University of Denver Autumn 2024

ATHLETICS

Looking ahead Head coaches Liza Kelly, Doshia Woods, Alicia Hicken-Franklin and Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart see a bright future ahead, for the female athletes at DU and women’s sports more broadly. “As a woman in sport, for so many years, you never saw women on TV—that wasn’t a thing. So, just knowing the girls that are growing up now are seeing (female athletes on TV regularly) is powerful,” Hicken-Franklin says.

Woods sees this moment as time to build on the momentum and keep moving the needle forward to increase opportunity for women, at the collegiate level and beyond. Kelly agrees. “I want young girls to dream bigger than where we are right now and know that they can stand on the shoulders of these incredible women who went first, that truly were pioneers, that pushed the envelope, that demanded attention and support—and to use their platform to continue to grow women’s sports.”

Lacrosse advances to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history and records its first tournament win over Jacksonville.

The co-ed ski team earns its first D-I national title since 1971.

DU welcomes women’s triathlon as its 18th varsity sport.

2000

2020

2013

Gymnastics wins its first Big 12 Conference Championship and lacrosse wins its first Big East Tournament title.

Golf wins the school’s first ever Sun Belt Conference Golf Championship, and tennis finishes 20-2 on the season, earning its first-ever NCAA tournament appearance.

Volleyball qualifies for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. 2014

2021

2004

2000

2010

2020

2019 Basketball wins its first NCAA postseason game in a Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) victory against top-seeded New Mexico.

2001 Basketball and soccer advance to the NCAA Division I Tournament for the first time. Gymnastics earns its first-ever bid to the NCAA National Championship. Kutcher-Rinehart’s 26-season tenure has included 25 consecutive appearances at NCAA Regionals and six NCAA Nationals team berths.

2023

Lacrosse completes a perfect regular season with a 17-0 record and advanced to the program’s first-ever NCAA Championship Semifinal.

Alicia Hicken-Franklin is hired to lead the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams.

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UNIVERSITY OF DENVER MAGAZINE | AUTUMN 2024