There may be no figure in the sport of lacrosse that has contributed more to the growth of the game than University of Denver head coach Bill Tierney. Tierney’s surprise move west in 2009 was capped off last month when his Pioneers won the 2015 National Championship. The preseason #1 team in the nation, Denver had a couple roadblocks (losses to North Carolina and Ohio State), but ended the season with 13 straight wins.
The National Championship was the seventh of Tierney’s career after winning six at Princeton. Tierney took over the helm with the Tigers in 1988 and went 2-10, then followed by going 3-11 a year later. Things turned around in 1990 – in a big way – as Princeton went 11-4 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history (and beat Johns Hopkins in the tournament). The Tigers made the NCAA Tournament again in 1991 then won their first NCAA Championship the following season, finishing 13-2.
This was the beginning of a legendary run by Princeton which saw the Tigers win six National Titles in a 10-year span (1992-2001) and make the NCAA Tournament 15 straight years. Out of left field for many, Tierney was officially named head coach at the University of Denver in July, 2009.
Tierney took over a program that made the NCAA Tournament in 2006 and 2008, but had never won a tournament game. Denver played its first season of Division I in 1999. A program with potential immediately rose to another level. After going 7-8 in 2009, Tierney led the Pioneers to a 12-5 mark and NCAA Tournament berth in 2010 followed by a 15-3 record in 2011 and Denver’s first-ever appearance in Championship Weekend.
What Tierney is doing is nothing short of amazing. It’s not amazing that he’s enjoying some success, but amazing that he, (a) enjoyed success quickly and (b) to an incredible degree. For a program like Denver, one could expect competing for an NCAA Tournament on a regular basis. Under Tierney, the Pioneers are competing for National Championships regularly. Denver has made three straight (and four of the last five) Final Fours.
Tierney is a class act. On the field, he is as fiery as anyone, but he is always gracious in defeat and humble in victory. Tierney often thinks outside the box, one example being splitting time between goaltenders Jamie Faus and Ryan LaPlante for a long period of time. He has taken Canadian recruiting to another level and has focused on recruiting Canada, California and Colorado. That’s what makes this year’s championship even more meaningful. It was the first time any school outside of the East time zone won the men’s lacrosse title, and the Pioneers won it with primarily western-born and raised players.
Amidst the championship and the 2015 college lacrosse season, it’s important to take a step back and realize the legend of Bill Tierney. He truly is the John Wooden of college basketball or the Vince Lombardi of the NFL.
It was recently announced that US Lacrosse’s training center in Sparks, Maryland will be named after Tierney, likely not only due to what he’s meant for Princeton and Denver, but because of what he’s meant to the sport. Tierney decided to go west in 2009 and brought the sport with him. Western players now have a model; the Pioneers are proof they don’t need to play high school or college in the East to play the game at the highest level.
You know Tierney isn’t satisfied with just one championship. Denver will continue to grow under his leadership, as will the sport of lacrosse.
