DENVER – University of Denver Vice Chancellor for Athletics, Recreation and Ritchie Center Operations Karlton Creech announced Thursday that Nordic Head Coach Dave Stewart will be leaving his current role to be appointed the Athletic Director at Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club.
 
Earlier this year, Stewart completed his 12^th season as the Nordic Head Coach for the Pioneers, helping guide Denver to six National Championships during his tenure to bring the program's total up to 24.
 
"First, I would like to thank all my athletes who committed far more than was ever asked of them, pushing their limits as both students and athletes every day," Stewart said. "It was their work that won championships, inspired teammates and simply made our team the best. I will miss them, but never forget the adventure we shared, the challenges overcome together and the moments of triumph at the finish line. I enjoyed my own time as an NCAA athlete so much. My goal from the start was to give each of my athletes an even better experience at Denver. I hope I have achieved this."
 
Under Stewart, Denver's Nordic skiers won five individual national championships, earned 52 All-America honors and four RMISA MVP awards.
 
"I can't find enough superlatives to describe David Stewart as a person and coach," Athletic Director Ron Grahame said. "For 12 years and six NCAA ski championships, he has been a valued member of the athletic department as a mentor, teacher and leader of our skiing student-athletes and his peers in general. David is a thoughtful knowledge based educator who will be missed enormously by the University of Denver. With that said, we wish him and his family the best in his new role as Athletic Director for the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club."
 
In 2016, Stewart became the sixth of now nine University of Denver coaches to earn National Coach of the Year honors, being named co-Nordic National Coach of the Year after earning his fourth of five RMISA Coach of the Year honors.
 
"I would like to thank all the fine people at the University of Denver," Stewart said. "There are too many to thank here, but in particular I have been so fortunate to have Andy LeRoy leading our alpine side for 13 years. Andy relentlessly raised the bar, transforming Denver into a direct stepping-stone to the World Cup. To the other nordic coaches I worked alongside at Denver, Wolf Wallendorf, Hennie Kashiwa and Hakon Johansen, it was a pleasure."
 
Stewart will depart for Steamboat Springs later this month.
 
"I look forward to supporting the meaningful work of the club's coaches and athletes of all ages across multiple sports," Stewart said. "The Steamboat Springs community is special, and I fell in love with the place years ago, so I also look forward to serving the community in this role. I will not be far from Denver, and I will always be a Pioneer."
 
A Vermont native, Stewart skied for the University of Vermont, graduating in 2000. After Vermont, he raced for the Subaru Factory Team for five years. During that time he had multiple top-10 results at the U.S. national championships and represented the U.S. in World Cup competition in 2005. In 2006, Stewart won a national championships in the sprint relay while racing professionally. Stewart also received his MBA from the Daniels College of Business at Denver in 2012.
 
"Ron Grahame has been an invaluable and steady presence for decades at Denver, advocating for our team and ensuring we had the support needed to succeed," Stewart said. "Peg Bradley-Doppes set an infectious tone of excellence across our athletic department and I am confident Vice Chancellor Creech will guide Denver Athletics toward new heights. Denver Skiing is poised for future success, to win title number 25 in 2020 and many, many more in the years that follow."  
 
Fans interested in making a donation to the skiing program can do so by clicking here. Your contribution will make a direct impact on the success of YOUR Pioneers. Thank you in advance for your unwavering support of our student-athletes and their quest for excellence. 
 
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