Sidelines

Riding on top

The UB Bulls' wrestling team grappled its way to a second place finish last weekend at the New York State Collegiates, held in Oneonta. While the team placed second overall, sophomore Mark McKnight was able to achieve his first tournament victory of the 2004-05 season. Facing many of the top wrestlers in the nation, McKnight has produced a 21-11 record so far this season in the 125-pound weight class.

In addition to the strong finish from McKnight, the Bulls received a strong effort from sophomore Mark Budd, who won the first collegiate tournament of his career. He did so in dramatic fashion, defeating the top-seeded wrestler in the tournament, Columbia's Matt DeLorenzo.

Roughed up

Buffalo's men's tennis team dropped its first two meets of the season, winning a total of one match out of the fourteen played.

The Bulls faced off against Manhattan and Brown over the weekend, and were shut out by Manhattan. UB's lone bright spot was at second singles against Brown, with UB's Mike Rockman defeating Richard Moss in a tiebreaker by a score of 6-7, 6-1, (10-5).

UB was scheduled to face Boston College the following day, but due to inclement weather, the match was cancelled.

At 1-3 on the season, the Bulls will go on to the Army Invitational, set to begin on Thursday.

Winter sports warriors

UB's most outstanding male and female athletes of the week are Mark Budd of the wrestling team and Faith Thompson of the women's track and field team.

Budd, who claimed his first ever tournament victory last weekend, did so in impressive fashion against top-seeded competition. He is in his first season as a starter in the 133-pound weight class and while success is not new to him, this is his first ever first-place finish in a collegiate tournament.

Thompson won the weight throw for the women's track and field team for the second week in a row, concurrently breaking her own personal record as well as the school record. In addition to breaking the UB record, she broke the record for the longest throw in Cornell field house history. Her throw of 62 feet, 6 inches qualified her for the NCAA championships in March. Thompson also finished second in the shot put with a throw of 44 feet, 3.5 inches.