During the winter quarter, many of our Division I student-athletes are participating in their respective sports. Not only are they competing, but they are performing at a high level. Currently, our Hockey team is ranked #1 in the nation according to the USA Today/American Hockey Magazine poll. The Pioneers will battle #3 Wisconsin on January 22-23 (MORE). Led by Head Coach George Gwozdecky, the Pioneers swept the Badgers last season by winning all five contests.
Denver’s ski season is in full bloom during the winter months. Under the guidance of Head Coach Andy LeRoy, Denver captured their 20th Skiing Championship (which is a NCAA record) in 2009. Coming off back-to-back National Championship seasons, the Pioneers will look to defend their title once again on the slopes.
On the hardwood, the Pioneers Men’s and Women’s basketball teams are in the middle of promising seasons. Head Coach Joe Scott and the Men’s basketball team currently stand in second place in the Sun Belt Conference West Division with a 5-3 conference record (12-7 overall). At this time, Head Coach Erik Johnson and the Women’s team sit on top of the Sun Belt Conference West Division with a 7-1 conference record (12-6 overall).
The Women’s Gymnastics team has achieved high marks on the mat for over decade. In each of the last 11 seasons, the Pioneers have finished among the top-25 teams in the nation. Led by Head Coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart, the Pioneers placed first in their home opener after defeating #16 Penn State and Air Force on January 16(MORE). The #6 ranked Pioneers are pursuing another appearance
in the NCAA Championships in 2010.
The El Pomar Natatorium is the home of our Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving teams. Under the leadership of Head Coach Brian Schrader, the Pioneers will be competing in swim meets throughout the country. The Women’s team will be heading north to battle Colorado State on January 22. Coming off of their first Sun Belt Conference Championship, the Men’s team looks to defend their title during the 2009-2010 season. The Men’s next meet will be the Shamrock Invitational hosted by Notre Dame on January 29.
Boasting 27 NCAA Championships and 102 Individual NCAA Championships, DU student-athletes start from a higher place. The Pioneers are instructed by award winning coaches. During last school year, nine head coaches were honored as conference coach of the year.
These student-athletes have also achieved excellence in the classroom. The Sun Belt Conference recognized 119 Denver student-athletes because of their academic achievement. For the ninth consecutive year, the Pioneers also captured the Sun Belt Conference Graduation Rate Award. During the 2009-2010 school year, the Pioneers are continuing their tradition of excellence in academics and athletics.
Go Pioneers!
Roderick Rose, Assistant Director of Admission
