Denver’s Tierney gets new honor
Field at US Lacrosse’s new Sparks headquarters to be named for Pioneers coach
A week after guiding the Denver men’s lacrosse team to its first NCAA Division I championship and becoming the first head coach to win national titles at two schools, Bill Tierney has received another honor.
US Lacrosse announced Monday morning that the playing field at the organization’s new national headquarters in Sparks will be officially known as William G. Tierney Field. The field will be used as the training center for the U.S. National Teams Program and serve as host for exhibition games for colleges, high schools and youth teams.
Ed Calkins, who chairs the US Lacrosse Foundation Board and is one of four chairs of The National Campaign for Lacrosse, spearheaded the effort to name the field for his former coach.
“I had the great fortune to play for Coach Tierney and to win a national championship under his leadership at Princeton in 1992,” Calkins said in a written statement. “He has impacted my life and those of so many others, so positively and in immeasurable ways. I amgrateful for the generosity of so many who are making this happen, and we all consider ourselves privileged to have the opportunity to recognize and celebrate his unparalleled success and contributions to the sport of lacrosse with the naming of the field at the new US Lacrosse national headquarters.”
Tierney, who was the architect of Princeton’s run to six national crowns before leading the No. 4 seed Pioneers to a 10-5 victory over No. 6 seed Maryland on May 25 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, said in the same statement that he was touched by the recognition.
“Throughout my career, I have so often been amazed by the effort, sacrifice, and ability to overachieve by my players, most recently at Princeton and Denver,” Tierney, 62, said. “This honor, however, is above and beyond and can only be described as overwhelming and humbling. In my 34 years of coaching college lacrosse, Ed Calkins ranks at the very top of the type of young men with whom I have been blessed. He has led this charge and so many others have jumped on board.
“Yes, the field will bear my name, but the truth of the matter is that 22 years at Princeton has afforded me the opportunity to meet so many supportive alums, friends and family members who have reached out to make this vision become a reality.
“From my standpoint, the field will be dedicated to the men who have coached by my side, players who suited up and blessed me with their dedication on my high school teams, RIT, Hopkins, and, of course, Princeton and Denver. No words can suitably thank enough, all who participated in this effort.”
In 31 seasons as a college coach at Rochester Institute of Technology, Princeton and Denver, Tierney has compiled a record of 355-118. He ranks third in Division I in coaching wins, trailing only Virginia’s DomStarsia and Duke’s John Danowski. He has taken his teams to the NCAA tournament 26 times, reaching the final four 15 times, and was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2002.
“We’re delighted to honor Coach Tierney with the naming of this field at our new national headquarters,” said Steve Stenersen, president and CEO of US Lacrosse. “He is an outstanding coach who has provided exemplary service and support to our national teams program. It is a fitting tribute to a Hall of Fame coach who has meant so much to the sport.”
The IWLCA Building at US Lacrosse Headquarters will house more than 80 US Lacrosse staff members, a 500-seat stadium and Tierney Field. A formal groundbreaking ceremony for the building took place this spring and occupancy is expected by the middle of next year.