DU men\u2019s basketball may not be a sleeping giant, but at least vice chancellor for athletics Josh Berlo sees a future when it\u2019s no longer keeping him up all night.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt definitely has growth potential,\u201d Berlo told The Denver Post recently. \u201cWhen I would come out here with Minnesota Duluth, and sometimes there was a hoops game going on, but we were skating over in Joy Burns (Arena) \u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m keenly aware that, while there have been some moments in our brief Division I history, it is not on par with the success you see in other programs. So we\u2019re looking closely and committed (to improvement).\u201d<\/p>\n
The Pios haven\u2019t posted a winning season in men\u2019s hoops since 2015-16 \u2014 and that was four coaches ago, under Joe Scott. DU hasn\u2019t put up a winning record in conference play since 2017-18, during Rodney Billups\u2019 second season.<\/p>\n
The program is one of 34 currently in Division I that has never made the NCAA men\u2019s basketball tournament. The closest DU has come this decade was in March 2024, when the Pios reached the Summit League conference tourney title game, where they fell to South Dakota State, 76-68.<\/p>\n
The 18 months since have seen the coach behind that title game berth, Jeff Wulbrun, take a leave of absence and ultimately leave the program this past March as the Pios posted an 11-21 mark.<\/a> It was DU\u2019s fourth season of 20 or more losses since 2018-19.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got to look at facilities. We have to look at scheduling. We\u2019ve got to look at the other infrastructure. And we\u2019re making the moves that we can there,\u201d Berlo said. \u201cAnd it ultimately becomes a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy \u2014 as you have success, you generate more revenues, and you reinvest those into the program.<\/p>\n \u201cHistorically, we\u2019ve had some lofty expectations and goals with basketball. And as the landscapes change, we\u2019re trying to build it, I would say, a bit more judiciously and intentionally. Because it is hard to do. But when you look across our athletic department and our university, there\u2019s nothing that tells me that it can\u2019t be done.\u201d<\/p>\n