DU is the home of 28 team NCAA National Championships. 28!!! That is more team NCAA National Championships than the University of Florida, Notre Dame, or Oklahoma. Denver’s athletic prowess has a decorated past. In addition to the team National Championships, DU has 108 NCAA individual champions and 55 Olympians. Denver’s athletic dominance can also be seen in trophy form; in the last four years, DU has earned four consecutive Directors' Cups.
But what about this academic year? How are DU’s teams doing right now?
Denver’s Men’s Basketball team has begun the season with a 6-2 start. The early success of the Pioneers has garnered attention from ESPN. In his tenure as DU’s head coach, Joe Scott has an impressive 51-12 record at home.
DU’s Women’s Basketball team started the season with a five-game winning streak. They currently have an 8-3 record under the leadership of coach Erik Johnson. Senior forward Kaetlyn Murdoch leads the team in scoring; she averages 16.5 points per game and she was recently named Sun Belt conference player of the week!
The DU Hockey team is currently ranked #13 in the country. Head coach George Gwozdecky has led DU to 10 NCAA tournament appearances, including two NCAA Championships in 2004 and 2005. The Pioneers will play two games against St. Cloud State in Minnesota this weekend.
The Men and Women’s Swimming and Diving teams both won the Sun Belt Conference in 2011! Head coach Brian Schrader was named the Sun Belt Conference Women’s Coach of the Year in 2011 (he has also been named Sun Belt Men’s Coach of the Year in 2007, 2008 and 2009). This year, the Men’s and Women’s teams remain among the top 20 programs in the nation.
In January, the DU Ski Team and Women’s Gymnastics will begin competition for their regular season.
And the next time you are in the magazine aisle, you may find a picture of a DU alumnus on the cover of your favorite fitness magazine. The current Mr. Olympia is a former DU basketball player. Phil Heath, nicknamed “The Gift,” was a member of the Men’s Basketball team from 1998 – 2002.
In order to stay up to date on the latest and greatest DU sports news, follow your favorite program through the DU Social Network.
Go Pioneers!
Roderick Rose, Associate Director of Admission
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