July 1, 2014
This year we recently said farewell to a group of young men and women who have certainly made an impact on our campus community. Students who have achieved the goal we most wanted for them - a degree from the University of Denver. It brings both a tear to my eye and a smile to my face when I think about how far our 2014 class progressed. While we know they will always be Pioneers, the time has come for many to shed the jersey and enter the world as confident, bright, well-educated competitors who we hope uphold the University's mission of being dedicated to the public good.
However, before we send this group off to do amazing things, it's certainly worth celebrating what they were able to accomplish in the four years on the University of Denver campus. For the third time in the last four years, the University of Denver has been crowned Division I-AAA Directors' Cup Champions. Under the leadership of this graduating class, this year's Pioneers will have the distinction of finishing with the highest ranking in the University's history. The 43rd-place national finish among all Division I sport programs is the highest finish in University history, breaking the previous record of 47th set in 2008.
Of course, each year we aspire to reach the pinnacle - Directors' Cup Champions. Achieving this goal takes impressive results on the fields of play in multiple sports, and we had just that. For the 2013-14 academic year, 13 of the 17 University of Denver athletics programs won their conference title. Two other sports competed for the conference championship, falling just short of an automatic NCAA postseason invitation. Skiing, while not winning the conference title, secured their 22nd National Championship - an impressive feat across the board that certainly upholds our vision of broad-based athletic success.
We also know being a Pioneer means upholding the promise of engaging in the life of a serious student in the classroom. This year's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) annual Academic Progress Rate (APR) report again showed our student-athletes in a positive light. The APR is a real-time measure of eligibility and retention of scholarship student-athletes competing on every Division I sports team and all 17 varsity sports teams scored above 962 for the multi-year rate. Women's soccer received a perfect score of 1000 and this year men's basketball, women's basketball and women's soccer were honored with the association's Public Recognition Awards - which are given to teams scoring in the top 10 percent nationally.
While we have certainly built an environment that challenges everyone to bring their "A Game" on the fields of play and in the classroom, some student-athletes always go above and beyond in both areas. For their classroom accomplishments, recently graduated University of Denver women's ski team student-athlete Makayla Cappel (Sun Valley, Idaho), men's swimmer Kyle Milberg (Littleton, Colo.) and men's soccer Blair Jeralds (Clemmons, N.C.) were each awarded prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships. Milberg was also named one of three recipients of The Summit League's 2013-14 Scholar-Athletes of the Year award.
Athletically, men's lacrosse junior Erik Adamson (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) became the second Pioneer in lacrosse program history to be honored with the Elite 89 Award, which recognizes the student-athlete who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his peers; women's soccer senior Kristen Hamilton (Littleton, Colo.) was selected by the Western New York Flash in the National Women's Soccer League Draft becoming the first women's soccer player from DU to be drafted; and men's soccer senior Zach Bolden (Denver, Colo.) was selected by the Chicago Fire with the 61st overall pick in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft. These awards and accolades are just to name a few of the many given to our Pioneer young men and women this year.
When we consider how the standard of success is set for our program, we need look no further than the talented coaches we have assembled to help guide our student-athletes to victory. Again we have multiple conference coaches of the year, eight in total, but special recognition needs to be given to Alpine and Nordic skiing coaches Andy LeRoy and Dave Stewart who guided our team to their 22nd National Championship. Andy earned the National Alpine Coach of the Year presented by the United States Collegiate Ski Coaches Association and Dave was named College Skiing Coach of the Year, according to CaptainU. Congratulations to both on a wonderful campaign.
Giving back has also been a hallmark of this crop of student-athletes. The Division of Athletics and Recreation has once again secured 100% annual giving participation from all of its more than 320 student-athletes in the PRIDE "Pioneers Reinvesting in Denver Excellence" Fund and from all staff members. Our Division members are national models when it comes to their willingness to support our advancement initiatives.
Our alumni and friends are equally as giving as this year we celebrated the addition of three major improvements to the Daniel L. Ritchie Center for Sports and Wellness - Diane Wendt Sports Fields, Golf Indoor Practice Facility and a lacrosse scoreboard addition at Peter Barton Stadium. Looking ahead to next year, our student-athletes and fans will be in for a treat as we unveil the latest video and scoreboard technology inside Magness Arena and Hamilton Gymnasium.
The summer is a welcome respite for us all, but it's also a time to prepare. A new crop of student-athletes will join our teams and we will have the same goal for them four years from now - walking across the stage and shaking the Chancellor's hand as they receive their degree from the University of Denver. Four years from now that Chancellor will be Dr. Rebecca Chopp, who was named the University's 18th Chancellor in June. Dr. Chopp is a fantastic addition to our Pioneer family and I very much look forward to helping her realize the vision she sets for our campus community.
I also want to take a moment and thank Chancellor Bob Coombe for his leadership and commitment to our excellence in athletics and recreation. The awards that we receive both collectively and as individuals within the sports realm have been made possible because of his belief in critical inclusion of the athletics enterprise within campus life. Thank you again Chancellor for all you have done for the University of Denver.
Yes, DU is a truly special place. It is made so because of the countless individuals who have chosen to make it their home for school, work or community engagement. I wish all in our campus community a wonderful summer and Go Pioneers!
Peg Bradley-Doppes
Vice Chancellor for Athletics, Recreation and Ritchie Center Operations
