Top DU Moments of 2024

A hockey championship, a solar eclipse road trip and cracking a 70-year-old math mystery—2024 brought plenty of news from the University of Denver. 

Here are the year’s most popular stories from our Newsroom: 

University News 

Princeton Review Ranks DU No. 1 for ‘Students Love Their College’
Their love for DU, students said, stems from an outstanding campus community and DU’s holistic approach to the academic experience. In the words of one student, there’s "a really strong sense of community and lots of incredible academic talent." The outdoorsy, active and social nature of the student body was also a driving factor.

Runner-Up: DU Launches The Denver Difference Campaign With Community Celebration

Athletics 

Denver Hockey Wins Record-Breaking 10th National Championship
Goalie Matt Davis and the University of Denver hockey team shut out Boston College 2-0 to win their 10th national title—becoming the first program to reach the milestone.

Runner-Up: 4 Things to Know as Men’s Lacrosse Returns to Championship Weekend

Research 

DU Professor Helps Solve Famous 70-Year-Old Math Problem
Mandi Schaeffer Fry, who joined the University of Denver’s Department of Mathematics in the fall of 2023, will be the first faculty member since the 1880s to be published in the Annals of Mathematics, widely seen as the industry’s most prestigious journal.

Runner-Up: Research-Backed Ways to Save Your Marriage and Avoid Divorce

Faculty Expertise

Look Up: 5 Things You Should Know Before the 2024 Solar Eclipse
Faculty member D.J. Bird Bear and 10 students are making their way down to Lampasas, Texas, to be in the path of totality and have a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to experience the total solar eclipse. From Texas all the way up to Maine, tens of millions of people will experience something that won’t be visible again for another 20 years.

Runner-Up: DU Professor Shares Pros and Cons of ‘Unplugging’ from Social Media

DU Field Notes 

Where to Find Your Hometown Comfort Food Fix in Denver 
If you’re missing your favorite spot for a Chicago dog, craving some Texas BBQ or longing for an authentic New York bagel, Denver’s metro area has just the thing to quell those hometown culinary blues.

Runner-Up: 5 Must-See Denver Neighborhoods

Student Stories

Skiing, Music and Sustainability: How One Student-Athlete Pursues Her Many Passions at DU
Sidney Barbier’s calendar is fuller than most. The University of Denver senior is double majoring in environmental science at the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and viola performance at the Lamont School of Music, while also competing as a Division I skier.

Runner-Up: 5 Questions With College Basketball’s Leading Scorer and Nonprofit CEO Tommy Bruner

Alumni 

DU Alumna Plays Essential Role for New York Giants as First Director of Wellness and Clinical Services
As the New York Giants’ first director of wellness and clinical services, sport psychologist Lani Lawrence (PsyD ’12) meets with and interviews prospects and potential draft picks — just one piece of her multifaceted role.

Runner Up: DU Lacrosse Alum and Current Players Turn Food Waste Into Meals for Denverites in Need

RadioEd Podcast

What Makes American Healthcare (Un)affordable?
Sturm College of Law associate professor Govind Persad’s newest paper, “Defining Health Affordability,” looks into the phenomenon of how Americans avoid seeking healthcare because of the cost. The meat of his latest research, however, comes down to investigating why we don’t have a universal definition of healthcare affordability. 

Runner Up: The Art of Provenance: What Happened After Hitler’s WWII Art Heist

University of Denver Magazine

50 Reasons to Love DU
As we look to the future, we celebrate 50 people, places and programs that make DU exceptional.

Runner Up: The Story of Sobriety Isn’t Black and White