Best Coach -- College 2005 | Mike DunlapMetropolitan State College Men's Basketball | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
Navigation
Support Us
Search

Best Coach -- College

Mike Dunlap
Metropolitan State College Men's Basketball

It may be that Mike Dunlap, a fiery Alaskan who led the Metro State Roadrunners to NCAA Division II Basketball titles in 2000 and 2002, is the best sports coach in Colorado at any level. A master motivator who pressures his young men as fiercely as they apply pressure defense on the court, Dunlap has recently overseen 35 straight home wins, took league and regional titles again this year, and seeks national tournament glory once more for the 19,000-student commuter school on Denver's Auraria campus. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference champs are 29-3 this year and ranked number two in Division II. To their relief, Dunlap is staying put: Long the hiring target of Division I programs, he's just rebuffed the latest feelers -- from Loyola Marymount, in California.

Best Coach -- College

Mike Dunlap
Metropolitan State College Men's Basketball

It may be that Mike Dunlap, a fiery Alaskan who led the Metro State Roadrunners to NCAA Division II Basketball titles in 2000 and 2002, is the best sports coach in Colorado at any level. A master motivator who pressures his young men as fiercely as they apply pressure defense on the court, Dunlap has recently overseen 35 straight home wins, took league and regional titles again this year, and seeks national tournament glory once more for the 19,000-student commuter school on Denver's Auraria campus. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference champs are 29-3 this year and ranked number two in Division II. To their relief, Dunlap is staying put: Long the hiring target of Division I programs, he's just rebuffed the latest feelers -- from Loyola Marymount, in California.

Best Racquet Boss

Yanick Dullens
University of Denver Women's Tennis

For decades, hardly anyone knew the University of Denver even had a women's tennis team. But when coach Dana Young's charges unexpectedly won the Sun Belt Conference title last spring and earned an NCAA tournament berth, even the Williams sisters couldn't have caused a bigger stir on campus. The team's number-one singles player, then and now, is a steady blond slugger named Yanick Dullens from Susteren, Netherlands, who went 26-7 in matches last year and continues to lead the Pioneers, whose 8-2 mark this season promises another NCAA appearance. A senior who also plays number-one doubles, Dullens is 16-8 in singles matches and 20-9 in doubles this year.

Best Racquet Boss

Yanick Dullens
University of Denver Women's Tennis

For decades, hardly anyone knew the University of Denver even had a women's tennis team. But when coach Dana Young's charges unexpectedly won the Sun Belt Conference title last spring and earned an NCAA tournament berth, even the Williams sisters couldn't have caused a bigger stir on campus. The team's number-one singles player, then and now, is a steady blond slugger named Yanick Dullens from Susteren, Netherlands, who went 26-7 in matches last year and continues to lead the Pioneers, whose 8-2 mark this season promises another NCAA appearance. A senior who also plays number-one doubles, Dullens is 16-8 in singles matches and 20-9 in doubles this year.

Best Argument for Wing-Tips

Niketown during All-Star Weekend

In a rush for the honor of being first to shell out 120 bucks for the new Michael Jordan sneakers at Niketown, visitors to February's NBA All-Star festivities shoved, jostled and exchanged harsh words with each other on the 16th Street Mall. No one was shot, knifed or clubbed, but by the time happy consumers laced up their new Jordans and returned to the pavement outside, the real motivation behind NBA marketing became clear: Sell brand-name products, and lots of them.

Best Argument for Wing-Tips

Niketown during All-Star Weekend

In a rush for the honor of being first to shell out 120 bucks for the new Michael Jordan sneakers at Niketown, visitors to February's NBA All-Star festivities shoved, jostled and exchanged harsh words with each other on the 16th Street Mall. No one was shot, knifed or clubbed, but by the time happy consumers laced up their new Jordans and returned to the pavement outside, the real motivation behind NBA marketing became clear: Sell brand-name products, and lots of them.

Best NBA Moment

The All-Star Jam

Who cares that the All-Star Jam, which the NBA unleashes annually, was crassly commercial when it arrived here? The Jam had more product endorsements than an infomercial, but there were several flashes of inspiration among the sellabration of all things bling. One took place on the day before the actual All-Star Game, when Shaq Daddy himself played a little one-on-one with some local kids, including a few from the Montbello High School boys' team. And even though Shaq was surrounded by security and ads for a candy bar, it was one of the few occasions when fans met the big names.

Best NBA Moment

The All-Star Jam

Who cares that the All-Star Jam, which the NBA unleashes annually, was crassly commercial when it arrived here? The Jam had more product endorsements than an infomercial, but there were several flashes of inspiration among the sellabration of all things bling. One took place on the day before the actual All-Star Game, when Shaq Daddy himself played a little one-on-one with some local kids, including a few from the Montbello High School boys' team. And even though Shaq was surrounded by security and ads for a candy bar, it was one of the few occasions when fans met the big names.

Best Bowling Alley

Holiday Bowling

Clean, well-kept and well-maintained, these thirty lanes are where some of the city's best bowlers congregate. Owner Dave Allen has been in the game for nearly as long as people have been rolling heavy spheres down shiny wooden floors at a pyramid of pins, and his experience shows. The lanes are always consistently and meticulously oiled -- conditions conducive to high rolling. The result is no surprise: According to the Denver Bowling Association, more 300 games and 800 series are recorded at Holiday than at any other local lanes.

Best Bowling Alley

Holiday Bowling

Clean, well-kept and well-maintained, these thirty lanes are where some of the city's best bowlers congregate. Owner Dave Allen has been in the game for nearly as long as people have been rolling heavy spheres down shiny wooden floors at a pyramid of pins, and his experience shows. The lanes are always consistently and meticulously oiled -- conditions conducive to high rolling. The result is no surprise: According to the Denver Bowling Association, more 300 games and 800 series are recorded at Holiday than at any other local lanes.

Best Of Denver®

Best Of