Athletics and Wellness: Ritchie Complex, Coors Fitness Center, DI Athletics, & Club and Intramural Sports - Elyse

Hi! My name is Elyse Warren, and I will be your guide for the next couple stops on our tour! I am from Seattle, Washington and am majoring in Biology and minoring in chemistry and medical physics. I am also involved in the honors program and working in the Human Dynamics lab.

We are now located near the south entrance to the Ritchie Center for Sports and Wellness. Behind you, you’ll notice a sculpture garden with lips on the lawn of the Schwayder Art Building. This installment was created by one of our faculty members, Lawrence Argent, a renowned artist whose sculptures can be found throughout Colorado and across the nation.  

Inside, the Coors Fitness Center is our gym here on campus. The first floor has lifting equipment, machines, a rock-climbing wall, racquetball courts, a cycling studio, and much more. The second floor overlooks the weight area and is geared towards cardio, with treadmills, stair steppers, and ellipticals. There are studios that offer yoga, Pilates, Zumba, spin, and many other fitness classes. The best part is that all of it is included in your tuition, and there is no additional cost for you to use these facilities. Just a short walk from any point on campus, you have access to facilities that will help you to stay healthy.  

The Health and Counseling Center, or HCC, is also located in this building, where you can make medical appointments for both mental health and physical health. These facilities demonstrate DU’s emphasis on holistic well-being for students.  

The Ritchie Center for Sports and Wellness is home to our 18 NCAA Division I varsity teams, including our 10-time national championship-winning men's hockey, plus lacrosse, skiing, soccer, basketball, volleyball, swimming & diving, gymnastics, and more. 

Together, our teams have won 35 NCAA championships, produced over 120 individual champions, and had more than 500 All-Americans and 70+ Olympians. Simply put—if you’re into athletics, DU is sure to impress! 

I participated in the Hockey Night Lights both Freshman & Sophomore year. I was able to get the golden ticket, which allowed me to go to all the home games for free. Even though we don’t have a football team, I feel like DU still has a great community and spirit through our athletics. So, it doesn’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. I really enjoy going to games because we perform well as a school.  

For my own sports experience, I played on an intramural soccer team with my friends last year. It was fun to spend time with friends and revisit my old passion for soccer.  

Whether you want to swim laps in our Olympic-sized swimming pool, or check out a D1 team competition, there is always something going on. It’s usually under $10 to attend a hockey game as a student, and every other D1 sport is free to attend with your student ID! 

We also offer club and intramural sports, so if you're looking to continue a sport you played in high school or try something new, the opportunity is yours. We have 30 club sports to choose from, including soccer, hockey, lacrosse, basketball, curling, kayaking, figure skating, ski racing, rock climbing, ultimate frisbee and so many more.  

If you're looking for something to start quickly that doesn’t require a lot of commitment, intramurals might be the way to go. We offer 20 intramural sports like basketball, volleyball, soccer, and even cornhole tournaments. The most popular intramural sport by far is broomball, which is essentially ice hockey, except you play with a ball instead of a puck and you wear your tennis shoes. It is not for the faint of heart, but it is a great way to relax and get some exercise with friends during the quarter.