Athletics
DU's athletic teams are known as the Denver Pioneers and the school has been fielding varsity teams since 1867. Denver is a full NCAA Division I member, best known as a major power in winter sports. Ice hockey is DU's flagship spectator sport, with seven NCAA titles including back to back crowns in 2004 and 2005, producing over 60 NHL players and regularly selling out the 6,000 seat Magness Arena on campus, the showpiece of the Ritchie Center for Sports and Wellness.
The Pioneers' primary conference affiliation is the Western Athletic Conference with hockey in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and men's lacrosse in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
As of August, 2010, The Pioneers' 28 NCAA titles are in the top 8 of all NCAA schools in terms of total titles – behind Southern California (76), UCLA (71), Stanford (60), Oklahoma State (48), Arkansas (43), Michigan (31), and Penn State (30). Skiing is another strong sport at Denver, with 21 NCAA titles (more than any other school in Division 1 history). The Pioneers "three-peated" with NCAA titles in 2010, 2009 and 2008, won it in 2005 and as well as three consecutive titles from 2001 to 2003.
Mascots have included Pioneer Pete (1920s to 1968, Denver Boone/Boone the Pioneer (1968 to 1998), (Official) Ruckus (1998 to Present), and (Unofficial) Denver Boone/Boone the Pioneer (2009–present).
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