Denver Pioneers basketball — program history
Denver's basketball program dates to 1904 at the private university in Colorado. The Pioneers compete in the Summit League and have had success in multiple conferences over the decades. The program enjoyed strong play in the 1950s-60s and has rebuilt in the modern era.
The name
The Pioneers nickname honors the settlers and explorers who traveled westward to Colorado during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush and the expansion of the American frontier.
Signature moment
The program's trip to the 1959 NIT at Madison Square Garden, which stood as one of the highlights of Denver basketball for decades.
Denver's Magness Arena is named after cable television pioneer Bob Magness and sits at over 5,000 feet elevation, making visiting teams deal with the altitude disadvantage.
The Denver Pioneers compete in the Summit League and hold an all-time record of 1019–1269 (.445 winning percentage) across 104 recorded seasons dating back to 1903-04.
Season-by-season results
More Summit League programs
Kansas City Roos · North Dakota Fighting Hawks · North Dakota State Bison · Omaha Mavericks · Oral Roberts Golden Eagles · South Dakota Coyotes · South Dakota State Jackrabbits · St. Thomas-Minnesota Tommies
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