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| (above) DU Freshman goaltender Evan Cowley's new goalie mask |
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| (above) The University of Denver has redacted a long-standing tradition of featuring past mascots |
Showing posts with label DU Athletic Department. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DU Athletic Department. Show all posts
DU Bans Boone Imagery On Goalie Masks
DU & Root Sports Reach TV Agreement
“This new agreement is certainly recognition of the strong partnership that the University has forged with ROOT SPORTS for two decades,” said DU Vice Chancellor for Athletics and Recreation Peg Bradley-Doppes. “Our student-athletes take great pride in wearing the Denver brand across their chest, and having a regional provider with the reach of ROOT SPORTS allows our alumni, parents and friends of the University to see first-hand the excellent representatives of Pioneer athletics.”
The University of Denver Athletics program is one of the best in the nation at broad-based athletic and academic success. The Pioneers also reclaimed the top spot among NCAA Division I non-football schools for the 2012/13 season by earning its record fifth Learfield Sports I-AAA Directors' Cup over the last six years.
“As the exclusive sponsorship negotiator for the Division of Athletics and Recreation, our goal is to bring forth partners that truly value their association with the University of Denver,” said Denver Sports Properties General Manager Brad Ferrell. “The ROOT SPORTS partnership was one that we worked very hard to continue because of the long-standing relationship that has benefited both entities.”
ROOT SPORTS will announce its DU telecast schedule at a later date.
ROOT SPORTS™ is the home of the Colorado Rockies, Utah Jazz, Mountain West Conference, Big Sky Conference and University of Denver. The network reaches 2.5 million households across nine states and delivers more than 350 live events each year – all of which are available in high definition.
ROOT SPORTS™ regional sports networks are operated by DIRECTV Sports Networks LLC in the Rocky Mountain, Northwest, and Pittsburgh regions.
CU AD Gets Canned For Fundraising Failures
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| Mike Bohn axed at CU |
A very interesting article in the Denver Post today on the University of Colorado Athletic Director getting fired this week. These are unbelievably challenging times for collegiate athletic departments.
In March, Chancellor Coombe cut the DU Athletic Department budget by $500,000 for next fiscal year. He also froze faculty salaries and raised tuition by 3.8% for 2013-14 as well. No doubt the Gwozdecky firing, the golf coach resignation and reported budget problems on the ski team were related. More painful cuts are sure to come.
This week DU extended Bill Tierney's contract, joined the Big East in lacrosse and priority number one is to expand seating capacity at Barton Lacrosse Stadium.
The point of this is that the facilities arms race, wild television contracts, huge coaches contracts and conference affiation roulette will call for elite fund raisers to run the athletic departments and universities of tomorrow.
From: Denver Post"One day after Colorado chancellor Phil DiStefano had his say about why the university abruptly decided to let its athletic director go, Mike Bohn took his chance for rebuttal.Tops on the list? Fundraising not matching expectations."The insinuation that we don't have a (fundraising) plan is offensive at best," Bohn said. "Our Sustainable Excellence Initiative is one we've been working on for three years. And we've been working hard on what works. How do we work within the footprint we have?" [read entire article].
Denver Post Announces Tierney Contract Extension
Denver Post
by Mike Chambers
Bill Tierney, who has guided the University of Denver to four consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, including two to the Final Four, has signed a five-year extension [read entire article].
by Mike Chambers
Bill Tierney, who has guided the University of Denver to four consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, including two to the Final Four, has signed a five-year extension [read entire article].
Gwozdecky Firing Been In The Works For Awhile
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| (above) This rumor has been gaining steam for three days, has now emerged online |
University of Denver Athletic Director Peg Bradley-Doppes will not be speaking to the media today or any day in the foreseeable future about the firing of head hockey coach George Gwozdecky. In some quarters that may be seen as a sign of weakness on the part of the Athletic Department and the university.
The media coverage of the firing has been overwhelmingly negative and its probable that facing a hostile press corps would delve into questions the university is unwilling to answer.
There's also a possibility that DU could be afraid of potential litigation regarding this matter and anything said publicly or privately could be brought up later. Did the university follow all their internal protocols when firing a university employee? Did the university's Board of Trustees follow their own By-laws when agreeing to buy out the contract? Did the Board's Athletic Affairs Committee act within their own purview when making this decision? Were any federal or state laws violated when buying out the Gwozdecky contract?
The first rumbles of discontent with Gwozdecky were detected in mid-March. The wheels may have been in motion long before, but by mid-March DU was seriously looking at alternatives. Several high level donors where reportedly dissatisfied with the coach.
Onlines rumors out of Boston this week suggest that DU made advances towards Boston University's new hockey coach David Quinn. Since Quinn was hired on March 26th, DU's approaches would have had to be before that date. And since we heard about the discontent with Gwozdecky in mid-March, that falls within the timeline.
Donors to the Athletic Department have been told this week that former Chancellor Dan Ritchie will be playing a prominent in the search for a new hockey coach. That might come as a surprise to DU alums and staffers, but Ritchie has been working behind the scenes at DU recently. Alumni have been informed of $30 million donation by Ritchie to fund the new Engineering School. Did Ritchie also play a major role in the firing of Gwozdecky?
The Athletic Department reached out to donors and fans this week and laid out a three pronged story for the firing.
- Performance - NCAA early exits
- Loyalty - Soliciting employment elsewhere
- Contract - Negotiating for a higher salary
While these excuses have been ripped to shreads by the media, the Quinn rumors suggest that Gwozdecky would of been fired no matter how DU had fared in the NCAA playoffs this season. A DU staffer confirmed yesterday that beating New Hampshire or anyone else last weekend likely would not have saved Gwozdecky's job.
While DU's Athletic Director takes the heat, questions that could and should be answered by the University of Denver's Board of Trustees will remain hidden.
DU Athletics Initiates Billboard Campaign
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| (above) Click on image to enlarge |
The University of Denver Athletic Department is kicking off a new billboard campaign around Denver. It should help build brand awareness around town.
5th Annual Pep Rally Promotes DU Sports
(above) Photos from DU's 5th Annual Pep Rally
From: DU Athletics Website
The University of Denver Athletics Department hosted the 5th annual Pioneer Pep Rally on Sunday evening at Magness Arena. All first-year and transfer students and their parents were invited to the festivities.
The University of Denver Athletics Department hosted the 5th annual Pioneer Pep Rally on Sunday evening at Magness Arena. All first-year and transfer students and their parents were invited to the festivities.
The event was kicked off by DU student-athletes welcoming the students. Women's soccer head coach Jeff Hooker and women's basketball head coach Kerry Cremeans addressed the students as well.
WAC Implosion Appears Imminent
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| (above) Goodbye WAC... |
As conference realignment has unfolded the University of Denver Athletic Department appears to be without a conference home and the prospects look bleak.
First several Western Athletic Conference brethren departed the league, and now conference disintegrating all together appears to be a near certainty.
The University of Idaho - a school that makes up one of just two football-playing programs in the WAC, and is part of the league's five-team Olympic-sports contingency - is expected to announce its independence in football for the 2013 season, while also seeking permission to approach the Big Sky Conference on possible membership, during a meeting with the Idaho State Board of Education Friday.
Boise State - also a current WAC non-football member - is expected to join the Big West Conference in the near future, which would leave the WAC with just three athletics programs - Denver, Seattle and NMSU - for the 2013 campaign.
In essence, the three remaining schools are left holding the bag, as the WAC's options as a non-football league would be on life support.
The WAC has not added schools to it's non-football model to this point - programs such as Cal-State Bakersfield, Utah Valley and Texas Pan-American all seemed like possible candidates, although nothing came to fruition.
Last month saw league commissioner Jeff Hurd all but confirm the conference would not sponsor football for the 2013 season, and now there are questions if the WAC can hold together if it fell to a three-team membership.
"It would leave the WAC in jeopardy," Hurd said. "I don't think there's any question."
There was conversation about the WAC and the Big Sky forming a partnership to combine some sports affiliates, although Hurd characterized those discussions as "up and down."
"They lost momentum, then gained some momentum. If I spoke on it today, it's lost some momentum again," Hurd said, adding that the Big Sky "held the cards" in such negotiations.
DU's options would continue to shrink - the school has already been shunned by the West Coast Conference, Mountain West, and could be out of luck with the Big Sky now as well.
DU Ranks In 12th In NCAA D-1 Championships
(above) The new mural on the north side of the main concourse in Magness Arena
Most NCAA D-1 Championships
1.) UCLA 108
2.) Stanford 99
3.) Southern California 98
4.) Oklahoma State 47
5.) LSU 45
6.) Texas 44
7.) Arkansas 41
7.) Penn State 41
9.) North Carolina 37
10.) Michigan 35
11.) California 30
12.) Denver 28
12.) Ohio State 28
14.) Georgia 27
15.) Oklahoma 26
Big Sky Merger Proposal May Save The WAC
At this point its just a rumor, but several newspaper bloggers have reported a conference call last night discussing the Big Sky Conference sending some schools to the WAC in all sports but football.
The Big Sky Commissioner confirmed the conversations of a merger but termed the situation as a "Long shot."
The Big Sky Commissioner confirmed the conversations of a merger but termed the situation as a "Long shot."
What would this mean for DU? Stability and "western rivals."
"New" WAC
Boise State
Idaho
Seattle
Eastern Washington
Northern Arizona
Denver
New Mexico State
Northern Colorado
"New" Big Sky Conference
Sacramento State
Portland State
Weber State
Southern Utah
North Dakota
Montana
Montana State
Idaho State
DU Gets WACked As League Implodes
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| (above) Three things you may never see together again; Boone, Ruckus and Denver playing in the Western Athletic Conference |
A tidal wave of defections from the Western Athletic Conference has left the University of Denver Athletic Department in a precarious position. Departures caused by football playing schools looking for new conference homes as the BCS shakeup continues to implode around college sports.
WAC and school officials are meeting this week in Scottsdale, Ariz.,
trying to focus on league business for the 2012-13 season, like the site
of the 2013 WAC basketball tournament and its gymnastics membership.
Boise State has asked to join the league a year early
The Salt Lake Tribune reported on Sunday that WAC members Utah State and San Jose State are expected to join the Mountain West in the next seven to ten days. The report also cited that longtime WAC team Louisiana Tech is headed for Conference USA and Texas-San Antonio is set to join Conference USA less than a month after joining the WAC.
Texas State's stay in the WAC will also be limited to one year, as the school appears headed to the Sun Belt along with Texas-Arlington.
New Mexico State University, a member of the WAC since 2006, appears to be running out of time and options for joining another league, mostly due to a perceived absence of an attractive television market to conferences with a greater level of stability.
New Mexico State University, a member of the WAC since 2006, appears to be running out of time and options for joining another league, mostly due to a perceived absence of an attractive television market to conferences with a greater level of stability.
This latest round of realignment has put the WAC's future as a football conference on life support.
If reports are proven correct in the next month, NMSU and Idaho would be the lone football schools in the WAC in 2013-14 and the league would feature just five schools — Seattle, Denver, Boise State — in other sports.
Idaho is mulling a move back to the Big Sky Conference.
Possible additions to the WAC could be adding non-football Utah Valley University and Cal State Bakersfield. Yikes.
Idaho is mulling a move back to the Big Sky Conference.
Possible additions to the WAC could be adding non-football Utah Valley University and Cal State Bakersfield. Yikes.
2012-13 Western Athletic Conference: New Mexico State
— Utah State
— San Jose State
— Idaho
— Louisiana Tech
— Texas-San Antonio
— Texas State
— Denver (Non-football)
— Seattle (Non-football)
— Texas-Arlington (Non-football)
Potential WAC in 2013-2014: New Mexico State
— Idaho
— Seattle (Non-football)
— Denver (Non-football)
— Boise State (Non-football)
AD Discusses DU's Present & Future Plans
From: DU Clarion
by Anna Gauldin
There's a very good and comprehensive interview in the DU Clarion with University of Denver Athletic Director Peg Bradley-Doppes. She has done a sensational job hiring and retaining some of the best coaches in their respective sports. Multiple National Championship's litter the resumes of several of the coaches & coaching staffs.
The next challenge is getting butts in the seats and matching the attendance successes of lacrosse and hockey. Men's basketball attendance has been in rapid accent in recent seasons, but still has a way to go.
The challenges that face the hockey program as it transitions to the NCHC will be a daunting task. Check out the article, its very well written and informative.
Another DU Staffer Becomes An A.D.
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| Scott Koskoski |
Koskoski returns home to his native Pennsylvania for his first Director of Athletics position. He joins Chatham after an eight-month stay at DU. As a member of the Division of Athletics & Recreation Executive Staff, Koskoski managed various external efforts for the Division, with emphasis on development, sponsorship, marketing, and securing the major and principal gifts to propel the strategic plan of the Division forward.
Take DU Athletics Fan Survey
The University of Denver Athletic Department is conducting a fan survey. If you attended a DU sporting event in the past year, this is your opportunity to speak up and have your voice heard.
The survey only takes 5-10 minutes and covers a wide variety of game night questions. Your information will be kept confidential and aid DU in improving your game day experience.
As an incentive for your contribution, all entries will be eligible to win a $50 DU apparel gift certificate to the DU Athletics Team Store. The winner will be contacted by email, so a valid email must be provided at the conclusion of the survey. This survey will close on April 30.
DU Parking Advisory Issued This Weekend
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Fans attending any of the athletics contests scheduled for Friday-Sunday, Feb. 24-26 at the Daniel L. Ritchie Center are encouraged to arrive early, car pool or use public transportation as parking will be limited throughout the weekend. 8 PM - Hockey vs. North Dakota, Magness Arena Saturday's events: All Day - Silver State Swim Meet, El Pomar Natatorium 10 AM - Men's Soccer Goal-A-Thon, CIBER Field at 11 AM - Men's Lacrosse - Air Force vs. Robert Morris Barton Stadium 1:30 PM - Men's Lacrosse vs. Michigan, Peter Barton Stadium 6 PM - Gymnastics vs. Sacramento State, Hamilton Gymnasium 7 PM - Hockey vs. North Dakota, Magness Arena Sunday's events: All Day - Silver State Swim Meet, El Pomar Natatorium 11 AM - Men's Lacrosse - Michigan vs. Air Force Barton Stadium 1:30 PM - Men's Lacrosse vs. Robert Morris Barton Stadium 1 PM - Men's Basketball vs. North Texas, Magness Arena 3:30 PM - Women's Basketball vs. North Texas, Magness Arena |
DU Welcomes UND Hockey Fans With Open Arms
University of North Dakota hockey fans traveling to Magness Arena this weekend are reminded of several polices on the campus of the University of Denver.
The University of Denver's Sustainability Council has endorsed a ban on plastic water bottles. Low-class water like Aquafina, Dasani and Arrowhead have been determined to be the cause of global warming. Tailgaters are encouraged to use Perrier and San Pellegrino in glass bottles. The plastic water bottle ban must be working, because since the edict was issued, Denver has had a record snowfall and global warming has been downgraded to climate change.
Magness Arena's new state-of-the-art transgender bathrooms are the envy of the college hockey community. The University of Denver takes tremendous pride in its diversity and inclusiveness. Fans are reminded that these bathrooms can have long lines between periods, so plan your restroom breaks accordingly.
The University of Denver became the first major university in Colorado to become smoke free in 2010. Fans possessing cigarettes, pipes, cigars or any "smoke products" entering Magness Arena will have said items confiscated. Confiscated products will be donated to local orphanages.
Fans planning to bring Chronic, blunts or Ganja to the game are encouraged to abide by Colorado's marijuana laws. North Dakota fans are reminded to carry documentation from a Colorado based physician affirming that he or she suffers from a debilitating condition and advising that they "might benefit from the medical use of marijuana." Designated marijuana smoking areas around the Ritchie Center vary by event, so check with Magness ushers or security staff before going outside to spark up.
UND fans are requested to not openly display the Fighting Sioux logo in Magness Arena. University of Denver faculty are easily offended. Logos depicting Native Americans run counter to DU's commitment to build a diverse and inclusive campus community as a fundamental element of excellence.
Have fun this weekend at Magness Arena, spend lots of money while visiting Colorado and remember after the games; .
DU To Set Up Premium Lacrosse Tailgating Area
The “Lax Zone,” will be located in the Ritchie Center surface parking lot and will serve as the premium tailgating experience for fans, with the hopes of creating the best home-field advantage possible while also branding Denver, Colo., as the lacrosse capital of the West.
The “Lax Zone” and will feature season-long reserved spaces for fans to host their friends and family and share in the Pioneer spirit prior to face-off. Fans who purchase a “Lax Zone” tailgating spot will receive two parking spaces just steps away from Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. Reservations to secure your spot are first come-first serve and the parking spaces are designated for the entire 2012 lacrosse season.
Reserve your spot now and be a part of another historic season as DU men’s lacrosse looks to improve on last season’s Final Four run. “Lax Zone” tailgating spots are just $300 for the entire season and will entitle each fan to their own personal tailgating area.
To secure your Denver Lacrosse “Lax Zone” space for this season, call (303) 871-3720.
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