Men’s hockey

Canisius College will play 17 home games at the Buffalo State Sports Arena in a schedule announced by head coach Dave Smith. Missing from the schedule is nearby rival Niagara University. The schools have met at least once every season since 1996-97 with Niagara leading the rivalry, 10-5 with one tie, and will meet in the 2010-11 season as members of Atlantic Hockey.

The slate opens with a pair of home games against Ferris (Mich.) State of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association on Oct. 9-10. The Griffs split a pair of games to open the 2008-09 season, the first win ever for Canisius over a CCHA opponent.

Tennis

Lee Nickell has been hired as the new head men’s tennis coach at the University at Buffalo after spending last season as an assistant coach at Fresno State. Previously, Nickell was an assistant coach at Alabama. Nickell is a 2001 graduate of Furman, where he played No. 1 singles for four seasons, was a three-year captain and made the All-Southern Conference team twice in singles and once in doubles. He replaces Sherif Zaher, who resigned in April for personal reasons.

Men’s basketball

Buffalo native Desmond Oliver will join head coach Tom Parrotta’s Canisius College staff July 1. The DeSales High graduate and former Niagara assistant is a veteran of 14 seasons in the college coaching ranks. He spent the last five seasons at Georgia. Oliver, 39, is a 1992 graduate of Dominican College, where he was a three-year starter.

Track and field

Sam Albert, a native of North Tonawanda who competed and coached at the University of Rochester, has been named to the newly created position of director of track and field forUof R. Albert will administer the cross country and track and field teams. He had been coordinator of the Violet Booster Club of New York University since 2006 and an assistant coach with men’s and women’s track.

Honors

Seven University at Buffalo athletes have been selected as SUNY Chancellor’s Scholar- Athlete Award winners for 2008-09. They are Kourtney Brown (women’s basketball), Melli Carpenter (women’s diving), Denise Harijanto (women’s tennis), Michael McDowell (men’s diving), Kevin Smith (wrestling), Andrea Vescio (women’s soccer) and Drew Willy (football).