Bulls in the NCAA Tournament

March tends to be a time of year when fans from all over turn their attention to the NCAA National Stage. Every team of Bulls has had their eye on that NCAA bid the entire year; many upperclassmen have had their focus fixed on it for much longer. The satisfaction that comes with an NCAA bid is incredible. To reach that level of elite, individuals and teams give countless hours in and out of practice. They must keep their head clear and remain positive despite crazy setbacks or horrible workouts. If they fall short (as any great athlete has at some point), they have to shake it off and give more the next time. Everything must be scrutinized - sleep schedule, eating habits, effort given at practice, recovery. At the collegiate level, there is the added challenge of putting forth massive amounts of effort in classes to maintain superior grades. Despite this, every team this year thus far has had a legitimate shot at winning the MAC Title, and several individuals and teams had bigger fish to fry.

In what has been attributed to incredible teamwork and unity, the Women's Soccer Team blew away their competition this past season. They stepped up majorly from last year, motivating each other to stay focused and put in the work required to be one of the top teams in the nation. Through their determination and dedication, they were able to claim the title of MAC Champions, the first team to do so this year. This win earned them their first trip to NCAA's in school history, where they battled through chilly temperatures, although they ultimately lost to the Nittany Lions. Regardless, being on a stage like that is extremely impressive, and gets The State University of New York at Buffalo lots of national attention.

On the individual side of things, Mike Morgan and Jon Jones of UB's Men's Track and Field Team dominated at the Indoor Track and Field NCAA Championships earlier this month. Jones and Morgan are both All-Americans, and this was the third straight indoor appearance for Jon and the second straight for Mike. Jones competed in the Shot Put while Morgan tackled the Heptathlon. They are not new to the elite circle, but their performances this year were stunning. Both athletes finished third in the NCAA, and in the process both shattered their own school records as well as the MAC records. Their combined points put UB Men's Track and Field in 15th place at the conclusion of NCAA competition. This is the highest finish in program history at Nationals for UB.

At about the same time that Track and Field was making history at NCAA's, Men's Basketball won their first MAC Championship title and earned a bid to the NCAA March Madness Tournament, the first time in program history. Although they were eliminated in the first round, it is a milestone and a promise of what is to come in the near future.

Within the MAC, every athletic program at The State University of New York at Buffalo is more competitive than ever. More MAC Championship rings are being placed on the hands of UB athletes, and on the national stage, there is a noticeable presence of our blue and white. Be sure to look around at the successful athletes we have walking through Alumni Arena every day, and let them inspire you and your team to be the next MAC Champions and the newest NCAA competitors. Go Bulls!

To hear more about all of our incredible athletes here, "Like" Bulls Pride on Facebook, and please "Follow" @UB_BullsPride on Instagram and Twitter!

Men's Tennis Travels Towards Championship Titles

All of the University at Buffalo's sports teams have been extremely successful this year. Men's Basketball won the MAC East this past weekend in front of a sell-out crowd. However, many of our teams are earning quieter victories with hopes of "making some noise in the NCAA tournament" in a short time. UB's Men's Tennis team may have a smaller roster of just ten men, but each one is chock full of talent and fired up to win. They have played 3 ranked opponents in Dartmouth, UFC, and Princeton, giving each a true test.The men reported that the match against Princeton has proved the most excited. In the NCAA, the top 75 teams are ranked, and Princeton was sitting in the 23rd spot. In a match that went back and forth, in and out of UB's favor, they found themselves down 3-1. They had to win all 3 of the remaining matches to win overall. They won the first two, and it came down to the very last match. Although they were edged out and lost 4-3, their spectacular level of play against one of the nation's top teams makes them believe that they truly have a shot at winning the MAC Tournament and advancing well into the NCAA Tournament. From the beginning of this season, UB's Men have been the MAC favorite, and as the season winds down this holds true. 

Tennis is a sport that is not often fully understood by those who have not often been exposed to it. For example, we may see professional tennis on TV and believe that college matches also demand spectators to be quiet. Apparently, though, "the louder the better" at our Men's Tennis matches. These extremely competitive men are sure to get you on your feet at matches, too. Although their facility is not on campus, it is worth the short drive to watch them compete in both singles and doubles. We've had members of the team as MAC Singles Player of the Week several times, and they are, again, front-runners in the MAC Tournament. With all of this success, they still manage a stellar GPA, although they admit that time management is one of the hardest aspects of their lives as student-athletes. For most matches, they have to drive about 6-9 hours one way, totaling weekend travel times of about 12-18 hours. Also, they have to commute daily to reach their tennis practice facilities, which eats up a large portion of their day. Regardless, these men love what they do and you can see their passion in their play. They excel as a sports program, and encourage everyone and anyone to come support them on their road to becoming  MAC Champions as they compete at home for their final time this season on April 17th and April 19th. Make the drive (as they so frequently do); they'll make it worth your while!

To hear about the Men's Tennis Team's fantastic season, and to hear about our other State University of New York at Buffalo sports teams, "Like" the Bulls Pride page on Facebook and be sure to "Follow" @UB_BullsPride on Twitter and Instagram! 

Athletes for Athletes Makes the World Go Round

Here at The State University of New York at Buffalo, we try to develop well-rounded student-athletes. We have a Student Athlete Advisory Committee that helps to teach and develop leadership through community service, academic achievements, athletic achievements, and AFA’s. The last one, AFA’s, stands for Athlete For Athlete events. Every sports team here is composed of extremely hard-working, ambitious athletes who deserve to be recognized and cheered for by their peers. In order to encourage a united, supportive athletics department, we choose one athletic contest per team in which we give the teams not competing that day “points” for attending, making posters and visual displays, and cheering like crazy. When our student-athletes attend these events, they often discover that a sport they hadn’t given much thought to before is actually extremely exciting! We have an AFA this Friday at 7 p.m., one that seems to draw one of our biggest AFA crowds each year. This weekend, we get to watch Men’s Basketball take on Bowling Green in their last game of the regular season.

If people haven’t seen these men compete all season, they have truly been missing out. Many of the team members have been gaining plenty of press, with Shannon Evans being recognized as MAC East Player of the Week multiple times, and Justin Moss being one of only 16 Division One athletes named as a candidate for the first-ever Karl Malone Award, presented to the top power forward in the nation. Moss also made Lou Henson’s Mid-Season Watch list due to his continuously outstanding performances this season. The whole team has proven strong against teams like Kentucky and Wisconsin, and thrive in the high pressure games. A big crowd, then, on Friday will contribute to a Bulls dominant game.

Friday, this stellar group of men rock Alumni Arena just one more time for this regular season. As all of their games have, this one is guaranteed to bring fans to their feet through UB’s electrifying style of play. This AFA is a great one, because it is high energy and an easy sport for which to cheer. We hope to see lots of student athletes, students, and fans at Alumni Arena at 7 p.m. to cheer our men on to victory!

For more information about our Men’s Basketball Team and all of our other sports programs at UB, “Like” the Bulls Pride page on Facebook, and “Follow” @UB_BullsPride on Instagram and Twitter!