Lacrosse Magazine has named DU lacrosse coach Bill Tierney its 2009 person of the year.
Earlier this year, Tierney left Princeton University—where he coached for the past 22 years — to head to the University of Denver men’s lacrosse team.
Tierney arrived at DU earlier this year after at 22-year career as the head men’s lacrosse coach at Princeton, where his tenure included six national championships. Tierney says he had other job offers through the years, but chose to come to DU to help grow the sport in the West, which was a factor in the magazine selecting him for the honor.
“Bill Tierney’s move to Denver was just what lacrosse needed as it continues to grow from coast to coast,” says Paul Krome, editor of Lacrosse Magazine. “The best part of us naming Tierney the Lacrosse Magazine person of the year is that he considers the distinction a call to action — that’s an encouraging perspective for lacrosse fans everywhere coming from a six-time NCAA champion and National Hall of Fame coach.”
“I think Denver has the richest lacrosse community in the country,” says Peg Bradley-Doppes, DU’s vice chancellor for athletics. “They’re passionate about the sport and you see the interest at all socio-economic levels. I think it’s a perfect time to tap into that with Coach Tierney.”
Tierney is 272-93 as a college head coach. He led the U.S. national men’s lacrosse team to the 1998 world championship and was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2002.