Sports - The Spectrum

The men's basketball team poses with its MAC Tournament Championship trophy after defeating Central Michigan in the title game on March 14 in Cleveland, Ohio. The MAC announced changes to the tournament on Thursday, including eliminating the triple-bye to the semifinal which Buffalo received last season.

SPORTS

MAC changes men’s and women’s basketball tournament formats

By Tom Dinki | May 28, 2015

The MAC has changed its men's and women's basketball tournament formats.

Freshman pitcher Charlotte Miller appears on The Price is Right alongside host Drew Carey in a taping of the show from March that aired this past Friday.

SPORTS

Charlotte Miller, come on down: UB softball pitcher appears on The Price is Right

By Jordan Grossman | May 24, 2015

The softball team attended a taping of The Price is Right on March 16 and the episode aired nationally this past Friday on CBS. Miller advanced to the championship round – the “Showcase Showdown.”

Senior Damien David (pictured) and the men's tennis team fell to Ohio State 4-0 in Buffalo's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.

SPORTS

UB men’s tennis drops first-ever NCAA Tournament match

By MICHAEL AKELSON | May 10, 2015

The Bulls fell 4-0 to Ohio State in their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.

Sophomore defenseman Nick Forrester of New Zealand attempts a slide tackle. He will join the Bulls for the start of the 2015 season.

SPORTS

UB men's soccer adds two international recruits for 2015 season

By QUENTIN HAYNES | May 7, 2015

UB Athletics announced two new additions to the men’s soccer teams’ 2015 recruiting class in forward Pablo Fernandez-Paniagua Juez of Spain and defender Nick Forrester of New Zealand on Wednesday.

Shannon Evans celebrates during Buffalo's 67-62 victory over Akron on on Feb. 24.

OPINION

Shannon Evans writes good-bye letter to UB

May 6, 2015

It is with a very heavy heart that I say goodbye to the college that I have grown to know and love for the past two years. It was one of the hardest decisions of my life, but I have chosen to transfer to Arizona State to play basketball and reunite with my mentor and father figure, Coach Bobby Hurley.

Senior Curtiss takes a look at the softball field one last time. Curtiss will graduate as UB's all-time leader in hits.

SPORTS

UB softball's Alexis Curtiss begins the next chapter of her life

By MICHAEL AKELSON | May 5, 2015

Eleven-year-old Alexis Curtiss was “the featured presentation” on her prestigious, county championship-winning baseball team, according to her former teammate Callan McClurg.

Sophomore Alexus Malone prepares to shoot a free throw. Malone averaged 10.5 points and 7.7 rebounds in 32 games for the Bulls last season.

SPORTS

Alexus Malone transfers to Louisiana Tech

By Jordan Grossman | May 5, 2015

The women’s basketball team lost its top-two scorers from this past season due to injury and graduation. Now the team has lost its third-leading scorer due to a transfer. Sophomore forward Alexus Malone announced on Friday she is transferring to Louisiana Tech – ending her two-year stint with the Bulls.

Junior Ike Onwukanjo looks on at UB Stadium. Onwukanjo will play with the Nigerian Rugby Football Federation next spring and summer as it tries to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.

SPORTS

UB rugby player Ike Onwukanjo to compete with the Nigerian national team for 2016 Olympics

By ANDREA WEIDEL | May 5, 2015

Onwukanjo, a right wing and center for the UB rugby team and a junior social sciences interdisciplinary major, will play with the Nigerian Rugby Football Federation next spring and summer as it tries to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil. The New York native, who has dual citizenship between the two countries, is looking forward to traveling and playing with his parent’s native country.

Pablo Alvarez was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2015 Mid-American Conference Tournament and named All-MAC second team last week.

SPORTS

Redemption: Pablo Alvarez leads Buffalo men's tennis to NCAA Tournament

By QUENTIN HAYNES | May 3, 2015

Junior and men's tennis player Pablo Alvarez defeated Binghamton’s Robert Lesage in the MAC Championship match and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player to help Buffalo claim it’s first-ever MAC Championship. Now he’ll help lead the Bulls into the NCAA Tournament next weekend against Ohio State.

Kristjan Sokoli (90) setting up on the defensive line before the snap. Sokoli was drafted in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL draft by the Seattle Seahawks and is transitioning to playing center.

SPORTS

Kristjan Sokoli drafted in sixth round of NFL Draft by Seattle Seahawks

By QUENTIN HAYNES | May 3, 2015

Former Buffalo football team defensive lineman Kristjan Sokoli was selected 214th overall in the sixth round of the NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday. Sokoli played with Buffalo from 2011-14 and finished his career as a Bull with 95 tackles, 15 tackles for losses and 4.5 sacks.

An artist's rendering of the inside of the newly named Edmond J. Gicewicz Club in UB Stadium, that will include premium seating, food and beverage access and televisions throughout the venue.

SPORTS

‘West Club’ to open in UB Stadium

By QUENTIN HAYNES | Apr. 30, 2015

UB Athletics recently announced the West Club, which is planned to open in August in time for the start of the Bulls’ season. The 400-seat section on the west side of the stadium will include an enclosed club private concourse, outside club seating, food and beverage service, private elevator access, premium parking and personalized seating.

Junior guard Mackenzie Loesing celebrates with teammates after a win.

SPORTS

Mackenzie Loesing to sit out senior year, ending her UB career

By Jordan Grossman | Apr. 29, 2015

Loesing was granted medical disqualification due to a recurring ankle injury and will sit her senior season, ending her three-year career at Buffalo.

SPORTS

UB men's tennis to play Ohio State in first NCAA Tournament appearance

By Jordan Grossman | Apr. 29, 2015

Jason Shkodnik, a former Buffalo player and current assistant coach of the men’s tennis team, said he came back to coach the Bulls because he wanted to make history. Last year, Shkodnik sat stoic and silent as a senior on the bus ride home after losing to Ball State in the Mid-American Conference Championship match, 4-3, in what players called “heartbreaking” fashion.

The UB football team runs out of the tunnel of the UB Stadium. The gap between the schools in the Power Five conferences and Mid-Majors like UB seems to be widening, raising the question if it is worth is for schools to have Division I football teams outside of the Power Five.

SPORTS

Moneyball: The cost of Division I football at UB

By OWEN O'BRIEN | Apr. 28, 2015

UB isn’t making a profit of its football team, and that’s not abnormal for Mid-Major conferences. So is it worth it for universities? The answer isn’t clear.

Sophomore Brandon Berry, a defensive back, is blitzing at the defensive line. Lance Leipold’s 4-3 system allows for plays like this and will start with the four front linemen, most of whom will be new to the position.

SPORTS

Buffalo looks to get after the quarterback with a revised four-man front

By QUENTIN HAYNES | Apr. 28, 2015

With the departure of seniors Tedroy Lynch, Dalton Barksdale and Kristjan Sokoli on the line, the coaching staff will rely on a conglomerate of younger players and experienced players who will assume larger roles to man the defensive line.

Junior outfielder Mike Abrunzo makes contact with a pitch. Abrunzo and the baseball team were defeated by Canisius and were swept by Western Michigan to extend their losing streak to six games.

SPORTS

Quick Hits: Men’s tennis wins first-ever championship, women lose in quarterfinals

By Sports Desk | Apr. 27, 2015

Recapping the week in UB Athletics.

Phil Zickl has continued playing semipro football into his fifties. Now he's has a new goal - starting his own business as a personal trainer and educator that will give him enough money to support a living and start a scholarship fund. He calls in 'Phyzical Phitness.'

SPORTS

A Phyzical life: Former UB football player Phil Zickl has played semipro into his fifties but now he has a new goal

By Tom Dinki | Apr. 27, 2015

Phil Zickl has continued playing semipro football into his fifties after overcoming his disabilities as a child. Now he has a new goal: he wants to spread to others the knowledge he's acquired as a football player, coach, trainer and educator and start a charity. He calls it 'Physical Phitness.'

The men's tennis team won the program's first MAC Championship Saturday with a 4-2 win over Binghamton.

SPORTS

UB men’s tennis claims first-ever MAC Championship

By QUENTIN HAYNES | Apr. 25, 2015

The Bulls (12-10, 2-3 MAC) are going to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history after defeating Binghamton (8-16, 3-2 MAC) 4-2 at Northern Illinois’ Vaughn Tennis Center in DeKalb, Illinois in the MAC Championship match.

Shannon Evans and former head coach Bobby Hurley embrace after Buffalo's 77-75 win over Bowling Green in Alumni Arena on March 6. Evans announced on Friday that he will be transferring to Arizona State.

SPORTS

UB guard Shannon Evans transfers to Arizona State

By QUENTIN HAYNES | Apr. 24, 2015

Evans announced on Friday that he will transfer to Arizona State, a move that reunites him with former Bulls head coach Bobby Hurley.

Shane Patterson looks to get the crowd excited during a UB basketball home game. The junior communication major is in the process of trying to walk on to the football team as a wide receiver while spreading his positive energy around campus.

SPORTS

UB True Blue member Shane Patterson looks to spread positive energy as football walk-on

By JAMES BATTLE | Apr. 23, 2015

Shane Patterson, a current member of True Blue and former volunteer football manager, has been training with the hopes of becoming a walk-on for the football team. He hopes he can spread energy to the team as a player the same way he has as a fan.