Just a week ago, the women's tennis team was one of two undefeated squads in the country. Entering Saturday, an undefeated season had spun into to a three-game losing streak and the team looked to regain its early-season form. The Bulls (11-3, 2-3 Mid-American Conference) hosted Western Michigan (11-10, 4-1 MAC) on Friday and Bowling Green (14-3, 3-2 MAC) on Saturday.
At the end of last year, the Bulls were unsure if one of the most dominant defensive players in program history would return for his senior season. During a trip to linebacker Khalil Mack's Fort Pierce, Fla., home in the offseason, head coach Jeff Quinn and his staff convinced Mack to return and graduate as a Bull instead of pursuing the NFL Draft. The soon-to-be senior Mack returns to cement a linebacking core looking to take the Buffalo 'D' to the next level. Mack, a two-time All-Mid American Conference first-team selection, decided he had 'Unfinished Business' - Quinn's slogan - at Buffalo.
Last season, it took the baseball team seven series (19 games) to win six games in the Mid-American Conference.
When Kristen Ortman left her Buffalo home to sign her letter of intent at American University, she thought her tennis career in Western New York was over.
In a season where the football team's success will be dictated by a plethora of returning stars, there is at least one new face on campus who will look to make an impact. Soon-to-be-junior Blake Bean is the only newcomer practicing with the team this spring.
The men's tennis team faced a difficult start to its conference schedule when the squad hit the road this weekend.
The softball team had a streak that no team wants to have: 38 games without a winning streak, dating back to last season.
The softball team had a streak that no team wants to have: 38 games without a winning streak, dating back to last season.
In a day when many see the media as a nuisance, it single handedly created an uproar that forced the removal of a cruel, ignorant and abusive head coach at Rutgers University when its athletic director would not act. Following video footage shown on ESPN's Outside the Lines last week,Rutgers fired head basketball coach Mike Rice.
Danny White took over as athletic director last May with an agenda. Rumors about possible changes to the athletic department began to generate immediately, prior to White learning the environment of the university he was about to enter. Coming from a family line of people involved in collegiate athletics - his father is the AD at Duke -, White decided to extend familial ties from Durham to Buffalo.
Football intellectuals recognize that a good running game can only be as successful as the offensive line.
After an exciting indoor season in which many school records and personal bests were shattered, the track and field team has continued to find success early in the outdoor season. On Friday, Buffalo traveled west to participate in the Toledo Collegiate Challenge in Toledo, Ohio.
Following one of the most frightening injuries ever seen in sports, Louisville guard Kevin Ware's fall has created discussion among basketball fans and players alike. Ware jumped to contest a shot, just like he has thousands of times since grade school.
In 2011, three Bulls tight ends combined for 11 catches for 125 yards. In one game against Morgan State in 2012, tight ends had three catches for 57 yards and a touchdown. It would be an understatement to say the tight ends took a step forward in 2012. Junior Jimmy Gordon was the fifth-leading receiver in the offense, finishing with 17 receptions for 162 yards, trailing only three players in catches. Junior Alex Dennison had six catches of his own for 64 yards, while freshman Matt Weiser had a catch for 15 yards. Altogether, the unit more than doubled its catches and had 116 more receiving yards than it did in 2011. "There were always opportunities for them to make plays," said head coach Jeff Quinn.
During a weekend when the softball team struggled offensively and defensively, the one bright spot was freshman pitcher Nicole Aviles, who salvaged a win in the final game of the weekend. After having their scheduled home opener against Canisius postponed on Wednesday, the Bulls (6-20, 1-3 Mid-American Conference) were finally ready to open their conference and home schedules with doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday afternoon. However, the much-anticipated opener turned sour as they dropped the first three games of the weekend.
The women's tennis team entered the weekend looking to defend its undefeated record and extend its winning streak to 12. Instead, the Bulls won just two matches on their first conference road trip and lost their No.
Leadoff hitters are often referred to as the "table setters" of an offense. Junior Jim Topps and senior Jason Kanzler, who bat first and second for the baseball team, prepared the Bulls' offense for a feast last weekend. The Bulls (14-12, 4-2 Mid-American Conference) continued their impressive start in MAC play by taking two out of three at Western Michigan (9-17, 4-2 MAC). The Bulls recorded 30 hits over the weekend, including two 12-hit performances. Kanzler went 4 for 11 in the series with three extra-base hits and five runs batted in (RBI), raising his average to .368 to go with his six home runs on the season.
It's no secret that the strength of the football team is its ground-and-pound running game led by arguably the best running back in the Mid-American Conference, soon-to-be senior Branden Oliver. Oliver played in just seven games last season and averaged 117.3 yards.
The shining sun did not make the mercury rise in the thermometer on Tuesday afternoon. It was a chilly March afternoon as the Bulls (12-11, 2-1 Mid-American Conference) saw an early lead disappear against Big Four rival Canisius (15-7), as Buffalo lost 6-5. After jumping to an early 5-1 lead in the second inning, Buffalo failed to record a run in six consecutive innings, finishing the game going 5 for 29 from the plate while striking out 10 times. "Their guys kept us off balance," said head coach Ron Torgalski.
The stage is finally set. The season has commenced. Since former Buffalo head coach Turner Gill left the program, UB football has taken a few seasons to transition into the Jeff Quinn era. On Tuesday afternoon, running back Branden Oliver, wide receiver Alex Neutz and linebacker Khalil Mack embarked on their much-anticipated senior seasons, as they took the field for spring ball. After dropping seven of their first eight, the Bulls finished last season in stride, wining three of their last four games.
Solutions by The State News
