DENVER – Legendary Princeton men’s lacrosse coach Bill Tierney has been named the head men’s lacrosse at the University of Denver, Vice Chancellor for Athletics and Recreation and Ritchie Center Operations Peg Bradley-Doppes announced today.

During his 22 seasons with Princeton, Tierney led the Tigers to six NCAA championships, eight NCAA championship games, 10 NCAA Final Four appearances and 14 Ivy League championships. He compiled a career record of 238-86 at Princeton and has a career collegiate record of 272-93 for an impressive .745 winning percentage.

“We are thrilled to announce the hiring of Bill Tierney as the newest men’s lacrosse coach at the University of Denver,” Bradley-Doppes said. “He is a tremendous addition to our coaching family and someone who will elevate our program into a national contender. Bill is one of the best coaches of any sport at any level and is highly regarded in collegiate lacrosse. He demands a lot of his student-athletes on the playing field, as well as in the classroom, and is the perfect coach to take our program to the next level.”

His impact on the student-athletes at Princeton has resulted in 26 first-team All-Americans, 73 first-team All-Ivy League selections, seven Ivy League Players of the Year, six Ivy League Rookies of the Year and over 20 USILA Scholar All-Americas. He has recruited and coached two winners of the Lt. Raymond J. Enners Award as the national player of the year (David Morrow in 1993 and Scott Bacigalupo in 1994).

“I would like to thank Princeton for 22 years of support and happiness, and for the ability to take this program to the level that it’s at now,” Tierney said. “I’d also like to thank the University of Denver for giving me this wonderful opportunity to start this new chapter in my life. Everyone from the Board of Trustees to Chancellor Robert Coombe and Peg Bradley-Doppes has been absolutely great during this entire process. I am looking forward to helping the DU men’s lacrosse program reach new heights.”

In 1992, Tierney won the Morris Touchstone Award as the Division I Coach of the Year to go along with the Division III Coach of the Year honor he received in 1983 at RIT. He was elected to the Long Island Chapter Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1994 and the New Jersey Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1999.

Outside of his collegiate coaching honors, Tierney has coached the United States to the World Championship in 1998, and was inducted into the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame as part of the 2002 class.

Tierney replaces Jamie Munro, who resigned on May 7 after posting a 91-70 mark in 11 seasons. Tierney will begin as head coach of the Pioneers effective July 1, 2009.