UB women’s tennis team clinched its first ever Mid-American Conference season title on Friday at Miller Tennis Center after defeating the Ball State Cardinals 7-0.
UB softball split its doubleheader with the Canisius Griffins on Wednesday afternoon. The Bulls dominated in the first game winning 8-0 in six innings, while junior pitcher Ally Power had one of her best performances this season.
Newly hired Athletic Director Mark Alnutt isn’t satisfied with the Bulls’ historic success in recent years and wants to take Buffalo’s program to new heights. Alnutt, who joined Athletics after two years as deputy director of athletics at the University of Memphis, started the position on April 11 and already has his plan in motion. “My vision for the program is student-athlete-centered academic excellence, social development and competitive success,” Alnutt said in an exclusive interview with The Spectrum. “We have about 130 staff members and I am setting up one-on-one meetings with all of them.” A “key goal” for Alnutt is to turn UB sports into a recognizable brand across the country and get more exposure for the university.
Seven overtimes against Western Michigan, two one-point losses, three different starting quarterbacks and an upset win over Ohio made up the Bulls’ third bowl-eligible season in school history.
Megan Burns didn’t want to swim in college. Her senior year of high school she was lazy, unmotivated and unwilling to put effort into swimming and academics.
It was nothing but smiles and cheers for the men’s and women’s basketball teams as they celebrated their most successful Division I seasons in both programs’ histories at the UB basketball postseason celebration. Players and coaches attended Alumni Arena Friday evening to celebrate the teams’ combined 56 wins and home record of 26-1. The women’s basketball team ended the season in the 21 spot on the national coaches ranking, a first for the program. The men’s basketball team won its third MAC Championship in the past four years.
UB softball lost both games in a doubleheader against the Bowling Green Falcons on Friday. The Bulls were unable to find success at the mound and the plate as Bowling Green outscored UB a combined 18-4 in the two games at Nan Harvey Field.
The UB softball team took home two wins against Akron on April 3, but senior infielder Nicolette Jacobs also took home a ring. Billy Kerner, Jacobs’ boyfriend, proposed at Nan Harvey Field after the Bulls’ doubleheader against the Zips.
Roberts, a New Zealand native, took over the position on Aug. 17 to lead a completely new coaching staff. Many players began training for next season before Roberts was announced as the new head coach. Almost immediately, Roberts worked on improving team culture.
The women’s tennis team is running through the Mid-American Conference. The Bulls, who have been undefeated since February, won their past ten matches and have a perfect 6-0 record in the MAC. Head coach Kristen Maines said their success isn’t surprising.
UB men’s tennis won back-to-back matches against Mid-American Conference opponents this weekend.
March was an eventful month for UB Athletics. It saw the conclusion of two of the most historic basketball seasons in school history.
The men's basketball team is coming off the best season in program history. It recorded more wins than any Buffalo team in history with 27, and secured the school’s first NCAA Tournament game victory when they beat the Arizona Wildcats 89-68. The Bulls enter the offseason preparing to exceed this past year’s success and claim a fourth Mid-American Conference title in five years.
UB Athletics had a budget of roughly $35.9 million in 2017, according to the NCAA Membership Financial Report The Spectrum received on March 22.
Dr. Edmond J. Gicewicz, a former athlete and team physician, was known for his dedication and care toward thousands of athletes at UB. Gicewicz, who passed away at 89 years old on March 28, was involved in the UB community since the late 1940s.
Men’s Basketball (27-9, 15-3 MAC) The Bulls’ Cinderella run concluded on Saturday, March 17 with a 95-75 loss to the Kentucky Wildcats (26-11, 10-8 Southeastern Conference) during the second round of the NCAA tournament.
2018 saw the women’s basketball team call the program’s greatest season to a close.
An exciting NCAA basketball season is less than a week away from wrapping up. The Final Four will take place in San Antonio, Texas this weekend to determine the national champion.
The Bulls (11-14, 3-0 Mid-American Conference) will travel to DeKalb, Illinois this weekend to compete in a three-game series against the Northern Illinois Huskies (10-20, 1-2 MAC). This is their second series against a MAC opponent this season, after sweeping the Eastern Michigan Eagles (4-22, 0-3 MAC) last weekend. The Bulls head in with 11 wins this season.
The no.11 Bulls lost 79-63 to the no.2 South Carolina Gamecocks in the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA Tournament at the Times Union Center in Albany, New York Saturday.
Solutions by The State News
