshman Beau Bennet both have a chance of being selected in the first round of the NHL Draft in June.
Jason Zucker, LW -- USA Under 18
Consistent, aggressive and energetic, Zucker is a warrior and is willing to do the little things it takes to win. Compete level around the net is excellent. Fished puck out of scramble behind net and quickly centered it to set up 1-0 goal in 1st at the U18s. Has easily been one of the best forwards for any team in this tournament.
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Adding fuel to the "Coach Gwozdecky Contract Fiasco" the University of Wisconsin was able to sign hockey coach Mike Eaves to a contract extension through 2015.
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DU Alum Kevin Ulanski has been named the Most Valuable Player of the Central Hockey League. Ulanski had 34 goals, 75 assists and a league-best 109 points this season for the Colorado Eagles. He also led the league with a plus-45 rating.
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2011 recruit Scott Mayfield was selected by the Kitchener Rangers in the 6th Round of the OHL Draft. Since Mayfield's parents attended DU Law School together, its pretty likely that he'll attend Denver in 2011.
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2012 recruit Dakota Mermis was selected in the 12th round of the OHL Draft by the London Knights. No doubt the Knights will try and pry Mermis away from playing at DU, but there are a couple of reasons to think that he will play for the Pioneers. His other brother Jarrod is coming to DU next season and his father is a school teacher so presumably a college education is a priority for the family.

New York Times Profiles DU Lacrosse Program

(above) This article appeared on Page 1 of the NY Edition of the NY Times Sports Section today (Sunday)

From: New York Times
by Pete Thamel

Every Friday, the University of Denver lacrosse team gathers in a campus studio for a session of vinyasa yoga. To stay healthy and limber, the players twist their bodies into a series of poses like pigeon, downward dog and eagle.

Tierney, 58, who has a son in the Denver area, said his new job had re-energized him.

The Pioneers’ players are not the only ones exploring new positions. Bill Tierney, 58, made one of the most stunning and potentially influential moves in college lacrosse last summer by leaving Princeton after 22 years to coach at Denver.

Tierney, who won 6 national titles and 14 Ivy League championships at Princeton, left for a job with what he said was a $30,000 cut in salary. He has not yet joined the team in its yoga sessions, but he is embracing a life and coaching style that is a bit more flexible.

“People forget that coaches are like regular people,” said Tierney’s son Trevor, the team’s defensive assistant and de facto yoga instructor. “If you’ve been at a job for more than 20 years and been extremely successful, there may be a part of you that wants to try something new.”

While Tierney has found himself open to new-age tweaks like his son’s yoga and visualization techniques, the Pioneers have won seven straight games by subscribing to his age-old Princeton formula of suffocating defense and judicious offense. No. 16 Denver (10-4) hosts No. 6 Loyola of Maryland (9-2) at Invesco Field on Sunday, with the winner earning an N.C.A.A. tournament bid.

Tierney professes eternal love for his time at Princeton but said he had been re-energized by the novelty of offering scholarships (Princeton could not), a more flexible admissions office and the opportunity to help the game grow away from its traditional Eastern pockets. Under Tierney, the Tigers became one of the four dominant lacrosse programs in the country. Princeton, Syracuse, Johns Hopkins and Virginia have combined to win the last 17 national championships.

With Tierney overhauling a team that went 7-8 last season, Denver appears to have potential as boundless as the mountainous horizon.

“Can we win a national championship out here? Yes, we can,” Tierney said. “The excitement and newness of what we’re trying to do seems to be attracting kids.”

Denver has such a bustling lacrosse scene that Inside Lacrosse named it the No. 1 lacrosse town in the country. There are robust and organized youth programs around the state, more than 60 high school programs, and popular indoor and outdoor professional teams.

“It gave us a sense of legitimacy,” Bryan Perry, the coach at Cherry Creek High School for eight seasons, said of Tierney’s arrival. “Not to say there wasn’t before, but when you get a Hall of Fame guy, the John Wooden of lacrosse, you raise your eyebrows and say we’re at a different level now.”

Tierney’s presence will probably not start a Western collegiate lacrosse boom. Denver and Air Force are the only two Division I men’s programs west of the Mississippi. Universities interested in adding men’s lacrosse have struggled because its large roster numbers hurt the gender equity mandated by the federal law known as Title IX.

“No one is adding Division I lacrosse when they’re not equitable to begin with,” Virginia Coach Dom Starsia said.

But Tierney can give the game a distinct imprint in a Western hub, which Starsia compared to “stepping on the moon and sticking the flagpole on the ground.”

Tierney’s trip began almost by accident. He had been conferring with Denver’s athletic director, Peg Bradley-Doppes, about other candidates last summer, when she said to him, “What would it take to get you out here?”

She knew that Trevor Tierney lived in the area and played professionally, and she pitched the interview as a free two-day visit. Then Bill Tierney saw the lacrosse stadium, heard the vision of the university to broaden its name recognition and student base, and felt the passion for the game in the area.

“I tried to be cynical,” he said. “I tried to figure out that I wasn’t going to like the facility, the kids and what the school was all about. Every time I turned another corner, it was just another great person.”

Bradley-Doppes said she stood on the porch outside her office overlooking the lacrosse stadium when she gave Tierney the hard sell. With the snow-capped mountains as a backdrop, she recalled saying to him, “Wouldn’t it be fun?”

She said she thought Tierney took the job because “it wasn’t going to be easy, that he was building something on a national level that maybe the faint of heart would have backed away from.”

Last year’s team struggled with off-the-field problems, with three players being dismissed for violating team rules. Tierney set up some baseline discipline standards that he said the team had followed well. Bradley-Doppes said she had been impressed with small changes like the players wearing jackets and ties on the road and Tierney’s banning flip-flops and hats at team breakfast.

The coaching staff inherited a team with 8 or 9 midfielders and 17 long-stick players. Tierney said a team usually had 17 midfielders and 8 or 9 long sticks.

Dillon Roy and Andrew Lay, players on the team from Denver, said Tierney’s presence had helped instill discipline on the field, too, and they lauded his teaching methods as simple, concise and effective.

Trevor Tierney said lacrosse in Denver was “less pretentious” than back East, translating to players being willing to work harder.

After a blowout loss at Syracuse and an overtime loss at Jacksonville to open the season, Tierney did not change much.

“He’s more relaxed than it seems like he was at Princeton,” said Dave Metzbower, an assistant under Tierney at Princeton. “He definitely seems like he’s enjoying it. Even when he lost his first couple games early in the season, he didn’t seem to be uptight.”

Tierney began the year talking about being more wide open on offense, but the tendencies he showed at Princeton have crept back. Denver is scoring less, winning one-goal games and making a run at the postseason. It all sounds familiar.

But along the way, there have been new offensive sets brought in by the assistant Matt Brown and defensive philosophies from Trevor Tierney.

“I became overly protective of the system,” Bill Tierney said, saying the words “the system” as if they were soaked in vinegar. “What it meant to play Princeton lacrosse. When I came out here, it was good for me.”

And although he has not changed so much that he will be sweating on a yoga mat soon, Tierney has shown a nod to the local athletic culture.

“My wife and I did buy bikes,” he said with a laugh.

At 58, a long way from Princeton, Tierney is off to a smooth start on his new ride at Denver.