On May 26 at 6 p.m., the DU community gathered to celebrate the men’s lacrosse team’s first ever NCAA Championship win. The event was originally planned to take place at Peter Barton Stadium, but due to ominous skies, it was moved to a safer setting, inside Hamilton Gymnasium.
Despite the campus-wide finals stress, as well as the mediocre weather, the gymnasium was full of fans in crimson and gold. People from all walks of life came to celebrate the team and show their support after the historic win just one day prior. Students, faculty, parents, children, elderly, media—they were all present.
The crowd anxiously awaited the team’s arrival, chitter chatter filling the space. Then, the moment everyone was waiting for—the entire championship team came out onto the floor and received a long and loud standing ovation. The players made their way around the gymnasium, giving out high fives and passing their trophy amongst one another. DU’s dance team, cheerleading squad and pep band all made this ovation quite lively.
Once the team took their seats, Chancellor Chopp and Chancellor Emeritus Dan Ritchie took the stage to show their appreciation for the team, and the entire DU community.
“This championship, to me, and to us, means so many things,” said Chopp. “It means lacrosse is now national and that we are right now, the lacrosse capital of the world.”
Ritchie shared similar feelings and explained that he has dreamed of this day for a long time.
“At our last Founders Day, I was asked what was my number one wish for DU, and my answer was a national men’s lacrosse championship,” said Ritchie.
Men’s lacrosse head coach Bill Tierney then stepped up to the podium to share some heart-felt words. Perhaps most interesting amongst these words was his praise of DU’s loyal students, who he thanked for actively supporting the team throughout the entire season.
“Every opposing coach that plays a game at DU, when we’re standing on the sideline before the game, they’ll look at me and look back out at the tailgate and they’ll say ‘are they coming in here?’”
As expected, Tierney praised his team for their hard work out on the field, but he also shared a short story about how the national champions carry themselves off the field.
“We [the team] got off the plane on Wednesday night when we flew to Philadelphia, and one of the flight attendants got off and said that he had been flying planes for 25 years for pro teams and college teams and this is the finest group of young men he had ever been with.”
Following Tierney’s speech, which was understandably the longest of the night, Lieutenant Governor Joseph Garcia congratulated the team on behalf of Governor Hickenlooper.
“This is an amazing accomplishment for you as a team, it’s an amazing accomplishment for DU and it’s an amazing accomplishment also for the city of Denver and the entire state of Colorado,” said Garcia.
Another government member then graced the podium, Denver’s Mayor, Michael Hancock.
“Pioneers, I am so freakin’ proud of you,” said Hancock. “Three years ago, when we were awarded the presidential debate here at DU, everyone said, ‘this will put DU on the map.’ You put DU on the map.”
Hancock was the most animated speaker of the evening, and even took a “selfie” with the entire men’s lacrosse team upon finishing his speech.
Senior attacker and captain Wesley Berg (Coquitlam, British Columbia) then gave thanks to everyone involved with their national title. Berg was named the Most Valuable Player in the Championship tournament, and was also the Big East Attack Player of the Year and Tewaarton Award finalist.
“This really is the best city in the world to play lacrosse in, and I couldn’t be luckier or happier just to be here,” said Berg.
After everyone finished their speeches, celebration cake was served and players from the team signed autographs for their fans. With that, the DU men’s lacrosse team’s season officially came to an end, and what a season it was.
