Welcome to Pioneer Perspectives!

Pioneer Perspectives is the Division's newsletter where you can hear what is happening on a "global" level, provide feedback and celebrate our successes and milestones. The thoughts shared in Pioneer Perspective are intended to keep us updated, provoke new thoughts and perspectives and effectively tell our story as we grow as a division. These updates about DU Athletics and Recreation can better prepare you, the Pioneer family, for questions that arise from your friends and family, other DU community members and the Denver community. Now when someone asks you about DU Athletics, you will have additional knowledge of not only our Pioneer athletic teams but also helpful facts about recreation, sports medicine, marketing, sponsorship and more. Perhaps you will discover, in your conversations with others, that someone is interested in recreation sports, the Coors Fitness Center, supporting our sport programs, enrolling at the University of Denver or attending a Pioneer sporting event. When you come across someone who is interested in supporting DU Athletics and Recreation in any of the above programs, please help direct them to a contact person within the Division. If you do not know who to direct them to, please feel free to call my office at 303-871-3399.

The Division’s Strategic Plan continues to be the driving force behind the progress we are making toward the accomplishment of our goals and objectives. Our focus is clear and our resources are aligned with the objective of becoming the premier intercollegiate basketball program in the Rocky Mountain Region and maintaining national recognition of our rich hockey tradition. You may access the Strategic Plan any time on this website. Watch our progress as we build on our success.

March 6, 2013

30 Years of Consecutive Support, Simply Amazing

There are certainly myriad things that make the University of Denver so special. We have world-class academics, stunning architecture that stands the test of time, top-notched athletic and recreation programs, the list could certainly go on. However, even among these stellar attributes, there are at times and moments that make us step back and give pause to something truly special. One of those such moments came to pass recently as the Division of Athletics and Recreation recognized four corporate sponsors for 30 years of consecutive sponsorship.

When one considers the competitive landscape of sport sponsorship, especially at a mid-major university, 30 consecutive years speaks volumes for the Denver brand and its significance in the marketplace. Joy Burns, former chair of the University of Denver Board of Trustees and namesake on several important facilities across the DU campus; Pepsi Co., one of the world's most respected corporations; Robinson Dairy, one of the regions oldest and most respected companies; and the Denver Post, the communities leading source for news for more than a century have all shown through their support and longevity a dedication to the Pioneer athletic program that is simply astounding. It truly is because of great partners like these that we put highly competitive teams on the field, ice, beam, court, mountain, golf course and in the pool year after year.

In addition, the support we are receiving from these and other great corporate sponsors, alumni and friends of the University is being put to great use by some of the best student-athletes in the country. We know our young men and women give their all on the fields of play, but it is important to point out they are equally committed to their work in the classroom.

Recently our Division announced that 80 DU student-athletes earned two of the highest academic honors during the Fall Quarter. I was so pleased to acknowledge the 18 student-athletes who were designated as Hornbeck Scholars, as well as the 62 additional Pioneers who were named to the Dean's List. The Hornbeck Scholars list recognizes those undergraduate students who, in a given quarter, have earned a 4.0 grade point average while taking between 12 and 14 credit hours.

So as we recognize and thank four corporate partners who through their many years of partnership and alignment with the DU brand have supported thousands of student-athletes who have donned a Pioneer uniform, we can't forget the positive impact their support is making on the world. Today, these young men and women are out in the workforce contributing to a multitude of organizations and industries.  As they make important decisions that affect the lives of us all, we can feel confident in saying a part of their success has been made possible, to a great degree, because of the corporate sponsors who have and continue to believe in the academic and athletic enterprise at the University of Denver. GO PIONEERS!

July 18, 2012

Hello Pioneer Family, It's a beautiful summer in Colorado. Although it's been hot and dry, we are beginning to have those cooling afternoon showers for which our Rockies are famous. Our 2012-13 athletic season is right around the corner, and the momentum is building for a great start this fall.