The Bulls front office saw many new changes over the summer as well as many administrative updates and player acquisitions. Plenty of new players have been added to the rosters, and Buffalo is in the middle of renovating its sports facilities after receiving many gifts from alumni. The off-season has brought joy as well as sadness to many of the teams on campus.
The biggest news over the summer came from the most recognizable face to re-join Buffalo athletics: Turner Battle. Battle is known for his proficient court presence helping the basketball team almost earn a spot in the 2005 NCAA Tournament.
Battle is back with the Bulls to assist Reggie Witherspoon and is replacing Chris Hawkins, who helped recruit the former guard to Buffalo.
Witherspoon hopes Battle will bring leadership and familiarity to the team. He played under Coach Witherspoon for four seasons and knows the type of offense that Buffalo runs.
"Coaching is what I always wanted to do after my playing career was over," Battle said in a press release, "and when Coach Witherspoon approached me about it, I thought it was too good an opportunity to pass up."
On a more somber note, the Bulls discovered over the summer that after his 13th season coaching Bulls women's soccer, Jean-A. Tassy will be retiring.
Tassy has an overall record of 106-97-20 with the Bulls, and was selected as the 2000 Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Bulls to the conference title.
"It has been an honor to serve this team and this University for the past 12 years," Tassy said in a press release. "I will never forget the time that I have spent here as I've gained a lifetime of memories."
Men's and women's track and field sought out new players to help their squads this upcoming season. The women's team brought in eight newcomers, while the men added six.
Women's Head Coach Vicki Mitchell looked to improve all areas of the team, from sprinters to long distance runners to hurdlers.
Two hurdle runners joining the team are freshmen Heather Boyle and Lataya Dixon. Dixon was the New Jersey State Champion in the high jump with a personal best of five feet and eight inches.
Other notable additions to the team are sprinter Natalie Fildes and field athlete Ajla Glavasevic, who has competed in the triple jump, long jump, shot-put and 100-meter hurdles.
Ellen Muster is another acquisition who can run the 400-meter race and cross-country. Gillian Taylor will help Buffalo in the 800-meters and 1500-meters and compete for the cross-country team. The Bulls also added Katie Weston, the top javelin thrower in Ontario.
Nicole Soblosky is the only transfer student and joins the Bulls as a long-distance runner.
For men's, head coach Perry Jenkins concentrated on improving the track-side of the team, bringing in five runners and one field athlete.
Austin Archibold and Zach Dow will run in the hurdles. Peter Bligh is the only new field athlete on the team.
Ryan Bloom will join the cross-country team and Brandon Giles will help the sprinters. Jamal Norwood is the last newcomer, and will compete in the hurdles and the 400-meters.
The rowing team also tried to develop itself for the upcoming season. Head Coach Rudy Wieler brought in Patricia Arcuri, Sasha Bailey, Megan Bayley and Lindsay DiCosimo. They all have been past members of winning crew teams.
Swimming head coach Andy Bashor also solidified his coaching staff for the new season. Aaron Bell will join Bashor as an assistant coach as well as Michael Tomes, who will join the team as a graduate assistant.
The first time you head to the Stadium this year, look out for the video board, where a new screen will measure 22 by 21 feet in size.
The new monitor will allow fans to watch live action from the screen as well as replays and special features.
A final addition to the Stadium will be two fascia boards that will provide score, the current down, distance to a first down and time remaining in the game.
Photo: Courtesy of SUNY
