The Buffalo News - Colleges http://www.buffalonews.com Latest stories from The Buffalo News en-us Tue, 21 May 2013 22:11:10 -0400 Tue, 21 May 2013 22:11:10 -0400 <![CDATA[ UB falls short of MAC top seed; ECC still in Region III hunt ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130519/SPORTS/130519026/1092
The Bulls (32-22, 19-7) lost in walk-off fashion at Bowling Green on Saturday, 5-4.

The loss, combined with Kent State’s win at Akron means the Golden Flashes (20-7 in MAC) earned the top seed for the conference tournament, which begins Wednesday in Avon, Ohio. UB had a game earlier this season against Akron cancelled, the reason for the uneven number of league games between the two schools. The Bulls will be the No. 2 seed when they play Toledo Wednesday.

• The Erie Community College baseball team won two games on Saturday to remain alive in the Region III Tournament at Veterans Memorial Park in Little Falls.

The Kats beat Onondaga CC, 2-1 and No. 7 Herkimer County CC, 6-3. The Kats (39-19) will play fifth-ranked Niagara County CC at noon today. If they win, the teams will play again at 3:30 p.m. in the double-elimination tournament for the title.

Against Herkimer, Brian Barry (Lake Shore) pitched a five-hitter with eight strikeouts. At the plate he had a home run and double. Barry gave the Kats a 4-3 lead with a solo home run in the fifth inning. The Kats improved to 39-19, tying the school record set in 2005 for most wins in a season.

Against Onondaga, Barry doubled home Vinny Sherman (North Collins) with the winning run in the ninth inning. The Kats rode the four-hit pitching of freshman Michael Schnurr, who improved to 9-0. ]]> Sun, 19 May 2013 00:14:01 -0400 <![CDATA[ Bulls’ 32nd win is single-season record ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130517/SPORTS/130519086/1092
The Bulls earned their 32nd victory, tying the 1980 team for wins in a single season. UB also positioned itself to have a chance at clinching the MAC regular-season title today with a win over Bowling Green. The Bulls (32-21) can also clinch with a Kent State loss at Akron. Kent State trails UB by a half-game in the standings.

Mike Scarcello’s sacrifice fly to center field scored Jon Mestas with the winning run. Mestas led off the 10th with a well-placed soft line drive double to right field that drew three Falcons fielders, including their first and second basemen.

Mestas’ sacrifice fly and Thomas Richards’ RBI single in the eighth gave UB a 3-2 lead but the Falcons tied it in the bottom of the inning.

The MAC Tournament begins Wednesday at All Pro Freight Stadium in Avon, Ohio.

Elsewhere, Canisius will head into the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament on a win, blanking Fairfield, 5-0, at Demske Sports Complex. The Golden Griffins (39-15, 15-9) will be either a No. 2 or 3 seed in the tourney, which starts Thursday at Arm & Hammer Park in Trenton, N.J.

Devon Stewart tossed seven innings of four-hit ball and Jon Fitzsimmons pitched the final two innings for his 10th save. The shutout is Canisius’ sixth of the season. Brett Siddall went 2 for 3 with an RBI for the Griffs, who are two wins shy of matching the program record set in 2008. Christian Segar, Brooklyn Foster and Mike Krische each had one hit, one RBI and one run scored.

In New York City, St. Bonaventure closed the season with a 9-1 rout of Fordham. Senior Jason Radwan (Lake Shore) went 1 for 4 with two runs scored. The second baseman finished with 75 hits – the third highest single-season total in Bona history – and led the Atlantic 10 with a .405 average. ]]> Fri, 17 May 2013 23:43:10 -0400 <![CDATA[ Niagara building back up, signs four new recruits; Bona adds guard ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130517/SPORTS/130519258/1092
New Purple Eagles coach Chris Casey has signed his first round of recruits, adding two guards and two forwards to a Niagara roster hit hard by defections following the departure of longtime head coach Joe Mihalich.

Aaron Bodie, a 6-foot-7 forward out of Newark, N.J., and Dominique Reid, a 6-8 forward from Erial, N.J., are among the four players Casey has brought into the fold. The recruiting class also includes a pair guards, 6-2 Karonn Davis of Philadelphia and 6-4 Emile Blackman of Dix Hills, N.Y. Blackman is transferring in from Casey’s previous coaching stop, LIU Post, and will sit out the coming season. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining.

“We have four solid players coming in,” Casey said. “They’re all going to contribute and they’re all going to be an important part of what we do. Going forward, we’re still going to keep recruiting. We still have scholarships and we’re going to keep working to fill them. We’ll keep evaluating, keep turning over rocks and try to find what we want to add to our team.”

Niagara gets back on the recruiting trail when the NCAA mandated “dead period” concludes after Memorial Day. Casey still has four scholarships at his disposal.

The signings come after perhaps the most tumultuous six weeks in the long history of Niagara basketball. The upheaval commenced when Mihalich left to take the head job at Hofstra and continued as four players – Juan’ya Green, Ameen Tanksley, T.J. Cline and Malcolm Lemmons – all received clearance to transfer from a program that won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular-season championship.

Green, a 1,000-point career scorer and all-MAAC guard, and Tanksley, the team’s leading rebounder, both followed Mihalich to Hofstra. Cline, a member of the MAAC all-freshman team, signed with Richmond. Lemmons, a reserve guard, remains uncommitted.

Bodie and Reid could help fill the gap created by the loss of Tanksley, Cline and last year’s starting center, Devon White. Bodie started three seasons at Newark Eastside High and played last year at Central Jersey Each One Teach One Academy. He averaged 12 points his last two seasons at Newark Eastside.

Reid averaged 20.1 points his junior season at Timber Creek High and is heralded as a an excellent ballhandler who can dribble and shoot with guard-like skill.

“Aaron is very, very athletic,” Casey said. “He’s good in transition, he rebounds the ball well and he’s got some strength to him. We feel as if he can come right in and give us some good minutes defensively and rebounding the ball. And Dominique, same. Dominique is a very physical front-court kid. So we’re looking for him to hopefully contribute right away, too.”

Davis looks like the prized catch of the freshman class, a player with attributes similar to those of the departed Green. He won two Pennsylvania Independent Schools state titles at Friend’s Central High. He averaged 19.2 points and 6.2 rebounds last year and was recruited by a number of mid-major programs.

“He can come in and play both guard spots,” Casey said. “He’s a very physical guard. He’s a strong, tough kid. Can get to the basket. Shoots the ball well enough. Guards different positions. And the most important thing that he does is he competes.”

Blackman, the nephew of Golden State head coach Mark Jackson, came on strong down the stretch of his freshman season at LIU Post. He averaged almost 17 points over the final six games, going 15 of 26 from three-point range during that time.

“He can score and he can score in a variety of ways,” Casey said. “He’s very athletic. He’s very good in transition and he shoots the ball well from the perimeter as you can see by his numbers.”

...

St. Bonaventure announced Thursday that it has signed Jalen Adams.He is a 6-4 guard who averaged 25 points and 13 rebounds his senior season at Arthur Hill High School in Saginaw, Mich.

“In terms of athleticism, Jalen is arguably the most explosive recruit we’ve signed during my tenure,” said Mark Schmidt, Bona’s seventh-year head coach “His vertical leap has been measured at 40 inches. He can slash to the basket, but also has the ability to elevate for highlight dunks. He’s a high-major athlete who needs to continue to develop his skill set. But overall, we’re extremely happy with Jalen’s signing and will be looking to take advantage of his great athleticism.”

The Bonnies previously signed Xavier Smith (6-7, Plano East High School, Texas), Andell Cumberbatch (6-4, Barton Kansas Community College, Kansas), Denzel Gregg (6-7, St. Thomas More Connecticut Prep, Conn.) and Chris Dees (6-8, New Mexico Junior College).



email: bdicesare@buffnews.com ]]> Fri, 17 May 2013 00:29:17 -0400 Bob DiCesare
]]> <![CDATA[ Canisius men land Stetson graduate ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130517/SPORTS/130519259/1092
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Perez, who also played one season at Liberty, has already graduated from Stetson and will be eligible to play immediately. He has one season of eligibility remaining.

Perez is expected to fill the void created by the graduation of Isaac Sosa, the Golden Griffins’ third-leading scorer behind Billy Baron and Harold Washington at 11.6 points a game.

Canisius not only loses both Sosa and Washington but reserve guards Alshwan Hymes and Reggie Groves, who had one season of eligibility remaining but have graduated and will not return to the team.

Also not returning are a pair of freshmen: Guard Jermaine Johnson, who will transfer to a junior college, and forward Tyrel Edwards, who is seeking to attend an NAIA school.

In 31 games including 30 starts, Perez was Stetson’s second-leading scorer at 15.1 points. He shot 48.6 percent from the floor overall and 31.1 percent from three-point range. He also averaged 4.1 rebounds and led the team in steals with 35. ]]> Fri, 17 May 2013 00:28:32 -0400 <![CDATA[ Colleges by Amy Moritz: Depth stirs up winning recipe for Canisius baseball ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130515/SPORTS/130519349/1092
But more than that, depth has allowed for positive internal competition, keeping everyone on his toes lest he lose his spot in the lineup.

And that sharpness is what has helped Canisius to another appearance in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament.

The Griffs still have one regular season conference series left when they host Fairfield at noon on today and Friday. But with a three-game sweep of Niagara last weekend, they have secured their spot in the four-team field along with Rider, Marist and Siena.

It will be their seventh straight year in the MAAC tournament, the longest active streak in the conference.

One of the keys to that success this season has been depth at the plate. Canisius leads the conference in nine offensive categories including batting average (.310), on-base percentage (.416), slugging percentage (.430) and runs per game (7.0).

Consider those numbers come from a lineup where 11 players have 18 or more runs scored, 13 players have 23 or more hits and 14 players have 10 or more RBIs. The Griffs have seven players with at least 100 plate appearances, batting over .300.

Those kinds of numbers win ball games. And if you believe that hitting is contagious, it also provides a pretty good motivator for staying on top of your game.

“It’s friendly competition of course, but when you have a guy out there who can fill in your spot you want to be able to play to your upmost potential,” said junior Jesse Kelso, the Griffs’ starting left fielder who is batting .331. “To be able to have other people push you is always a good thing.”

“Practices have upped the level of play a little bit because if you don’t play well, you’re going to lose your spot,” said Brooklyn Foster, who has caught 26 games and is batting .354. “The guys have handled it well as everyone is friends on the team, so it’s not a big loss but the competitive edge is there.”

It’s been important to McRae to keep the numbers in perspective, noting that a quality at-bat doesn’t always look flashy in the box score.

“Guys are sometimes worried that if they don’t have a good day, they won’t be back out there,” McRae said. “You have to be careful of that because it has nothing to do with a guy getting two hits. It’s about having quality at-bats, moving a runner over, a sacrifice bunt, a walk, getting hit by a pitch or hitting the ball hard. Those are all quality at-bats. And as long as they have quality at-bats, they’ll be a productive part of our lineup.”

The Griffs set a school record with an 11-game win streak from April 10 to April 27. With a 38-13 overall mark, the club hasn’t endured many losing streaks, but one in particular was important. In March, the Griffs had won 10 of 11 games on the road, then returned to open MAAC play at the Demske Sports Complex against Saint Peter’s. They were promptly handed 7-5 and 2-0 losses.

“The next thing you know, we come home to start conference play and I think if anything we were a little overconfident,” McRae said. “We got slapped in the face pretty good by Saint Peter’s. It might have been a good wake-up call. The guys responded well and understood there needs to be a sense of urgency. They started to look at what we needed to do.”

“To lose those games early was kind of a blessing in disguise because we were able to get that wake-up call and refocus and ultimately get towards our goal,” Kelso said.

The first goal was to make the MAAC tournament field. Now attention turns this weekend to fine-tuning execution and building momentum with the hopes of making a post-season run. The Griffs never have won a MAAC baseball title but have been runner-up three of the last four years.

The MAAC tourney begins on May 23 at Arm & Hammer Park in Trenton, N.J., with the championship game scheduled for May 26.• The University at Buffalo crowned four individual champions at the Mid-American Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships last week. On the women’s side, sophomore Meghan Manley (Orchard Park) won the 800 (2:07.41) and sophomore Emma Siuciak won the heptathlon (5,388). The women’s third-place team finish in the 12-school field is its highest at the MAC Championships. On the men’s side, sophomore Austin Price (St. Joe’s) won the triple jump (49-9.75), freshman Ryan Billian won the 110 hurdles (14.05) and junior Jonathan Jones (Portville) won the fourth straight shot put title for the Bulls (62-7.75).

• If you’re looking for a sign that Buffalo State wants to win in women’s ice hockey, its latest coaching hire is a good indication. The Bengals hired former Niagara standout Candice Moxley as head coach. Moxley played for Niagara from 2001-05, including on the NCAA Frozen Four team. She has spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach at Ohio State and spent two years as an assistant at Robert Morris. The Bengals went 6-18-1 overall this year and have not had a winning season since going 11-4-1 in 2000-01.

• Erie Community College and Niagara County Community College will meet in the semifinals of the NJCAA Region III Baseball Tournament on Friday in Little Falls. NCCC, ranked eighth in the country, is 34-16 while the Kats enter the double-elimination tournament at 37-18. ECC won the Region III title in 2011 while NCCC is the defending champion. Also in the field are Herkimer County CC and Onondaga CC. Games are scheduled for Saturday with the championship game set for noon on Sunday.



email: amoritz@buffnews.com ]]> Wed, 15 May 2013 23:56:57 -0400 <![CDATA[ UB, Bona split baseball doubleheader ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130515/SPORTS/130519452/1092
The Bulls (30-21) took the first game, 6-3, while the Bonnies (19-26) won the nightcap, 10-2.

In the first of the two scheduled seven-inning games, the Bulls scored five runs in the fourth inning. It included an RBI double by Kyle Figgins, The Bulls then scored three runs on three wild pitches. Jamie Jiron stole home to cap the inning and give the Bulls the lead for good.

In the second game, the Bonnies jumped out to a 7-1 lead after two innings, thanks in large part to a three-run home run from Joel Rosencrance in the second. Rosencrance drove in five runs for the game, going 3 for 4 which also included a double.

Bona senior Billy Urban had two hits and drove in two runs in both games. His 157 career runs batted in moved him into sole possession of second place on St. Bonaventure’s all-time list.

The split gave UB only it second 30-win season in 55 years of baseball at the school.

The Bulls will conclude their Mid-American Conference regular season with three games at Bowling Green starting on Thursday. Buffalo has a half-game lead over Kent State for the best record in the MAC.

The Bonnies will end their season with three Atlantic 10 games at Fordham starting on Thursday.The Canisius baseball team closed its non-conference season with a 5-3 over Youngstown State in Niles, Ohio. It was the fourth straight win for the Golden Griffins (38-13) and 25th road win.

Sophomore Jesse Puscheck (North Tonawanda) went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, including his first career home run.

Sophomore Rohn Pierce (Newfane) earned the win, giving up three runs on eight hits with three walks and four strikeouts in six innings. ]]> Wed, 15 May 2013 00:44:18 -0400 <![CDATA[ Freshman Cline also leaving Niagara ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130513/SPORTS/130519580/1092
Cline’s departure means five players off Niagara’s Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular-season title team won’t be back next season. Guard Malcolm Lemmons also has been granted his release and center Devon White has graduated. Meanwhile, freshman guard Tahjere McCall, a starter at the point much of last season, remains with the program and sources say has not requested his release.

Here are the numbers on what Niagara has lost since Mihalich took the Hofstra job last month:

• Green: 16.5 ppg, 5.0 apg

• Tanksley: 11.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg

• Cline: (all-freshman team) 7.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg

• Lemmons: 3.3 ppg

• White: 5.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg

That makes it some 44 points per game departed. Niagara has retained leading scorer Antoine Mason (18.7) but has mega-holes to fill between now and the season opener. New coach Chris Casey has signed Philadelphia guard Karonn Davis and continues to work feverishly to fill out a slew of other roster spots.

Hoftra also added incoming freshman Jamall Robinson, originally a Niagara recruit.

“This is a very exciting day for the Hofstra basketball program,” Mihalich said in a news release last week. “The addition of Juan’ya, Ameen and Jamall to our team gives us three additional outstanding student-athletes to showcase to the Hofstra community.”



email: bdicesare@buffnews.com ]]> Mon, 13 May 2013 23:01:04 -0400 Bob DiCesare
]]> <![CDATA[ Kanzler leads UB; Griffs clinch MAAC-tourney berth ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130513/SPORTS/130519730/1092
UB rode the hot bat of senior Jason Kanzler to its eighth straight MAC series victory, beating Miami (Ohio), 12-0, in Oxford, Ohio. Kanzler drove in five runs against the RedHawks (23-27, 12-12), and Mike Burke pitched seven shutout innings to help the Bulls (29-20, 17-6 MAC) carry their overall lead in the MAC standings into the final series of the regular season at Bowling Green (18-26, 12-12) starting Thursday. Second-place Kent State (20-21, 17-7) will finish with conference play in a three-game series at Akron (15-32, 10-12) also starting Thursday.

Kanzler, Buffalo’s senior center fielder, capped a 2-for-4 performance with a three-run home run in the top of the third. It was his 10th homer of the season and 19th of his career. He also stole his 19th base of the season, most for a UB player since the sport was reinstated at the university in 1999.

Meanwhile at the Demske Complex, Canisius completed its three-game sweep of Niagara, 14-6. With the win, the Golden Griffins (37-13 overall) improved to 14-7 in the MAAC and clinched a spot in the conference playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.

The four-team MAAC tournament is May 23-26 at Arm & Hammer Park in Trenton, N.J. Canisius never has won the championship but has finished second in three of the last four seasons, including 2012.

Six Golden Griffins had multi-hit games, with sophomore Connor Panas going 3 for 5 with three runs scored, two RBIs and his first home run of the season. Sophomore Mike Krische and junior Jesse Kelso each went 3 for 4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Junior Jimmy Luppens was 3 for 4 with two RBIs while junior Jose Torralba was 2 for 4 with three runs scored, two RBIs and a triple. Sophomore Mike Booth went 2 for 5 with three RBIs.

Niagara (16-34, 9-14 MAAC) took advantage of two walks and two infield hits in the first inning for a 3-0 lead. NU led, 5-2, before the Griffs scored four times in the bottom of the third to take the lead for good.

Canisius will play its final road game of the regular season on Tuesday, when the Golden Griffins take on Youngstown State. ]]> Mon, 13 May 2013 00:01:33 -0400 <![CDATA[ Bona’s Jack Butler, NFL Hall of famer, dies ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130512/SPORTS/130519763/1092
In his gold Pro Football Hall of Fame blazer, the Pittsburgh Steelers legend stood on a Fawcett Stadium stage and marveled at the throng of fans, screaming and waving their Terrible Towels for him.

With a smile, Butler told the crowd to knock it off and – on a night when maudlin, rambling speeches are the norm – delivered a snappy, four-minute address. He expressed his thanks to those who came.

“Heck,” Butler said at the end of his speech. “I’m thankful I’m here.”

Butler, a St. Bonaventure alum and one of the greatest overachievers in sports history, waited nearly 50 years to get into the Hall of Fame. He was ecstatic to have gotten the chance to experience his big moment with his eight children, 15 grandchildren and scores of friends.

Butler died Saturday morning in Pittsburgh. He was 85. Butler had been diagnosed with congestive heart failure a year ago and spent the past seven months in hospitals and rehab facilities because of a staph infection in his left leg.

“We just thank God that he was able to enjoy that little time in the sun that he had,” John Butler, who introduced his father at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, said Saturday night. “It wasn’t anything that he hoped to achieve, but it’s something that happened. We were so fortunate.”

Jack Butler didn’t play a down of high school football. The Pittsburgh native attended Mount Carmel College, a seminary in Niagara Falls, Ont., and then St. Bonaventure.

He decided to try out for St. Bonaventure’s football team because some roommates kept talking about how excited they were to play.

He turned into a star receiver for the Bonnies, but went undrafted in 1951. St. Bonaventure’s athletics director happened to be Steelers owner Art Rooney’s brother and wheedled a tryout while Butler was getting on with his life as an apprentice electrician.

Butler somehow made the Steelers as a defensive end and eventually was converted to defensive back. Last year, he became only the 15th undrafted Hall of Famer.

“I look back on my life, and I can’t believe how fortunate I’ve been,” Butler told The News last summer at his home in Munhall, Pa. “I don’t care where I was. Everything just seemed to fall into place, no planning, no nothing. Everything worked out. I don’t know how or why, but I’m grateful.”

Butler, a four-time Pro Bowler, was voted all-NFL three times and was one of two defensive halfbacks on the NFL 1950s all-decade team.

“There’s nobody in the Hall of Fame who’s come further than Jack Butler,” his St. Bonaventure and Steelers teammate Ted Marchibroda said last year. “It really is an unusual story.”

Butler had 52 interceptions, second-all time, when a horrific knee injury ended his career in 1959. John Butler said his father started having problems with staph infections because of that knee, which was replaced twice.

The Buffalo Bills hired Butler as a defensive coach in 1960. Butler still was on crutches, and the pain prevented him from doing the job.

He returned to Pittsburgh and became one of the NFL’s most influential scouts. He was executive director of the BLESTO scouting service for 44 years.

“Jack was a great person and great friend who always placed his faith and family first,” Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert said in a statement. “Beyond his great play on the field, he was a legendary personnel man who helped so many of us get established in our scouting careers.

“He will be missed, but never forgotten.”

Among those Butler mentored were Colbert, former Bills president Tom Donahoe, former Bills college scouting chief Tom Modrak, Steelers college scouting director Ron Hughes and former Steelers and Jets personnel director Dick Haley. Just last week, the Steelers hired his son, Mike Butler, as a scout.

Doug Whaley, the Bills’ assistant GM, is a Pittsburgh native and came from the Steelers scouting department. He views Butler as a colossus of the profession.

“If you look at Jack Butler’s tree, it’s still reaching out farther today,” Whaley said. “I could say I’m one of those branches because I started under Tom Donahoe and cut my teeth under Kevin Colbert.

“His impact lives on. He’s one of the forefathers of this business.”



email: tgraham@buffnews.com ]]> Sun, 12 May 2013 00:10:00 -0400 Tim Graham
]]> <![CDATA[ Chubak feels time is right to turn pro ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130511/SPORTS/130519832/1092
It’s a normal sequence almost every youth hockey player has imagined while in a just-having-fun setting.

There may be a kid who someday pretends to be Chubak in such a situation – sliding around in goalie pads and frustrating opposing shooters much the same way “Chubs” has done throughout his career. If that happens, then Chubak’s dream of playing in the NHL would have come true.

Glens Falls is not the NHL, but it is a step closer to Chubak’s ultimate goal and reason enough for the reigning Atlantic Hockey Player of the Year and Hobey Baker Award finalist to forgo his senior season at Niagara for the life of a professional goaltender.

The 5-foot-11, 24-year-old Chubak recently signed a one-year American Hockey League contract with the Adirondack Phantoms, the Philadelphia Flyers’ top farm team. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but according to the Professional Hockey Players Association website, a player in the second-best travel league in North America is guaranteed to earn at least a minimum of $41,500 – not including a signing bonus – during the 2013-14 season.

“Just the opportunity to play professional hockey, it’s been a dream of mine,” said Chubak, who grew up rooting for the Toronto Maple Leafs, as to why he opted to leave Niagara early. “When a dream slaps you in the face ... you don’t reject it.”

Added Purple Eagles coach Dave Burkholder: “When you hear about a kid fulfilling his lifelong dream, Niagara University and the hockey program is a small part of it. ... For us to be able to help with that is a great story.”

Signing with the Phantoms is just the latest chapter in Chubak’s story of hard work and perseverance.

He missed most of his freshman season with a knee injury. Nine months into his rehab, a hip ailment surfaced that also required surgery. All told, those injuries limited him to a total of 10 appearances, including just the season opener in 2011-12, his first two years at Niagara.

He showed just how sensational he could be when fully healthy during his just-completed junior season. He shared the national lead in shutouts (six) en route to a 23-7-5 record with a 1.91 goals-against average and .939 save percentage.

He helped Niagara win the regular season Atlantic Hockey title and earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, where he made 41 stops in a 2-1 first-round loss to a North Dakota team featuring 14 NHL draft picks compared to the Purple Eagles’ none.

“I feel like I have a lot of momentum going there right now, a lot of confidence,” Chubak said. “It’s a good time to move on and at the same time if something did happen [to me] next year I think I would regret not taking [this opportunity] for the rest of my life so I did not want that to happen.”

With Chubak gone, Niagara plans to bring in two freshmen goalies to compete with sophomore-to-be holdover Chris Paulin of Lockport, according to Burkholder.

Chubak’s hot start to the 2012-13 season (8-1-3 mark with 0.99 GAA, five shutouts and .970 save percentage), in which he posted three straight shutouts and four in a five-game span from Oct. 26 to Nov. 9, caught the attention of the Flyers and other NHL scouts.

Flyers Director of Player Development Don Luce, the ex-Sabres forward who is in charge of overseeing the operation of Philadelphia’s AHL team, watched Chubak will the Purple Eagles to a 2-1 win over rival Canisius last November at the Buffalo State Ice Arena. In that game, Chubak flaunted his athleticism, ability to read the play and most importantly, his determination to win every play.

”It’s a good opportunity for the kid and good for us,” Flyers’ Director of Hockey Operations Chris Pryor told the Philadelphia Inquirer earlier this week. “You never know.”

Chubak, who had hopes of receiving an NHL contract offer, signed with the Phantoms because of the organization’s goaltending situation. It’s in a state of flux with rumors that the Flyers will likely buy out free-agent bust Ilya Bryzgalov during the summer.

The only other goalies under contract in the organization include NHL veteran and 2009 Calder Trophy winner Steve Mason and Cal Heeter, who appeared in 32 games for the Phantoms last season.

Heeter and current veteran free agent Scott Munroe, the former Alabama-Huntsville star, combined to appear in 63 games with a 24-32-4 mark last season. Munroe had the better GAA (2.78) and save percentage (.913) than Heeter (2.92, .908).

“The goaltending situation is a little bit shaky right now,” said Chubak, who also received interest from the Islanders and Oilers. “That definitely does make it more appealing. ... It was one of the places that I really looked at and I was really hoping they’d offer me something.

“It’s just a great opportunity. ... Of course wherever you go, they’re going to have prospects and you have to work your way up and of course there’s competition in professional hockey but it was definitely probably the best fit in the league for myself.”



email: mrodriguez@buffnews.com ]]> Sat, 11 May 2013 00:39:28 -0400 Miguel Rodriguez
]]> <![CDATA[ Niagara softball done; Green, Tanksley join Mihalich at Hofstra ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130511/SPORTS/130519834/1092
The Purple Eagles (16-30) started off by knocking off top-seeded Siena, 6-3.

The game actually began on Thursday but the game was suspended due to weather in the fifth inning and resumed on Friday morning.

Siena had tied the game, 3-3, in the sixth but Niagara regained the lead in the seventh on a bases-loaded walk and added to its lead with a two-RBI single from Alexis Wayne (Depew). Jenn Sansano (Clarence), the MAAC Pitcher of the Year, struck out 12 batters in the win.

But the day went south for the fourth-seeded Purple Eagles as they dropped games to Marist and Fairfield.

Niagara lost, 2-0, to the Red Foxes as Janine Lalli had a two-run home run in the fourth to give Marist the win.

Sansano (11-12) took the loss, giving up the two runs on four hits with eight strikeouts.

The Purple Eagles lost to No. 2 Fairfield, 3-1. The Stags took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Kristen Filicia stole home.

The lead went to 3-0 when Filicia hit a two-run, two-out home run in the third.

Niagara got a run back in the fourth on an RBI double to right-center by Ambur Farmer. The Purple Eagles left five runners on base.

Kim Bryson (3-15) took the loss, tossing 5∑ innings and giving up three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts.Hofstra made it official on Friday, announcing that guards Juan’ya Green and Ameen Tanksley were transferring to the school. The ex-Niagara players are following coach Joe Mihalich, who took the head job at Hofstra.

Green was the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year in 2012 while Tanksley averaged 11.3 points and 6.0 rebounds this past season. The players will have to sit out the 2013-14 season due to NCAA transfer rules.University at Buffalo’s Emma Siuciak won the Mid-American Conference title in the heptathlon at the conference track and field championships in Akron. The sophomore won the title with 5,388 points.

Jonathon Jones won the shot put title with a throw of 63-7¾. The junior from Portville won the indoor MAC title.

Also for the Bulls, junior Rachel Roberts took third in the shot put with a throw of 50-11½ while Katie Sanders finished second in the women’s 3,000 meter steeplechase, breaking her own school record with a time of 10:45.99. ]]> Sat, 11 May 2013 00:13:15 -0400 <![CDATA[ Griffs give Penn State battle in close loss ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130510/SPORTS/130519860/1092
Penn State jumped out to a 4-1 lead early in the first half before the Golden Griffins were able to find some offensive production. At halftime, the Nittany Lions had a 6-5 lead.

Canisius came out strong in the second, tying the game on a goal by Morgan Leonard and then taking its only lead of the game, 7-6, on another Leonard goal.

But Penn State responded with four straight goals then took its biggest lead of the game, 12-8, with 14:47 left in the game.

“We were tight to start the game and we knew we could play better,” Canisius coach Scott Teeter said. “We were more energized in the second half and battled to take the lead. But a nationally-ranked team did what it needed to do. They put one in the back of our net to kill our momentum and that energized them a bit. We made some good defensive plays, but we couldn’t get it out in that stretch.”

The Griffs came back to cut the lead to 14-12 on a goal from Kelly Lechner with 2:42 left. Lindsey Morgan scored with 12 seconds left to make it 14-13, but Penn State (13-6) controlled the draw to earn the win.

Leonard scored three goals and set the single-season school record for goals with 58. Tori Quinn had five points, giving her 79 on the season and the program record.

It was the third straight NCAA appearance for the Griffs (14-5) but their first in the main bracket since the NCAA expanded the main field to 26. The Griffs lost the last two years to Massachusetts in the play-in round. ]]> Sat, 11 May 2013 00:12:34 -0400 Special to the news

]]> <![CDATA[ Niagara’s Sansano is MAAC’s top pitcher ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130509/SPORTS/130509190/1092
Sansano compiled a regular season record of 10-11 (6-3 MAAC), posted a 2.13 ERA and threw the MAAC’s only no-hitter of 2013 on April 21 against Manhattan, striking out 10 batters in a 5-0 shutout. Six days later against Rider, she was one out away from her second no-hitter before the feat was broken up with an RBI single.

She ranks 45th in the nation with an average of 8.1 strikeouts per seven innings. Her five shutouts this season are the second most in program history. Sansano earned a spot on the All-MAAC First Team. NU seniors Becky Zill and Alexis Wayne were named to the All-MAAC Second Team.

Sansano and Niagara were in action on Thursday at the MAAC Championships, but the Purple Eagles’ game against Siena – the second game in the four-team, double-elimination tournament – was suspended by rain with Niagara holding a 3-2 lead after five innings. Sansano had nine strikeouts and allowed two earned runs; Zill and Wayne each had RBI singles. The game will resume at 10 a.m. today.

TRACK AND FIELD: After the first day of the Mid-American Conference championships at Akron, University at Buffalo sophomore Emma Siuciak leads the women’s heptathlon after the first four events. UB’s record-holder in the event totaled 3,295 points to lead by 65.

Jacob Sunday finished second in the men’s javelin competition. Sunday had a best throw of 219 feet, 1 inch (66.77 meters) to finish behind Kent State’s Brian Florek (223-5, 68.10m).

Through four events, the UB women stand third among the 12 MAC teams with 21.50 points. The men are tied for fourth with Miami of Ohio at 12 points through two events.

WOMEN’S LACROSSE: Three-time MAAC champion Canisius plays at No. 7 Penn State at 4 p.m. today in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The survivor will face the winner of today’s 6 p.m. game between Massachusetts and Connecticut in Sunday’s 1 p.m. second-round game at Penn State. ]]> Thu, 9 May 2013 23:27:22 -0400 <![CDATA[ Win streak lifts NU softball into postseason ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130508/SPORTS/130509269/1092
NEWS SPORTS REPORTER

At the beginning of the season, the Niagara softball team was struggling to forget bad plays, bad innings and bad games. They were unable to win close games.

And then they split with Marist.

And things started to click.

Shortly after that, Niagara put together a nine-game winning streak. And with the right breaks, the Purple Eagles found themselves back in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament for the first time in three years.

The Purple Eagles advanced to the four-team conference tournament thanks to a tiebreaker after finishing 9-7 in the MAAC along with Manhattan and Iona.

Niagara (15-28) took the No. 4 seed into the double-elimination tournament at Marist College.

The championships open today with No. 2 Fairfield (26-19) facing No. 3 Marist (27-24) at noon followed by top-seeded Siena (21-24) against Niagara.

The tournament continues with games on Friday, with the championship round at noon on Sunday. The winner gets an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

It’s the first trip to the MAAC Tournament for the Purple Eagles since 2010. Their only conference championship came back in 1998.

“With only four teams making it every year, the room for error is very small,” said interim coach Larry Puzan, who took over in April after first-year coach Ellie Hanover stepped aside for personal reasons. “To finish in the top four, whether it’s through tiebreakers or whatever, it’s hard to get into the top four in the MAAC.”

The key to getting that spot first came in mid-April when Niagara split with Marist, which was then at the top of the conference standings. The Purple Eagles dropped their next three games, but the young group began to understand that they could compete with the better teams. And that set up a school-record nine-game winning streak, seven of those wins against MAAC opponents.

“At the start of our season as a young team, we didn’t learn how to win early enough,” Puzan said. “When you’re struggling early in the season it makes it harder when it gets into conference play. You don’t know how to win those close games. But once we got on that roll and took nine in a row, that was huge.

“When we played Marist, that was the turning point, I think. To split with them, the team figured that we can do this, we can play with anybody when we play our best game. … When we learned how to win, we learned not to get too high with the highs or too low with the lows. Early on, we’d have a bad inning and you’d see the whole body language and faces drop. Oh no, here we go again. Now it’s, OK. Next inning.”

Helping to provide leadership have been three seniors – catcher Becky Zill, third baseman Gabrielle Lustrinelli and shortstop Alexis Wayne (Depew).

In the circle, junior Jennifer Sansano, a transfer from St. Bonaventure and Clarence native, leads the MAAC in strikeouts (163 in 141.1 innings of work).

The magic formula for success is no mystery.

“You want to get solid pitching and key hits with runners in scoring position,” Puzan said. “Teams are going to make mistakes. Everyone would love to play error-free softball but getting solid pitching and being opportunistic with your chances will minimize mistakes and errors.”The University at Buffalo heads this week to Akron for the Mid-American Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which will begin today and end Saturday.

The Bulls have the top seed in nine events:

Miles Lewis (men’s 100), Ryan Billian (men’s 110 hurdles), Will Cole (Hamburg, men’s 400 hurdles), Meghan Manley (Orchard Park, women’s 800), Austin Price (St. Joe’s, men’s triple jump), Jonathan Jones (Portville, men’s shot put), Jacob Sunday (men’s javelin), Emma Siuciak (women’s heptathlon) and the women’s 4x100 relay team of Jamiee McClary, Camaria Long, Brooklynn Ventura and Crystal Graham.

“The women will be facing very strong competition at the MAC championships,” UB coach Vicki Mitchell said. “We have been preparing all year, putting in unbelievable training. Our competitions leading up to the MAC championships indicate that we are on the right path for an outstanding meet. Our goals are set very high. Focus and passion will be the driving force leading us to a great competition.”It’s a big weekend in MAAC baseball as Canisius hosts Niagara on Friday (6:30 p.m.), Saturday (7:30 p.m) and Sunday (2 p.m.).

The Griffs (34-13, 11-7) are in the hunt for one of the top four spots in the MAAC Tournament. They also host Fairfield May 16-17 and need three wins in those final six games to clinch a spot.

Niagara (15-31, 9-12) needs to sweep Canisius and get help in the standings to make the tournament field.



email: amoritz@buffnews.com ]]> Wed, 8 May 2013 23:39:47 -0400 <![CDATA[ Niagara’s Chubak signs with Flyers’ AHL team ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130508/SPORTS/130509270/1092
The Niagara University goaltender, who just completed his junior season, signed a one-year, one-way American Hockey League contract for the 2013-14 season with the Adirondack Phantoms, the top affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Chubak was the Atlantic Hockey Player of the Year and one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award. He was 23-7-5 with a 1.91 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage. He led the conference in wins, goals-against average and save percentage. His six shutouts were tied for first in the nation.

“We are happy for Carsen and wish him well with his professional endeavors,” Niagara coach Dave Burkholder said. “The Phantoms are getting a very dedicated and focused individual.”

“Our scouts saw him a lot,” Chris Pryor, the Flyers’ director of hockey operations, told the Philadelphia Inquirer from the world championships in Stockholm. “He’s a good fit for us.”

“He’s not big, but he’s extremely competitive and athletic,” Pryor said. “He never gives up on a shot in tight, and those type of goalies tend to do well.”

After missing most of his first two years at Niagara because of knee and hip injuries, the 5-foot-11, 170-pound Saskatchewan native turned heads in November when he posted a 0.71 GAA and a .977 save percentage, making 214 saves in 420 minutes. He had three straight shutouts at Dwyer Arena, just the second Niagara goalie to accomplish that feat. The other was Greg Gardner in 1999-2000.

He owns the Niagara record for most consecutive shutout minutes with 258:32. He ranks second on the single-season saves list (987) and single-season minutes played list (2042.28).

The goaltender helped Niagara to its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2008. The Purple Eagles were an at-large selection and lost to No. 2 seed North Dakota, 2-1, in the first round. Niagara won the regular season title in Atlantic Hockey and was 23-10-5 overall. The Purple Eagles lost in the semifinals of the conference tournament to eventual champion Canisius. They finished 15th, their highest ever, in the USCHO.com Division I Poll.

The Phantoms went 31-38-7 in their fourth season in Glens Falls since moving from Philadelphia when the Spectrum was torn down.



email: amoritz@buffnews.com ]]> Wed, 8 May 2013 23:38:29 -0400 Amy Moritz
]]> <![CDATA[ Coaching bond pays dividends for Kelly and Quinn ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130508/SPORTS/130509276/1092
“I mean it’s a rough, rugged day out there,” Kelly said. “It’s a rough go of it. Nobody hits anything except for me. And I get the biggest lake trout that you could imagine. Whatever the fish story is, it’s bigger than that.

“I got it taxidermed quicker than I’ve ever gotten my pants pressed. And I got it back and I hung it in my office the very next day so he could see that trout every single day. And I carried it with me through all the years at Grand Valley, Central Michigan and Cincinnati. And it was up on my wall for no apparent reason than to stick it in his nose. Isn’t that what friends do?”

Kelly and Quinn were center stage at the UB Center for the Arts on Wednesday night but the “Gridiron Conversation” played like two friends sitting on the deck shooting the breeze. Their kinship began some 20 years ago at Division II Grand Valley State, where they won a pair of national championships. It continued at Central Michigan, where they transformed a downtrodden program into a Mid-American Conference champion. From there it was on to Cincinnati, two Big East titles, a No. 3 national ranking and berths in the Orange and Sugar bowls.

Only then, after the 2010 season, did their career paths diverge. Kelly replaced Charlie Weis as head coach at Notre Dame. Quinn separated from his longtime friend to become head coach at the University at Buffalo. But the bond remains strong, enough so for Kelly to agree to join Quinn for a fun night of recollection and playful banter before a crowd of some 800.

“It’s an opportunity for us to reconnect,” Kelly said during a pre-event meet-and-greet. “We’re busy at our own jobs. Jeff’s doing a great job here in Buffalo and I got my hands full at Notre Dame so it gives us an opportunity to get together, talk some football and obviously being together for 20 years it’s great to have this opportunity.

“I’ve got questions for Jeff and he’s always been great with me in terms of helping me and my development and hopefully I can do the same thing. It’s just a great opportunity. As head coaches we don’t have a chance to do things like this so I’m happy to get up here.”

Notre Dame football was on the skids before Kelly’s arrival. National talk show hosts were questioning whether, as an independent with rigorous academic standards, the Irish would ever again be relevant on an elite level. Last season’s trip to the national title game answered that. Kelly transformed Notre Dame, as he had Central Michigan and Cincinnati.

Quinn finds himself in a parallel situation. UB is the only AAU (Association of American Universities) institution in the country that resides outside one of the major conferences. Its academic standards are high. Making a go of it in the MAC has been a challenge.

“The University at Buffalo and Notre Dame have high standards academically,” Kelly said. “We knew that coming in. But it doesn’t mean they can’t coexist and that they can’t feed off each other, that you can’t be a great academic institution and not do it on the football field as well. That’s why I took the job at Notre Dame is that I wanted to have the No. 1 graduation rates and the No. 1 football team in the country. We got close to doing that. And I know that Jeff feels the same way.”

Kelly said coaches get to make choices in their careers.

“You don’t have to choose schools that have quality academics that Buffalo has and Notre Dame has,” he said. “These are choices we made freely.”

Kelly and Quinn spent the “first quarter” of the event reminiscing about their days at Grand Valley. They did everything back then, the wash, the travel arrangements. Quinn was doubling as a professor and startled Kelly by giving their starting tackle nothing better than a “C” in his class. Even back then, academics meant something to them. Cutting corners would have amounted to self-betrayal.

“We did valuable things that helped us learn how to run a football program,” Kelly said.

Quinn spoke of Kelly’s talent as a master motivator. Kelly returned the compliment, saying that loyal, dedicated and talented assistants are vital to the success of a program.

Kelly has made his mark at Notre Dame. Now it’s Quinn’s turn at UB.

“I can see it a lot clearer because he’s been with me so long,” Kelly said. “You can see the things that he’s doing in building the football program. Now, look. Everybody wants you to win right now. But you just look at their last four games and the wins that they had.

“Look, November’s a time when teams go one way or the other. They either quit and throw in the towel or they keep building. And you can see the momentum that Jeff has built. There’s obviously trust with the players that they know they’re going in the right direction and it’s another step. It’s going to take time but they’re definitely on the right track.”



email: bdicesare@buffnews.com ]]> Wed, 8 May 2013 23:36:44 -0400 Bob DiCesare
]]> <![CDATA[ NU's Chubak signs pro hockey deal ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130508/SPORTS/130509319/1092 by Amy Moritz
@amymoritz

Carsen Chubak decided to forgo his senior season at Niagara as the goaltender signed an American Hockey League contract with the Adirondack Phantoms, the top affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Chubak was the Atlantic Hockey Player of the Year and was a Top 10 Hobey Baker finalist. He led Niagara to the program's fourth NCAA tournament appearance and first Atlantic Hockey regular season title. This season he went 23-7-5 with a 1.91 goals against average and a .930 save percentage.

"We are happy for Carsen and wish him well with his professional endeavors," Niagara coach Dave Burkholder said in a release from the school. "The Phantoms are getting a very dedicated and focused individual."

The Phantoms went 31-38-7 in their fourth year in the AHL.

Rp_primary_Caren_Chubak__2_

photo from www.purpleeagles.com

]]> Wed, 8 May 2013 16:37:44 -0400 <![CDATA[ Former UB star Stutzman to be new coach ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130507/SPORTS/130509382/1092
Stutzman returns to UB after eight seasons as head coach at Bloomsburg University (Pa.), where his teams went a combined 97-59-1 and he was three times named Eastern Wrestling League Coach of the Year. Stutzman replaces his former coach, Jim Beichner, who was told in March his contract would not be renewed.

“We are excited to welcome John back to Buffalo,” White said in a university release. “His impressive career on the mat has been matched by his long history of excellence as a coach. Given the amount of success that Coach Stutzman has experienced at Bloomsburg, I’m confident with the resources and enhanced facilities we have available he can build UB into one of the premier wrestling programs in the nation.”

Stutzman’s tenure at Bloomsburg was distinguished by the school’s 33 Division I national qualifiers, three All-Americans and eight Eastern Wrestling League champions. Like his predecessor, Stutzman also has made his mark outside the collegiate setting. He coached with the New York Athletic Club at the last three USA Olympic Freestyle Trials and was involved in six Senior World Team Trials. He has been on staff at USA Wrestling since 2009 and his wealth of international experience includes a stint as head coach of the World University team and assistant coach for Team USA at the University Team Championships in Poland in 2009.

Stutzman, a native of New Castle, Del., ascended to the head job at Bloomsburg after seven combined years as a Division I assistant at UB, Northern Illinois and Bloomsburg. His Huskies went 17-3 this season and captured the first outright EWL Dual Meet Championships in school history.

As a UB wrestler, Stutzman went 95-27 over three years. That includes a 35-4 mark in 1996-97 that stands as the fourth-best single-season winning percentage in school history. He’s also tied for fourth in career takedowns.



email: bdicesare@buffnews.com ]]> Tue, 7 May 2013 23:19:40 -0400 Bob DiCesare
]]> <![CDATA[ UB, Niagara split a pair ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130507/SPORTS/130509383/1092
Ben Hartz (6-1), the second of three UB pitchers, picked up the win. Mike Scarcello (Bishop Timon-St. Jude) had a two-run single in the fourth and Tyler Mautner’s 19th double of the season drove in two more during the Bulls’ six-run sixth inning.

Niagara came from behind with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to win the second game. then Geoff Sova retired UB in order in the seventh to save it. Pavel Chavez-Rusova doubled home the winning run for the Purple Eagles. ]]> Tue, 7 May 2013 23:19:22 -0400 <![CDATA[ Bengals salute top athletes ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130506/SPORTS/130509452/1092 Jake Simmons was presented with the Hube Coyer Award and Karen Shaddock and Erica Johnson were co-recipients of the Ruth Houston Award at Monday night’s Buffalo State athletics award banquet in the Campbell Student Union. The college’s top athletic awards are for outstanding career athletic accomplishments.

Shaddock, a two-time All-American in lacrosse, also received the Bengal Award for Female Athlete of the Year. Men’s hockey goalie Kevin Carr received the Bengal Award for Male Athlete of the Year.

Johnson became Buffalo State’s first NCAA champion winning the indoor 55-meter dash in 2011. Simmons finished his career as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,079 career points over four years, smashing Randy Smith’s previous mark of 1,712 set in three seasons without the three-point shot. ]]> Mon, 6 May 2013 23:33:26 -0400