Sidelines

Athletics hosting Football Pro Day

The University at Buffalo Division of Athletics will be hosting Football Pro Day on Wednesday, March 5 at 9:00 a.m. at the North American Recreation Center. The Bulls football players and head coach Turner Gill will all be in attendance.

Professional football scouts will be coming to Buffalo to watch and evaluate the Bulls senior class players who are being recruited to the NFL. The players that will be working out at Pro Day include offensive lineman Jamey Richard, defensive end Trevor Scott, and punter Ben Woods.

Women's soccer team signs two new players for 2008 season

The Buffalo Women's Soccer Team has gained two more players for their 2008 season. New head coach, Michael Thomas, recruited the players. Thomas describes new additions Angelina Claughton from Calgary, Alberta and Deanna Rowe from Harrison City, Pennsylvania as "two outstanding student-athletes."

"I am very excited to begin my first season as head coach here at Buffalo and bring in two young women of this caliber just adds to my excitement," Thomas said.

Claughton was named the high school player of the year and Soccer MVP in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Rowe was named offensive MVP and received the coaches' choice award in addition to being selected all-conference and all-section for all four years of her playing career.

Warde Manuel named to "Forty under 40" list

Buffalo Director of Athletics Warde Manuel was recognized on Street and Smith Sports Business Journal's national "Forty under 40" award winner list. The list acknowledges the best and brightest executives in the sports business industry under the age of 40. It is Manuel's third year as Buffalo's Director of Athletics and he now has become the fifth college administrator to earn this award.

"When it comes to our scholar-athletes, and the entire Buffalo athletics team, Warde sets his expectations high - in the classroom and on the field - and then finds creative ways to help people achieve them," said President John B. Simpson. "This honor is a reflection of that hard work and integrity."

Since Manuel has been at Buffalo he has made great strides and improvements to the Bulls athletics department in both academics and athletics. Manuel has brought an increase of attention onto athlete academics by creating a new study center, adding new computers as well as more tutorial support to be available to student-athletes.

In the fall of 2007, the University of Buffalo Athletics Department received recognition by NCAA Division I-A Athletic Directors as a Program of Excellence. Also, while Manuel has been at Buffalo, the women's tennis team reached the Mid-American Conference Championships in 2006 and 2007, the men's baseball team had its most successful MAC season in the university's history in 2006 and in 2007, the men's football team had its best season since moving up to the Division I-A level and joining the MAC in 1999.