DENVER – The No. 5 seed University of Denver men's lacrosse program will make its return to the NCAA Tournament on Saturday afternoon when the Pioneers welcome Michigan to Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. The opening faceoff on Saturday is set for 3 p.m. MT, and the game will be broadcast live on ESPNU and 104.3 the Fan HD3.
The winner of Saturday's first round will take on the winner of No. 4 Syracuse and Towson on May 19 at Towson.
SERIES HISTORY:
Denver is 2-0 in the all-time series between two programs that have not met since Michigan's first few years as a Division I men's lacrosse program. The Pioneers and Wolverines shared the 2013 season together in the ECAC, a game Denver won 12-4 to cap off a regular season title in the league.
DENVER IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
- Denver is making its 13th appearance in the NCAA Tournament this weekend, and its first since the 2021 season.
- Six current Denver starters played in Denver's last appearance: Jake Edinger (1CT), JJ Sillstrop, AJ Mercurio (2CT/2GB), Jack DiBenedetto, Alec Stathakis (6- 11, 3GB) and Adam Hangland (2GB).
- The Pioneers are 14-11 overall in the NCAA Tournament, including 5-2 at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium.
- Denver is 7-5 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, including 7-2 in the last nine appearances.
ON THIS DATE IN 2013:
- Fourth-seeded Denver defeated No. 12 Albany 19-14 at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium on May 11, 2013.
- Wes Berg had 8 goals and an assist to set Denver's single-game NCAA Tournament record in goals, and was one behind Jeremy Noble's 10-point NCAA First Round at North Carolina for the single-game tournament points record (05/12/12).
- Berg shot 8-for-12 in the Pioneers third-straight NCAA First Round win in 2013.
RESET:
- Denver has a 21-9 advantage over its opponents in goals off resets this year, including 16-4 in games the Pioneers go on to win.
- The margin is Denver's widest since holding a 42-17 advantage in goals off resets in the 2021 season.
LAST TIME OUT:
Denver used a 5-0 third quarter to overcome a slow start, but couldn't hold on in a 10-9 loss to the host Villanova Wildcats in the BIG EAST Semifinals last Thursday.
FULL RECAP
14-STRAIGHT WEEKS IN THE TOP-10
Earlier in the 2024 season, Denver rejoined the top-5 for the first time since 2021, the top-4 for the first time since 2018 and sat at the top spot nationally for the first time since 2017. After starting the campaign outside the top-10, Denver has spent the last 24 weeks inside the top-10.
MAN-UP/MAN-DOWN
- Denver entered the week first in the country in man-down defense, stopping teams at a 83.3% clip (25-30).
- The Pioneers five goals allowed on the penalty kill are also the least in the country, three less than the next closest (UMass - 8).
- Denver's defense's 30 man-down situations are tied for fifth-least in the country heading into the NCAA Tournament.
- The Pios are 7th in man-up offense, converting at 48.8-percent (20- for-41). Denver went 5-for-6 on the man-up vs. Cornell on Feb. 24, its best output on the man-up since scoring five against North Carolina on March 1, 2020.
- The 20 man-up goals is tied for 10th nationally.
2024 CAPTAINS
ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY
- The 2024 Denver Pioneers have players from 20 different states.
- Since turning Division I ahead of the 1999 season, the Pioneers have had players from 35 different states.
- The 35 states are: Alabama (1), Arizona (3), California (27), Colorado (100), Connecticut (32), Delaware (1), Florida (5), Georgia (6), Idaho (2), Illinois (10), Indiana (2), Iowa (1), Kansas (1), Kentucky (2), Maine (2), Maryland (24), Massachusetts (10), Michigan (8), Minnesota (9), Missouri (6), Nevada (3), New Hampshire (1), New Jersey (26), New York (21), North Carolina (3), Ohio (22), Oregon (4), Penn (11), Rhode Island (3), Tennessee (3), Texas (10), Utah (1), Vermont (1), Virginia (4), Washington (10).
- Last season's roster added three states to that list this season in Iowa (Provenza), Kansas (Eldred) and Utah (Caldwell).
- The Pios have had 20+ from seven states: Colorado (100), Connecticut (32), California(27), New Jersey(26), Maryland(24), Ohio (22), New York (21).
- Denver's DI student-athletes also cover three provinces of Canada: Alberta (2), B.C. (15) and Ontario (16).
DENVER'S HOME FOR COLLEGE SPORTS
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