Skiing and hockey seasons might be over, but this week the University of Denver will be feting its top two programs in Washington, D.C.; Calgary, Alberta; and Denver.
On Tuesday, Colorado snow enthusiasts will celebrate the very program that helps make the state’s ski industry the best in North America, and perhaps the world.
DU’s ski team, the 2008 NCAA champion, will visit the White House and meet President Bush in a South Lawn ceremony.
The Pioneers’ 19 skiing championships are the most in NCAA history, followed by Colorado (16) and Utah (10). DU has captured five of the past nine national titles, also winning it all in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2005.
This will mark the first time DU has visited the White House.
“The student-athletes, coaches and administrators are very grateful for this opportunity to represent the University of Denver in our nation’s capital,” DU alpine coach Andy LeRoy said.
The Pioneers’ hockey team, meanwhile, is giddy about incoming freshman Joe Colborne being selected in the first round of the NHL draft. Colborne, 18, went 16th overall to the Boston Bruins, making the power forward one of DU’s most exciting prospects in the 60- year history of the program.
The Pioneers’ only other top-round draft pick was defenseman Craig Redmond, who went No. 6 overall to the Los Angeles Kings in 1984.
The 6-foot-5 Colborne, Canada’s 2008 Junior A player of the year, said Sunday that his cellphone expired Saturday after receiving so many calls and text messages from supporters, many from Denver. He borrowed a friend’s phone Sunday near his home in Calgary to catch up with The Denver Post.
“Obviously, it’s a pretty big honor, especially being taken by a team like Boston, an Original Six team,” Colborne said. “I’m just pretty excited about the whole thing, and hopefully it will pay off in a few years.”
Colborne, the son of Calgary oil and gas millionaire Paul Colborne, squashed rumors he is thinking about turning pro immediately.
“Oh, yeah,” he said when asked if he’ll be in a DU sweater this fall. “(The Bruins) were one of the most supportive teams of Denver. They couldn’t be more happy with my decision to go there. They’re expecting me to go there and looking forward to seeing me continue to develop under (George Gwozdecky’s) great coaching staff.”
Boston will retain Colborne’s professional rights through college, but the Bruins could sign him at any time. Colborne declined to estimate how many seasons he might play at DU.
“We’ll make that decision when it comes along,” he said. “We’re obviously not in a rush, so we’ll make that decision when we have to.”
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
TEACHING EXCELLENCE IN HOCKEY
Kids camp a smorgasbord of stick-and-puck specialization.
Evergreen resident Mike Gempler, a former college hockey player and University of Denver video coach, begins his U.S. Junior Development Program “Junior Prep Camp” on Sunday at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
This is high-level stuff for the junior, double-A or triple-A hockey player (birth years 1986 to 1993) with dreams of playing college or professional hockey.
This year, the three-week camp will draw kids from the U.S. and Canada, plus Sweden, Finland, Russia and Slovakia. The focus is split among on-ice development and off-ice conditioning, seminars, networking and recruiting opportunities.
Coaches include former Avs forward Steve Konowalchuk, Avs video coach and former DU captain Bryan Vines, DU assistant coach Derek Lalonde and Atlanta Thrashers chief scout John Perpich.
Just a few spots remain for area players. For more information, visit Gempler’s website at .
TV GAME OF THE WEEK
See John golf.
John Elway will be among a “Team Football” foursome in this weekend’s Pro Sports Team Golf Challenge at the Fantasy Resort and Casino in Palm Springs, Calif.
FSN will devote two hours of coverage to the two-day event, beginning Saturday at 2 p.m.
Elway will partner with New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson and former New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan.
They will compete against former or current athletes in basketball, baseball and hockey, with the winning team donating the purse to the charity of their choice.
The basketball foursome is made up of former Houston Rockets guard Kenny Smith, Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Kidd and Hall of Famers George Gervin and Clyde Drexler.
Mario Lemieux heads the “all-retired” hockey squad, which includes Brett Hull, Grant Fuhr and Pierre Larouche.
Since baseball season is upon us, the stick-and-ball team also is made up of retired players: Ozzie Smith, George Brett, Vince Coleman and former Rockie Bret Saberhagen.
SWINGING AWAY
Golf tournament at Murphy Creek.
The 2008 Public Links Sectional Qualifier, hosted by the Colorado Golf Association, is today and Tuesday at Murphy Creek Golf Course.
The 140-player field will vie for five spots in next month’s U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship at Murphy Creek.
This week’s 36-hole qualifier will have a final-round cut of 45 players.
ROX GO AMERICAN
Interleague games on tap.
The Rockies begin a six-game road trip against American League teams tonight at Kansas City. Colorado, 7-2 in interleague play this season, meets the Royals in a three-game series, takes Thursday off, then plays a three-game series at Detroit beginning Friday.
WIMBLEDON GOES INTERACTIVE
DirecTV viewers get bonus time.
Tennis fans with DirecTV can get nearly 200 hours of interactive coverage today through Friday on ESPN2.
According to DirecTV, Inc., some of the features Wimbledon Interactive will offer include the Mix channel, which will display six channels on one screen, among them the live ESPN2 coverage; a “Wimbledon Extra” channel that features look-ins on key matches, highlights and interviews; and action on four other courts from ESPN2, all of which can be expanded to full screen at the touch of the remote button.
