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.

The Breakfast of Champions is Actually Swim Practice

At this time of year, many friends and teams opt to participate in a “Secret Santa” gift exchange. The State University of New York at Buffalo’s Women’s Swimming and Diving team don’t do this, though, because they’ve already been doing a “Secret Sister” since the beginning of the year. This fun and supportive exchange amongst teammates will continue until the MAC Championship Meet, when the identity of their “sister” is revealed. At the beginning of each year, team member draw the name of another teammate from a hat. This name becomes their year-long “project”. Before meets, they can make their “secret sister” posters, buy them small gifts, or get more creative in order to motivate them through the often weekend-long meets. “It's just a fun way to get excited for meets and it's a good way to learn new things about our teammates,” shares a senior member of the team.  In addition to this fun tradition, these athletes draw focus and motivation from each other each day at practice, even if they don’t have much time to chat during their sets. From fall until March, these ladies are focused on giving their best every day, which starts on their “rough double days” with an alarm at approximately 5:30 a.m. so they can be in the water ready to swim at 6. Classes and school work follow, and then they proceed to dry land practice for a half an hour, concluding with a two hour swim to end their physical training for the day. Despite the physical fatigue that such long days brings, the women describe their long season as “great” because it leaves them plenty of time to prepare for MAC Championships.

The work is undoubtedly difficult, but these women see results from their physical labors, describing the highlights of their season as being some of their toughest meets. After the Snowvember storm, the women arrived to their meet in Cleveland after missing a day of competition. Despite this, the women share that “the coaches did a great job of preparing [them] and staying calm,” so the team was able to give many season best times and a handful of lifetime best performances. They also attribute much of their success to the influence of their captains, who “guide them to be better in and out of the pool.”   Such quality leadership is what helped these swimmers and divers at an invitational earlier this season to defeat Akron, the reigning MAC Champions from last year. They share, “it came down to the last relay so the whole meet was close,” but the Bulls stayed strong and came out on top. The early season success has this team, and its fans, optimistic and excited. “The hardest training of the season is coming up soon,” reports one swimmer. “As long as we keep up the training we’ve been doing, we definitely have a shot at the MAC title this year.” This talented and focused group of women has a very special team this year, and everyone is excited to see what they can do with the second half of their season!

To continue following the Women’s Swimming and Diving Team in their quest for a MAC title, and to hear about our other talented teams, Like the Bulls Pride Facebook Page. Also, be sure to Follow @UB_BullsPride on both Instagram and Twitter.

Aqua Bulls Make The Pool Their Stomping Ground

If you’ve been to a UB athletics event, it’s more than likely that you have seen and heard the Men’s Swimming and Diving Team. This group of men has a ton of school spirit, and they make their presence known both in the water and on dry land. One team member discussed the team’s involvement in AFA’s and support of other teams, saying that as a “low attendance sport” they understand how helpful it can be to see other students in the crowd. They are almost always in attendance to support other teams, and beyond that, they are vocal at the events. At the Volleyball AFA, the boys wore grass skirts to honor the Hawaiian theme and then painted their chests. There was so much interest in participating that, one swimmer jokes, “we had to add a couple exclamation points at the end.” The participation in both AFA’s and community service are attributed to strong leadership. “Our captains and SAAC reps help to motivate us,” the team shared, which is so necessary when a team has the crazy schedule that Swimming and Diving does. The majority of their week day mornings are started in the icy pool water at their six a.m. practices. Later in the day, the team is back in the pool for their second practice of the day, and in between those two they have weight room sessions. Their competition season begins when they arrive for the fall semester and they compete until the MAC Competition in March. One of the athletes shared that, although they are technically “off” from March through the summer, it is “almost impossible to improve without year-long preparation.”

It’s obvious that these men have not failed to prepare year-round. Although a slow start to a meet led the Bulls to fall in the tri-team competition against both Army and Michigan State, the swimmers and divers did not adopt a defeated attitude. Instead, they came in strong at their meet against McMaster’s University, winning almost every event. The positive, confident, competitive attitude that each team member exhibited that day gives hope to all the men on the roster. They are already looking forward to MACs in the spring, with their sights set on Missouri State, who won the Conference last year. Their most recent meet in Cleveland was another dominant performance, showing the potential that these athletes have to place first come March. Although a snowstorm set them back a day, the Bulls went in, again, with their champion mindset and had numerous top ten program times and meet records. Swimming and Diving requires a lot of mental and physical strength, and it can be difficult to stay focused and motivated over such a long training season. The men of UB’s Swimming and Diving team have done a phenomenal job of keeping each other optimistic and training hard, and the results are evident in the water. With such fantastic performances in the first half of their season, it’s difficult to imagine our Aqua Bulls leaving the MAC Conference Meet without lots of gold hanging from their necks.

To stay up-to-date on the successes of the Men’s Swimming and Diving Team, and to hear all about our other athletic programs, Like the Bulls Pride page on Facebook and Follow @UB_BullsPride on Instagram.

Leadership Leads To Championships

In this new era of UB Athletics, we are seeing a large focus of energy on striving to reach the next level of success as athletes. This year, our fall sports have all stepped up to accomplish new feats, and the Volleyball team overcame adversity to accomplish some remarkable successes. From their impressive pre-season wins of both the USF and UIC tournaments to their trip to the MAC Tournament, these ladies were relentless all season long. One of the biggest challenges that the Volleyball Team faced this season was its youth. Although these young players are indisputably talented, “down the stretch of games we had some situations where experienced players had the upper hand,” adding a challenge at the end of what are already extremely difficult matches. The transition to a college sport is a hard one, especially when the team refers to their athlete status as a full time job. They say the time commitment becomes much more than what their coach requires of them. The little things they do on their own to remain one of the most competitive teams in the Conference add up, and “you can't just turn your brain off when the game or practice is over”. As a freshman at a Division 1 level, this can be overwhelming.

To counter this disadvantage, the older ladies on the team have had to step up their leadership roles. This means more responsibility, but it also affords the seasoned veterans a chance to shape mature, savvy, successful competitors that will represent UB for the next three years. The captains take this job seriously, focusing on being positive and thus spreading positivity both on and off the court. Their leadership seems to have helped the younger players, who they say have done an excellent job of “stepping up and working hard in their roles”. There is no doubt this is true, since the team competed this past weekend in the MAC Tournament. None of the girls on the team had ever been before, so, despite having to leave a day early in order to ensure a timely arrival due to weather, these girls were thrilled to have the experience. These athletes are “starting a tradition of going every year and competing,” which makes the team very proud. Their competitive and exciting play has drawn larger and larger numbers of student athletes to games over the past few years, one team member has noticed. This year’s Volleyball team boasts higher attendance, elevated success on the court, a phenomenal coach, motivated leaders, and talented players. When you take all of these factors into consideration, it is no wonder the team is one of the best in school history. It has been exciting watching this team work to raise themselves to a new level this year, and the leadership is undoubtedly going to lead to championships.

To learn more about the Volleyball team’s season, or to hear about our other athletic team successes, Like the Bulls Pride page on Facebook. Also, Follow @UB_BullsPride on Twitter and Instagram. 

Balancing Books and Breaking Records

All student athletes understand that competing for a Division One team will not be easy, and each sport entails unique challenges. Being a member of one of the most recognized teams on campus carries with it several obstacles of its own. A few of Buffalo’s football players discussed the toughest aspects of wearing their uniform, as well as the parts that make the sport worth every minute. “Being in the spot light, there is a lot of pressure. You have a lot of people looking up to you, so we have to work really hard every day to make sure we are good role models,” says one player. Their practices are right in the middle of the day, making it difficult to schedule classes. “We have to either do classes really early or really late,” they reported, since the middle part of their day is spent reviewing film, going over the playbook, in the weight room, and out on the field. They do balance their school work, but admit that it is extremely difficult. At this point in the school year, there is a lot of studying and work to be done, and they have several mid-week games. Missing classes, especially this late in the semester, can be stressful. They shared, too, that there is an added pressure to maintain both academic and athletic excellence since “pretty much everything we do is visible to everyone and talked about”.  As football players, these guys are not only working towards excellence, but also battling the “student-athlete stigma”. One player shares that people tend to judge him before getting to know him, sometimes perceiving him as arrogant or disinterested when really, he is just exhausted from his taxing sport.  

All of the football players agreed that they are one of the most active teams in the community. These men spend a great deal of time in Buffalo’s schools, speaking with young kids about the discipline it takes to secure a roster spot. They encourage these youth to work hard and stay on the “right” path. They’ve worked hard and earned everything they’ve received, and they hope to pass that attitude along to the future of their sport. Many of these college athletes had the opportunity to hear from collegiate players when they were young, and they say the motivation and inspiration gained from the experience still helps to drive them today. The valuable insight that was passed on to our current football players was “incredibly helpful” in keeping them working hard over the years, they share, and so they think of it as their responsibility to give back in the same way. This combination of community service, athletic drive, and academic discipline makes the members of this team some of the best-rounded on campus and drives their success.  Just this past week, quarterback Joe Licata broke the record for most career touchdown passes, and the team recorded its most points scored against a MAC opponent since its entry into the Conference 15 years ago. The men on this team are extremely talented and, although they close their season on Wednesday, they are optimistic about their future. With the fantastic mindset and focus each interviewed player displayed this week, along with the talent of these players, we can’t help but be optimistic as well.

To keep up with this team in the off season, and to stay up-to-date on our other teams, like our Bulls Pride page on Facebook and follow @UB_BullsPride on Instagram and Twitter.