DENVER -- Longtime college lacrosse coach Bill Tierney will retire from the University of Denver after the season and following a career that's produced seven national titles.
Heading into his final season, the 71-year-old Tierney has a 429-147 career record. Tierney soon will begin his final go-around at a program he helped put on the lacrosse map, and led to the 2015 title. He's 157-54 over his 13 seasons in charge of the Pioneers.
"They say, 'When you know, you know,' and as my career draws to a close, I'm at peace with this decision," Tierney said in a statement Thursday. "The list of people to thank who have impacted the last 48 years of my life is endless."
An iconic figure at Princeton, Tierney shocked the lacrosse world by relocating to Denver in the summer of 2009. He instantly helped raise the profile of the sport west of the Mississippi.
"He leaves Pioneer men's lacrosse with a rock-solid foundation and a continued bright future," said Josh Berlo, the school's vice chancellor for athletics.
Tierney got his college start at Rochester Institute of Technology, where he led the team to two postseason appearances in three seasons in charge. From there, he took a position as an assistant at Johns Hopkins University before heading to Princeton, where he spent 22 seasons and captured six national titles.
The Pioneers play at Johns Hopkins in an exhibition game on Jan. 28.
"While I know a lot of the focus will be on this being my last season, I'm really excited to get the whistle back around my neck next week and start the preseason with this great group of student-athletes," said Tierney, who was a 2002 inductee into the USA Lacrosse Hall of Fame. "Our family is all over the country now, and I'm looking forward to having the time to give back to them after all they've given for me."