2023 Women's Top 30: How Denver Fared vs. Projections

Before USA Lacrosse Magazine looks ahead to what’s to come in 2024, our team of staff and contributors decided it was worth taking one last look at 2023.

After all, you have to look at the most recent results before making projections for what’s to come. To do that, we’re taking a journey through the top 30 teams in men’s and women’s lacrosse — what went right, what went wrong and what we should all think of that team’s season.

Was it a success? A failure? A mixture of both? You’ll find out our thoughts over the next month or so.

DENVER WOMEN’S LACROSSE

Nike/USA Lacrosse Preseason/Final Top 20 Ranking: 10/4
2023 record: 22-1 (6-0 Big East)

WHAT WENT RIGHT

Almost everything. Denver was the nation’s only unbeaten team until the national semifinals, holding teams to single-digit goals 22 times in 23 games. Marquee wins included those over Maryland and Boston College. The Pioneers also had to fend off formidable conference opponents in Marquette and UConn, beating the latter for a third-straight Big East tournament crown. The Pioneers were selected as the fifth seed in the NCAA tournament, drawing Pac-12 champion USC in the first round and a potential date with Virginia in the second round (Albany rallied to beat UVA, nixing that). Denver kept winning, eventually knocking off defending champion North Carolina in the quarterfinals to advance to its first-ever Final Four.

Denver’s stout defense, nicknamed Hot Pink, has been around for a while. But TV commentators started picking up on it more as the Pios kept winning with constant shots of fans rocking hot pink accessories in the stands. Little girls came out to watch the zone defense in person, learning they could be proud to play D. Sam Thacker went on to win IWLCA Defender of the Year, and the unit produced the nation’s lowest team goals-against average (6.22). Sophomore goalie Emelia Bohi shined in net, producing a 50.4 save percentage and a nation-leading 6.43 goals-against average.

WHAT WENT WRONG

Very little. The No. 5 seed in the NCAA tournament didn’t bother the Pioneers — they proved they were one of the best four teams in the land. The lone blemish was a 15-7 loss to eventual champion Northwestern in the Final Four. The game between the nation’s top-ranked scoring offense and the top-ranked scoring defense went to the former. It was Denver’s only loss of the season and the one time Hot Pink let in more than 10 goals.

SEASON HIGHLIGHT

UNC went ahead 4-1 with 5:22 left in the first half of the quarterfinal game. It was the last goal the defending champions would score in 2023. Hot Pink locked down from there, holding UNC scoreless and putting in the final four goals, getting two apiece from Julia Gilbert and Kayla DeRose, to advance to the national semifinals.

VERDICT

Denver was my favorite story of 2023 — a non-power from outside the Eastern time zone put its nose to the ground and played hard. Instead of complaining about getting a five seed in the NCAA tournament as the nation’s only undefeated team, Denver dug its cleats in and walked the walk all the way to the Final Four. Sam Thacker was a rightful pick for IWLCA Defender of the Year, and seeing Johns Hopkins transfer Trinity McPherson come back after a gap year run up and down the field with lightning speed was a blast. Denver’s performance against UNC in the quarterfinals will go down as one for the ages. The Pioneers gave us something different, making zone defense look cool in the process. Take a bow, Pios.