The University of Denver men’s lacrosse team will begin its 2026 season this Saturday, facing Cleveland State at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. The match is scheduled for a noon start and will be available to stream on Midco Sports Plus and ESPN Denver 1600.
Denver has a 4-0 record against Cleveland State, with all previous games held at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium between 2017 and 2020. The teams have not met since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Matt Brown enters his third season as head coach of the Pioneers, having taken over from William G. Tierney after the 2023 season. Brown previously served as offensive coordinator under Tierney for 14 seasons, helping guide the program to consistent top-10 scoring offenses and 11 NCAA Tournament appearances. He also played for Denver from 2002 to 2005 and currently ranks sixth in career goals at the university.
Reflecting on his leadership role, Brown said, “On April 19, 2023 long-time associate head coach Matt Brown was named the next William G. Tierney Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach, following Tierney’s retirement announcement to take effect after the 2023 season.”
For the upcoming campaign, Brown has named four captains: Russell Overly, Chris Caldwell, Cody Malawsky, and Joe Taraboletti. Overly and Caldwell both enter their redshirt junior seasons with significant experience on defense; Malawsky has recorded notable point totals in his career so far; Taraboletti is in his final year of eligibility.
The team’s schedule includes several high-profile matchups following their first two games against Cleveland State and Air Force. Eight straight opponents were listed in this year’s Inside Lacrosse Preseason Media Poll. Home games include matches against Syracuse (No. 3), Cornell (No. 4), Georgetown (No. 5), and Michigan (No. 20). Road contests are set with Ohio State (No.10), Duke (No.11), Villanova (receiving votes), and Utah (receiving votes).
Saturday’s game marks only the second regular-season contest that Denver will play in January; their previous January game was a win over Utah in January 2021.
Fourteen former Denver players appeared on National Lacrosse League opening day rosters last November, reflecting the program’s ongoing influence in professional lacrosse.
Defensively, Denver’s man-down unit has allowed just fifteen goals on seventy-three opponent opportunities since early 2024—a kill percentage of nearly eighty percent—leading all Division I programs nationally during that period.
Since Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium opened in 2005, Denver holds a record of one hundred twenty-eight wins to thirty losses at home and has finished among the nation’s top ten for average attendance each of the past ten seasons excluding pandemic disruptions.
Cody Malawsky was recently selected for the BIG EAST Preseason Team after earning conference honors last year and being placed on the Tewaaraton Award Watch List.
Following this weekend’s opener, Denver will host Air Force next Saturday at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium.
Tickets for home games are available through official channels.
For more information about University of Denver athletics or specific coverage of men’s lacrosse matches throughout the season visit their official website or social media platforms.
