DENVER – The [7/7] University of Denver men's lacrosse program will open its 2024 home schedule on Saturday when the Pioneers welcome the Air Force Falcons to Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium.
The opening faceoff in the Battle for I-25 is set for 12 p.m. MT and will be broadcast live on Pioneer Vision and 104.3 The Fan HD3. Voice of the Pioneers Tyler Maun and Hall of Famer and seven-time national-champion
Bill Tierney will be on the call on both platforms.
Denver's new Pre-Game Rally Zone will open two hours before faceoff at 10 a.m. MT. Get more
information here.
SERIES HISTORY:
Denver is 24-3 in the all-time series and has won nine of the last 10 contests. The Pioneers had won 15-straight in the series before Air Force knocked off the 18
th-ranked Pioneers in Colorado Springs last February. Denver is 13-1 at home against Air Force, with the lone loss coming in the final Great Western Lacrosse League game between the two teams in 2009.
LAST TIME OUT:
Unanimous National Player of the Week
JJ Sillstrop netted his first career sock trick, including scoring the final three goals in regulation and the overtime winner to bring Denver from behind to knock off [6/5] Johns Hopkins in the season opener last Saturday at Historic Homewood Field. The four-goal fourth quarter comeback was Denver's first such comeback since March, 2010 against nationally ranked Stony Brook.
FULL RECAP.
WILLIAM G. TIERNEY HEAD MEN'S LACROSSE COACH MATT BROWN:
- On April 19, 2023 long-time associate head coach Matt Brown was named the next William G. Tierney Head Men's Lacrosse Coach, following Tierney's retirement announcement to take effect after the 2023 season.
- In his 14 seasons under coach Tierney, Brown served as the offensive coordinator. Under his guidance, the Pioneers' offense was consistently ranked within the top -10 in scoring offense, ranking as high as No. 3. Brown helped the Pioneers to make it to the NCAA Tournament 11 times.
- Brown first joined the staff as a volunteer assistant under Jamie Munro in 2007. When Tierney replaced Munro in the summer of 2009, Tierney and his son Trevor hired Matt Brown as the offensive coordinator.
- Brown, who played for the Pioneers from 2002-05, will make his home head coaching debut on Saturday after opening his 2024 season with a win at [6/5] Johns Hopkins last Saturday.
SILLSTROP CHASING 100 GOALS
- Graduate student JJ Sillstrop is seven goals away from becoming the ninth Pioneer in the program's Division I history to find the back of the net 100 times in his career.
- The last Pioneer to reach the milestone was Jack Hannah (2018-22), who reached 100 career goals in 55 games, the sixth fastest to 100.
- William G. Tierney Head Men's Lacrosse Coach Matt Brown was the first in the program's Division I history to reach 100 career goals, doing so in 50 games, good for fifth fastest.
UP NEXT:
Denver will return to the road next weekend for a battle with Utah. Opening faceoff Saturday, February 17, is set for 1 p.m. MT.
DENVER'S HOME FOR COLLEGE SPORTS
Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 18 of DU's NCAA Division I sports.
Like Denver Pioneers and DU Men's Lacrosse on Facebook
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @DU_MLAX on Twitter
Follow @denverpioneers and @denvermlax on Instagram
