Pioneers Establish William G. Tierney Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach Endowment
DENVER – The University of Denver Division of Athletics and Recreation has launched its second head coaching endowment. Thanks to the generosity of former players, parents, alums and friends of the men’s lacrosse program, $1.25 million has been committed. Moving forward and in perpetuity, the head coach position will be known as The William G. Tierney Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach.
In February of 2018, the University of Denver established the Richard and Kitzia Goodman Head Hockey Coach, the athletic department’s first head coaching endowment.
“I’d like to thank all of the alumni, parents and friends of the program, whose generous gifts made this head coaching endowment possible,” Vice Chancellor for Athletics, Recreation and Ritchie Center Operations Karlton Creech said. “This endowment benefits our student-athletes both now, and in the future, in our continued pursuit of excellence both in the classroom and in the field of competition. The endowment also plays an important role in our ability to continue to recruit and retain top-level coaching talent as we strive for our second National Championship.
“We are honored to have one of the greatest coaches in the history of the game leading our program, and this endowment ensures that Coach Tierney’s name will forever be associated with men’s lacrosse here at the University of Denver.”
Head coach Bill Tierney begins his 11th season in charge of the program this weekend with a trip to Air Force. A 2002 U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Famer, a two-time National Coach of the Year, a winner of seven National Championships and a 1998 World Champion with Team USA, Tierney became the second coach in NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse history to record 400 career wins, doing so in the Pioneers BIG EAST opener last March. Tierney’s path to 400 wins took just 532 games.
Tierney has posted a 132-41 record in his first decade with the Pioneers, with longtime associate head coach Matt Brown leading the offense. During their tenure, the Pioneers have qualified for the NCAA Tournament nine times, reached Championship Weekend five times and lifted the first men’s lacrosse championship trophy for a school west of Chapel Hill, N.C. Tierney’s student-athletes have earned the program’s first nine First Team All-Americans, nine Second Team All-Americans, five Third Team All-Americans, 22 Honorable Mention selections and 16 USILA Scholar All-Americans.
The University of Denver would like to express its sincerest thanks to the following founding donors:
The Blair Family, Kyle Cascioli, Colby and Blythe Cox and Family, Bernard F. Curry, Charlie Dean and Deb Walsh, Tom and Elle Ethington, Jim Glabman, Kelly and Miles Glascock, Brandon and Wendy Johnson, The Johnson Family, Whitney and Karen Logan, The McCuiston Family, The Ober Family, The Pierce Family, Jeff, Michael, and Luann Pirone, Dr. Timothy Price, Quinn Family Foundation, The Ready Family, William A. Russell III and Family, Garry K. Schaefer, Virginia And Duncan Tenney, The Tezak Family, and Russell Wallack.
Those interested in supporting the William G. Tierney Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach may do so HERE. A celebration of this endowment will take place on March 21 during the Towson game.
Bill Tierney on Endowed Position
In 2002 when I was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, the title of my speech was, “Judge your success by what Others had to give up in order for You to achieve it.” That allowed me to thank my family, assistant coaches, staff members and players for affording me the opportunity to receive the credit for the accolades they provided me with as a head coach. Unfortunately, they received no benefits from their sacrifice and effort on my behalf, other than my thanks. This endowment and having the field at US Lacrosse Headquarters be dedicated in my name is even more special.
The William G. Tierney Field in Baltimore, allows young men and women the opportunity to play the game we all love right under the shadow of US Lacrosse Headquarters and its Hall of Fame, in the heart of Baltimore, the epicenter of much of the early history of lacrosse.
The William G. Tierney Endowment at the University of Denver represents the generosity and selflessness of so many people who care about, have played in, or been parents of those who played in our program. This endowment will directly benefit future players who will proudly wear the Pioneer uniform, as well as their coaches who dedicate their lives to those young men.
I am humbled to an unimaginable extent, that this endowed position will forever be in my name. I thank everyone who has been involved in this effort, especially my associate head coach Matt Brown, who without being by my side for 10 years at DU, none of this would be possible. I pledge my continued efforts as the University of Denver head coach of men’s lacrosse to help bring further success to our program and to the proud athletic history of our school.
