Norwest Denver Cup to be held at McNichols Sports Arena;
Tickets go on sale Oct. 22
 
DENVERoeUniversity of Denver officials, in conjunction with Gallagher
Sharp West Ltd. of Aspen, Colo., have secured Norwest as the title
sponsor of the third annual Denver Cup hockey tournament Jack McDonald
announced today. The Rocky Mountain News, KUSA-TV and The Peak, will
also act as participating sponsors. McDonald, DU director of athletics
and founder of the Denver Cup, also announced today that this year's
four-team hockey tournament will be played at McNichols Sports Arena.
The 1994 Denver Cup, held Dec. 28 and 29 at 4 p.m. and 7:05 p.m., will
include co-host Air Force, Brown University and Ohio State.
"The success of the Denver Cup in its first two years, combined with
future facility possibilities, makes our move to McNichols a very
exciting step forward for the University of Denver," says McDonald.
The DU Arena has hosted capacity crowds of 4,700 for the previous
championship games and tournament attendance has totaled 18,653 in two
years.
DU will also look to post its biggest attendance numbers in the
program's 45-year history. The largest home crowd to attend a single
DU hockey game is 7,542 which occured on Feb. 24, 1973, vs. Michigan
State at the Denver Coliseum. The largest NCAA Division I
regular-season, single-game attendance record is 21,576 which was set
Dec. 29, 1984, when Michigan State and Michigan Tech faced-off at
Detroit's Joe Louis Arena for the Great Lakes Invitational title.
Colorado College has agreed to become a permanent co-host with DU and
Air Force beginning in 1995. McDonald says, "We are also very pleased
that Colorado College's (Athletics Director) Max Taylor and coach Don
Lucia have agreed to participate in the Denver Cup. Their
participation solidifies Colorado as one of the country's hotbeds for
college hockey."
First-year coach George Gwozdecky sees the move to McNichols as a
positive move for his program. "The move to McNichols is an exciting
step for the Denver Cup," says Gwozdecky.  "To have a major sports
venue like McNichols Arena available will undoubtedly catapult the
Denver Cup to the forefront of the college hockey invitational
tournaments. This (the facility) is the final piece to the puzzle that
will allow the Denver Cup to draw the nation's top collegiate hockey
teams on an annual basis."
DU has a 4-0-0 record in Denver Cup competition. The Pioneers claimed
the two previous titles, while two DU players were selected Denver Cup
MVP and four other players were named to the all-tournament team. Past
participants include Air Force, Army, Boston College, Princeton and
Notre Dame.
Tickets for the Denver Cup will be available to the public for
purchase beginning Saturday, Oct. 22 at 9 a.m. at the DU Arena on 2250
E. Jewell, the McNichols Arena Box Office, Blockbuster Music, Foley's,
Budget Tapes & CD's and Disc Jockey. They will also be made available
through TicketMaster at 290-TIXS (8497).
Ticket prices are as follows: Rink Side $20; Lower Bowl $15; Upper
Side $12; Upper Corner $10 and Upper End $8.
For ticket information call the DU ticket office at 871-2336.
 
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Jack McDonald, Athletic Director
University of Denver
303-871-3399
fax 303-871-4950
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