Buffalo Bulls
| Buffalo Bulls | |
|---|---|
| Logo | |
| University | University at Buffalo |
| Conference | Mid-American Conference |
| Division | Division I |
| Athletic director | Warde Manuel |
| Location | Buffalo, New York |
| Football stadium | UB Stadium |
| Arena | Alumni Arena |
| Baseball stadium | Amherst Audubon Field |
| Mascot | Victor E. Bull |
| Nickname | Bulls |
| Fight song | Victory March Fight Song |
| Colors | Blue and White |
| Website | www |
The Buffalo Bulls are the athletic teams representing the University at Buffalo in intercollegiate athletics. The Bulls currently play in Division I (Division I FBS in football), and are a member of the Mid-American Conference for all sports except women's rowing who is in the Cononial Athletic Assocition ( CAA). They have been a member of the Mid-American Conference since 1996. The Buffalo Bulls field men's and women's athletic 11 teams in sports.
The Bulls were notable for being the only Division I FBS athletic program with a minority Athletic Director (Warde Manuel), Head Football Coach (Turner Gill), and Head Men's Basketball Coach (Reggie Witherspoon). Gill left Buffalo to take the head coaching position at Kansas on Dec. 13, 2009. Now, the head football coach is Jeff Quinn.
Men's sports
Football
The Buffalo Bulls football team is a relatively new member of the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, having joined in 1999. Despite its brief history and disappointing recent performances in the Football Bowl Subdivision, the Bulls football program has a rich tradition, which it is now returning to. In 2008 the Buffalo Bulls routed the previously ranked and unbeaten Ball State Cardinals 42-24, capturing their first Mid-American Conference Championship. In the game two fumbles were returned for touchdowns. The final game of the 2008-2009 campaign was against the University of Connecticut in the 2009 International Bowl on January 3, 2009 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario. In that game, the Bulls would go on to lose to UConn by a score of 38-20.
Notable former players who played (or play) in the NFL include:
- John Stofa
- Ed Ellis
- Ramon Guzman
- Drew Haddad
- Gerry Philbin
- Jamey Richard
- Chad Upshaw
- Trevor Scott
- James Starks
- Naaman Roosevelt
- Drew Willy
- Mike Newton
- Josh Thomas
Men's basketball
The Buffalo Bulls men's basketball team has been a member of Division I the mid 1990s after dropping to the Division III level for the 1977-1978 season, spending time in the Mid-Continent Conference before moving to the Mid-American Conference in 1999.
After several years of mediocrity, the Bulls had their most memorable season in their 2004-2005 campaign. Led by senior guard Turner Battle,( who is now Bulls assiant head coach) the Bulls went on an improbable run to the Mid-American Conference Championship, beating Western Michigan in the semi-finals at the Gund Arena in Cleveland. In the MAC final, despite leading by 17 at the half, the Bulls lost in overtime to Ohio University on a tip-in by Leon Williams with 0.5 seconds remaining. Thus, the Bulls failed to clinch the automatic bid to the 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, and were not selected by the selection committee on Selection Sunday, they then went to the NIT.Also, in 2008 the men's basketball team , that included Greg Gamble, Andy Robinson, Rondey Pierce, Calvin Betts, Mitchell Watt, Titus Robinson, John Boyer, Byron Mulkey, Brain Addison, Max Boudreau, Jawann Alston,Sean Smiley, Dave Barnett, Adekambi Laleye, and Vadim Fedotov, went into the MAC Championship game but then lost to Akron. The Bulls head coach in his 12th year is Reggie Witherspoon.
Notable Players for played in the NBA:
Sam Pellom with the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks. He also played for the Washington Generals against the Harlem Globetrotters before making it to the NBA.
Soccer
Andrae Clarke, a young standout, has trialed with the Chicago Fire [1], while former goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth signed for the New England Revolution in 2009.[2] Most recently, in 2010, Martin John, a young full back, successfully passed a trial at Cardiff City, earning him a one year contract. He made his debut in a 4 - 1 win over Burton Albion on 11 August 2010.
Other men's sports
The university places teams in several other men's sports, including: baseball, track and field, cross country, tennis, wrestling, and swimming and diving
Women's sports
As for the women's teams, the Bulls feature teams in basketball, track and field, cross country volleyball, softball, soccer, rowing, tennis and swimming and diving.
The UB women's tennis team has made the MAC Championship in each of the last three seasons, finally clinching the MAC Title in 2008, defeating Western Michigan, 4-3. The Bulls went to their first NCAA Tournament where they played eventual NCAA Champion, UCLA.
UB's rowing team has been its most successful over the last three years. The Bulls won the Colonial Athletic Association title in rowing in 2010. The rowing team is UB's only team that does not compete in the Mid-American Conference.
UB's women's basketball coach is Linda Hill-MacDonald, who used to coach in the WNBA with the Cleveland Rockers.
True Blue
As of 2008, the primary student organization who supports UB athletics is True Blue (Student Club).[3] The prominent faces of the club is a group of at least ten students who paint themselves to spell out "GO BULLS" for every home football game and selected basketball games for both men and women. They are loud every game.
Marching band
The Thunder of the East is the student marching band.
Fight Songs
Victory March Fight, Fight for Buffalo
Be proud to fight for our dear Blue and White
So, thunder through, Go Blue!
Give a cheer, never fear!
Don't stop 'til we have won!
Cheer, cheer for Buffalo
Our spirit will be with you 'till the end
So show your colors proud and true
For the glory of our dear Buffalo!
References
External links
- UBFan.com - Unofficial UB Athletics Fan Forum
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