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Separated by just seven miles of highway and boasting three combined championships in the last four years, the University of Denver Pioneers and Denver Outlaws have aligned to form two powerhouses in the ‘Lacrosse Capital of the West.’
Former Pioneers Matt Brown, Mike Law, Dillon Roy and Geoff Snider were among the first to make the jump from DU to the Outlaws, and all helped lay the foundation for Major League Lacrosse’s winningest franchise.
Continuing to tap into the pipeline, the Outlaws selected DU graduate Eric Law in the fourth round of the 2013 MLL Collegiate Draft. Law has been instrumental in the Outlaws winning two MLL Championships and has recorded the fourth-most points in franchise history (198) in just five seasons.
The Outlaws then drafted Wes Berg—DU’s all-time leader in career points (255) and goals (188)—in the second round of the 2015 collegiate draft. A powerful and versatile offensive weapon, Berg has scored 39 goals and 49 total points in 22 games as an Outlaw and credits much of that to the chemistry with his former collegiate teammate.
“I had such a great college experience, and playing with ‘E-Law’ is a lot of fun,” Berg said. “We have some awesome chemistry and I couldn’t have been happier when I got drafted by the Outlaws. We draw an unbelievable crowd and Denver is such a fun sports city to play in, both collegiately and professionally.”
“Any time you’re able to play with somebody that came from the same system as you, like the University of Denver, that creates a brotherhood,” Law said. “No matter when you played or what year you graduated, there’s a connection there. I love being able to suit up with these guys.”
The Outlaws acquired another former Pioneer this offseason when they traded with the Chesapeake Bayhawks for defenseman Christian Burgdorf. A 2017 graduate of Denver and driving force in the Pioneers’ 2015 National Championship, Burgdorf is excited to continue to call the Mile High City home.
“I’m pumped to be a part of such a great team and organization,” Burgdorf said. “I’ve gotten to know some of the players over the last few years and they’ve been really helpful. I’m excited to play with some great former teammates, as well as some guys I’ve played against in the past.”
Berg believes Burgdorf, who he describes as a smart and physical defenseman, could be exactly what Denver needs to push the Outlaws to a third consecutive championship game appearance.
“Getting Christian this year is awesome,” he said. “We were fortunate enough to win a national championship in my last year at DU and he was a huge part of that. He’s really underrated as a defender and he’s going to be a huge asset for our team. He’s a great locker room guy and a good team guy to have. We were really fortunate to be able to pick him up.”
The Pioneer trio and the rest of the Denver Outlaws open their season on April 22 in New York against the Lizards. The home opener is set for May 4 and all tickets can be purchased now through Ticketmaster.com.
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