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| Denver Outlaws | |
|---|---|
| Name | Denver Outlaws |
| Founded | 2006 |
| League | Major League Lacrosse |
| City | Denver, Colorado |
| Stadium | Empower Field at Mile High (primary), in past Sports Authority Field at Mile High |
| Colors | Orange, Navy, White |
| Championships | 2014, 2016, 2018 |
Denver Outlaws are a professional field lacrosse team based in Denver, Colorado, that competed in Major League Lacrosse. Founded in 2006, the franchise won multiple Steinfeld Cup championships and became a prominent team alongside franchises from cities such as Boston, New York, and Charlotte. The club attracted notable players from collegiate programs at Duke, Maryland, Syracuse, Johns Hopkins, and Towson, while playing home contests at large venues like Empower Field at Mile High and participating in league events with the Chesapeake Bayhawks, Ohio Machine, and Atlanta Blaze.
The franchise began play in 2006 within Major League Lacrosse alongside expansion clubs and legacy teams such as the Philadelphia Barrage, Rochester Rattlers, and Chicago Machine. Early seasons featured matchups against the Long Island Lizards, Boston Cannons, and Los Angeles Riptide while drawing regional talent from the University of Denver, University of North Carolina, and University of Virginia. Ownership and operational shifts mirrored trends seen in franchises like the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Rockies, and Colorado Rapids, and the team engaged with civic partners including the City and County of Denver and the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. Over time the club built rivalries with teams such as the New York Lizards, Charlotte Hounds, and Ohio Machine and participated in league milestones alongside Major League Soccer, National Football League, and National Hockey League events held in Denver venues.
The Outlaws’ campaigns often featured regular-season contests with the Boston Cannons, Chesapeake Bayhawks, and Atlanta Blaze, playoff appearances similar to those of the Rochester Knighthawks and Minnesota Swarm, and championship games against the New York Lizards and Ohio Machine. Championship seasons in 2014, 2016, and 2018 followed competitive years alongside squads like the Denver Pioneers alumni, Duke Blue Devils graduates, and Maryland Terrapins standouts. Statistical leaders during seasons included players previously at Syracuse Orange, Johns Hopkins Blue Jays, Towson Tigers, and Notre Dame Fighting Irish who faced opponents from the Florida Launch, Charlotte Hounds, and New Jersey Pride.
Home contests were staged at large multipurpose stadiums used by the Denver Broncos, Colorado Rapids, and Denver Outlaws’ contemporaries, including Empower Field at Mile High and formerly Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Training and practice facilities drew on local infrastructure linked to the University of Denver, Colorado State University, and local high school complexes such as Denver East High School. The franchise utilized locker rooms and training rooms comparable to those at Coors Field, Ball Arena, and Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, and coordinated community clinics with organizations including USA Lacrosse, the National Lacrosse League, and collegiate athletics departments at Duke, Syracuse, and Maryland.
The roster historically featured Major League Lacrosse All-Stars, Tewaaraton Award nominees from programs like Syracuse, Duke, and Maryland, and professionals who had competed internationally for Team USA and Team Canada. Notable athletes came from Johns Hopkins, Notre Dame, Duke Blue Devils, Maryland Terrapins, Syracuse Orange, and the University of Virginia. Frontline players included attackers, midfielders, defenders, and goaltenders with ties to Princeton Tigers, Yale Bulldogs, Cornell Big Red, and Loyola Greyhounds. The organization worked with agents from Wasserman Baseball, CAA Sports, and RocNation Sports on player contracts and engaged medical staff with connections to the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine and local hospitals such as Denver Health and UCHealth.
Coaching staffs featured head coaches and assistants with resumes including collegiate programs like Duke, Maryland, Johns Hopkins, and Virginia, and professional experience in Major League Lacrosse and the National Lacrosse League. Front office executives maintained relationships with Major League Lacrosse leadership, local ownership groups, and regional sports investors similar to those affiliated with the Denver Broncos and Colorado Avalanche. General managers and directors of operations coordinated roster moves with scouts from the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten Conference, Ivy League, and Colonial Athletic Association. Community relations staff worked alongside entities like the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, Mile High United Way, and local youth lacrosse leagues.
Rivalries developed with the Chesapeake Bayhawks, New York Lizards, Ohio Machine, and Boston Cannons, producing memorable contests comparable to rivalry games in the NFL like Broncos–Raiders and NHL rivalries such as Avalanche–Stars. Signature matches included championship finals against the New York Lizards and Ohio Machine, All-Star Games featuring players from Duke, Maryland, Syracuse, and Johns Hopkins, and high-attendance home games at Empower Field at Mile High that paralleled large events hosted by the MLS’s Colorado Rapids and MLB’s Colorado Rockies. Exhibition and international friendlies occasionally involved Canadian clubs and players from the Premier Lacrosse League and National Lacrosse League.
Team records documented single-season scoring marks, goalie save percentages, and defensive statistics led by alumni of Syracuse Orange, Duke Blue Devils, Maryland Terrapins, Johns Hopkins Blue Jays, and Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Individual awards included Major League Lacrosse MVP nods, All-Pro team selections, and championship game honors that placed players alongside other decorated athletes from the ACC, Big Ten, and Ivy League. Franchise achievements were recorded in league record books alongside those from the Chesapeake Bayhawks, Boston Cannons, and Rochester Knighthawks.
Category:Major League Lacrosse teams Category:Sports clubs in Denver Category:Lacrosse teams in Colorado