Championship Season!

As winter sports are nearing an end (although our winter weather seems infinite), championship season is upon us again. This is a time of quiet anticipation, of mounting excitement mingled with nervous energy. This weekend, three teams will give their all in the MAC Championships. The Women's Track and Field Team, the Women's Swimming and Diving Team, and the Men's Track and Field Team compete for those prized MAC medals. The following weekend, the Men's Swimming and Diving Team gets their chance to shine in the Championship Meet. These four teams are fairly unique in the way their championship competitions are set up. Each individual competes to be the top competitor in their event, but the success of the individual leads to the success of the team. Similarly, the support, confidence, and encouragement of the team is essential for the individual success of team members. There are all-out sprint races and long distance races that require crazy endurance. Additionally, track has field events and throws that require strength and skills that have taken years of precise development and dedication to get them to this elite level. The divers of the Swimming and Diving Teams spend hours outside of practice conditioning, then spend even more time on the boards throwing themselves gracefully, fearlessly into the water. This is the culmination of months and years of dedication and discipline. In these sports, incredible physical fitness is essential; however, many people underestimate the mental strength which is required to be successful in these sports. The impact of cheering crowds, well-wishers words of encouragement, and team spirit can play a huge role. I am certain that these teams will return with countless MAC medalists and champions, and convinced that these teams have an excellent shot at bringing home MAC Champion Team titles. I hope you're as excited as I am to hear about the culmination of the hard-work of these athletes. Let's go, Bulls!

To hear all about the champions that emerge over the next few weekends, "Follow" @UB_BullsPride on Twitter and Instagram and "Like" the Bulls Pride page on Facebook! Thank you all for your continued support of our athletic teams!

Celebrating Women in Sports

This Wednesday, The State University of New York at Buffalo will celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day for the 25th year. Because of this, we turn our attention this week towards the progress made by females in sports and the change that is still to come. As a Division One female athlete, I believe this day is a cause for celebration and planning for continued progress. Title IX has allowed females so much more freedom in the athletic world, but like any major systemic change, it has not elevated us to a level equal to that of our male counterparts. Despite Title IX being passed into law in June of 1972, some major changes in the athletic community have only been enacted in recent years.

In honor of our progress, and in order to ensure we continue to move in the proper direction, I did some research on statistics comparing several aspects of female and male athletics. One winning statistic for female athletes is that the gap in scholarships received by males and females is closing. According to the Women’s Sports Foundation website, collegiate women receive 45% of athletic scholarships while males receive 55%. Although the ladies competing in college are beginning to earn what they deserve, some collegiate women are not earning nearly as much as men in the same field. Female coaches across the country make much less than coaches of the opposite gender. Although they work just as hard, their efforts are not always rewarded financially. On average, a male head coach of an NCAA Division I-A team will earn $932,700 more than a female head coach. Knowing these numbers, it is important to reflect upon this and work to make sure the women who lead and inspire us are not slighted due to their gender.

It’s not just sports on the collegiate level that are taking a while to change, despite years of efforts from hard-working women. As far as professional sports go, Wimbledon began offering equal prize money to  both genders just 8 years ago! Despite some remaining injustices, women in sports revel in the victories in equality that we have earned. Female in athletics are optimistic that positive change will continue. The Women’s Sports Foundation recommends attending women’s sporting events, supporting companies that advocate for women, encouraging young ladies to participate in sports, and becoming an advocate yourself in order to to facilitate this change. Women in sports have made great strides, and we at The State University of New York at Buffalo immensely appreciate those who have and continue to work for this change. Being competitive athletes, though, we believe that there is always room for improvement and are willing to work to continue to the change that our predecessors have begun for us.

Hear all about our awesome female athletes and coaches, as well as our male counterparts, by "Liking" Bulls Pride on Facebook and "Following" @UB_BullsPride on Instagram and Twitter!

Women's Basketball isn't Playing Games

Anyone looking through the University at Buffalo’s Women’s Basketball roster can observe that the team has an abundance of underclassman players. Upon interviewing the ladies this week, I became aware that this youthfulness should not be mistaken as a disadvantage. So much of sports is mental, and the determination that each of this team’s players possesses is striking. When discussing their chances of winning the MAC Tournament, there is neither hesitation nor doubt. “We WILL win a MAC Championship this season,” one upperclassman declared. Other teammates wholeheartedly agree, and they share that their strong resolve is, in part, a result of head coach Felisha Legette-Jack’s possession of this quality. The women discussed the incredible closeness they feel as a team, and note that the entire coaching staff ensures that each player works to get the best from both herself and the team. Special events, such as an early season trip to Miami to compete in non-conference games, has helped build and solidify a bond that is crucial among championship winning teams. As Coach Legette-Jack is quoted to have said earlier this season, “We have faced adversity this season, but we've decided that we want to own our own power.” And what a powerful team it is. While many players are new to the collegiate student-athlete life, the upperclassmen that lead the team are some of the best players to pass through this athletic program. Only 22 women in school history have joined the prestigious 1,000 Point Club, two of whom are currently on the roster. Mackenzie Loesing is only the fifth ever University at Buffalo female to earn a spot in the 1,000 Point Club in her junior year. With such accomplished upperclassmen blending with an incredibly talented group of underclassman, their certainty that a championship win is in store this season is not surprising.

Not only do these ladies talk seriously about their sport, but they are equally passionate in other areas of their lives. They say that the “ball is life” stigma associated with basketball players is simply untrue. In fact, one player shared that the Women’s Basketball Team actually worked their way into the top GPA spot among the University at Buffalo sports programs this past semester, with ten of their athletes earning a 3.0 or higher. This is fantastic in and of itself, but with many of their young players adjusting to the incredible rigor of being a Division 1 student-athlete, as well as several international team members adjusting to a brand new country, this feat speaks volumes about the dedication of these women in each dominion of their lives. The amazingly positive and focused attitudes of the Women’s Basketball Team, along with incredible work ethics and talent, is of the caliber seen in championship winning programs. If they aren’t already, the other MAC teams should be nervous to face our Women’s Basketball Bulls. If one thing is clear, it is that these ladies don’t play games, they compete to win.

To hear all the latest news on UB’s Women’s Basketball Team, as well as all of our other Championship Caliber teams, “Like” UB Bulls Pride on Facebook, and “Follow” @UB_BullsPride on Instagram and Twitter.