ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – The annual University of Denver Hockey Alumni and Friends Golf Tournament continues to grow and exhibit what makes the program so special for everyone involved with the team for the past 75 years.
 
The event's third iteration on Monday, Aug. 26 at Meridian Golf Club featured a sold-out group of 120 Pioneers reminiscing on their days at DU and celebrating the program as the top college hockey team in the land following its NCAA-record 10th national championship in April.
 
"First year, we got close to 100 guys out. Last year, we were just over 100, and this year we're up to 120, we're sold out—we did that two weeks out of the event," said Richard and Kitzia Goodman Hockey Head Coach David Carle. "A lot of credit to our staff, (director of hockey operations) Travis Culhane is instrumental in putting this together. We're seeing more people flying in for the event, they want to be a part of it."
 
All proceeds of the golf tournament goes to the Murray Armstrong Hockey Fund, which was created by David Paderski several years ago and provides pivotal enhancements to the experience of Denver's hockey student-athletes.
 
"We're raising a lot of money for the program in a time in college athletics when things are a bit crazy, we don't know quite what's coming down the pipe," Carle said. "So to build interest and build philanthropy is critical as well, while also getting people together and celebrating the greatest program in college hockey."
 
While many of the players on the warm but cloudy late August day were old timers, several younger alums also took to the fairways and greens. Recent national champions Sean Behrens, Kyle Mayhew and Cameron Wright, as well as 2017 champions Logan O'Connor, Blake Hillman and Dylan Gambrell were among the professional players that returned for the tournament.
 
All six of those named players were at Denver's Ritchie Center the previous week for DU's annual pro camp, and it just made sense to play in the alumni golf tournament a few days later to give back to the program that helped them get to where they are today.
 
"You got all the current players coming back, wherever they are in the country, whatever league they are in, coming back and sort of working on your game together, get back into shape and push each other [at pro camp," said O'Connor. You sort of carry it into a fun event with the alumni golf, which brings back some older alumni as well."
 
Some of the younger but seasoned veterans won the day, as Josiah Didier, Zac Larazza, Nick Shore and Quentin Shore made up the winning foursome of the shot-gun start shamble.
 
All 120 players on the links helped in some way to get Pioneer hockey to where it is today—on top of the college hockey summit. Denver had five national championships prior to the turn the century and has doubled that total with five more in the last 20 seasons—the most among any program in that time.
 
"It's taken a huge lift by every one of our alumni and every person that has worked for our program and been a part of our university," Carle said. "So we're really proud of it, and we certainly plan on continuing [DU hockey's legacy].
 
"I think what makes our program so special is that it is the collective, and everyone's just trying to leave it a little bit better than they found it."
 
There will be more time to celebrate Denver hockey's accomplishments as the program begins its quest for championship No. 11 when it opens the 2024-25 season in a few weeks times. Among the notable upcoming dates is the 2024 championship-banner raising on Oct. 19 and the 75th Anniversary Weekend on Nov. 8-9. And of course there will be the 2025 DU hockey golf tournament in a year's time.
 
The fourth annual event has already been scheduled and is set for Monday, Aug. 25, 2025 right back at Meridian Golf Club.
 
2024 Golf Tournament Sponsors
Title Sponsor – The Diamond Reserve
Pioneer Sponsor – Paul Libner
Crimson Sponsor – Colorado Extreme Hockey Club
Gold Sponsors – Ted's Clothiers, Morgan Stanley, Peter Radford, and Lifetime Windows
Hole Sponsors – Rod Summers, Tolo's Shoes, Penalty Box BBQ, Beacon Capital, Frame de Art, Thompson Wealth Management, Denver Hockey Camps, Sodexo, Paul Koch, Warrior, REMAX, CCM, Jostens, Cochino Taco, TAG Insurance, Pete's Café, Pins and Aces, Big Bills Pizza, Wolf Royalties, Campus Lounge, Arapahoe Warriors, Jon Cook, KO Sports, and the Class of 2025.
 

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