Athletic Division
NCAA Division I-AAA
Athletic Conferences
Football: N/A
Basketball: Sun Belt Conference
School Colors
Crimson and gold
Men Playing Varsity Sports
168 - 8%
Women Playing Varsity Sports
141 - 5%
Men's Varsity Sports
- Basketball
- Golf
- Ice hockey
- Lacrosse
- Skiing
- Soccer
- Swimming
- Tennis
Women's Varsity Sports
- Basketball
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Lacrosse
- Skiing
- Soccer
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Volleyball
Club Sports
- Basketball
- Cycling
- Dance
- Equestrian
- Figure skating
- Hockey (men's and women's)
- Inline hockey
- Judo
- Kayaking
- Lacrosse (men's and women's)
- Rugby (men's)
- Running
- Skiing
- Snowboarding
- Soccer (men's and women's)
- Tae Kwon Do
- Tennis
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Volleyball
Intramurals
- 3-on-3 basketball
- 4-on-4 volleyball
- 7-on-7 flag football
- Floor hockey (aka broomball)
- Ice hockey
- Outdoor soccer
- Racquetball
- Wallyball
Athletic Fields & Facilities
- Coors Fitness Center
- Daniel L. Ritchie Center for Sports and Wellness
- El Pomar Natatorium
- Gates Field House
- Gymnastics Venue
- Hamilton Gymnasium
- Joy Burns Ice Arena
- Magness Arena
- Stapleton Tennis Pavilion
Most Popular Sports
Men's varsity ice hockey is by far the most popular sport on campus, especially with the 2004 NCAA championship under DU's belt. A good match-up means full stands. Other popular sports include women's gymnastics, men's and women's lacrosse, and men's soccer. DU's running club also attracts student participation, as does IM broomball and racquetball.
Most Overlooked Teams
You'd think being in Colorado, DU students would support the ski teams more than they do. Both men's and women's alpine and Nordic skiers receive very little attention. In a general sense, DU is full of fair-weather fans. If a particular team doesn't do well in its season, it doesn't receive much interest or support at games. Conversely, if a team takes home a title or has an exceptionally successful season, spirit abounds.
School Spirit
Sadly, most students only take great pride in DU when a sports team (i.e., men's hockey) wins a big game (i.e., the NCAA championship). Otherwise, you'll more frequently hear students bashing the school for one reason or another than you will students praising it. To look stylish or cute, though, many students don DU gear such as hooded sweatshirts, T-shirts, and (for the girls only, let's hope) shorts with a big "DU" sewed on the rear end.
Getting Tickets
DU students get free tickets to all DU sporting events with the exception of hockey tickets. Every DU student has a Pioneer Student ID card, and must only show their ID to the ticket office to get free admission. In the fall many DU students camp outside the Ritchie Center to ensure that they can buy season tickets for the hockey games, which are very popular.
Best Place to Take a Walk
Washington Park (about a five-minutes drive from campus), several mountain trails
Did You Know?
- DU's men's ice hockey team won the 2004 NCAA Championship for the first time since 1969.
- The Alpine Club is a student-run organization dedicated to outdoor sports and activities including rafting, fly-fishing, mountain biking, and rock climbing. The club is open to the entire DU community, novices and experts alike.
- A $6 million lacrosse stadium, the Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium, opened in 2005 on the site of the old lacrosse field. It features stone walls and seating for 2,000. It is currently the only stadium in the United States used solely for lacrosse, the fastest-growing sport in Colorado.