"I don't want people to underestimate or overlook, but perhaps maybe it's better for them to overlook," head coach Jim Beichner said. "As good as we were last year, this team could potentially be even better. We have 19 guys who have won individual state championships and as a result, we are capable of doing great things."
The return of senior captain Mark Budd (Orrville, OH/Orrville) gives the Bulls the necessary experience to gain ground in the always-competitive Mid-American Conference. Budd, who is following up one of the team's two MAC Championships from a season ago at 133 pounds, is the only individual or team in school history to have secured a win against both the top-ranked Division I and top-ranked Division II opponent in a single season.
The Bulls, picked to finish fourth in the MAC Preseason Poll, will look to turn heads and prove that they are a potent powerhouse in Division I wrestling.
"Our goals are always to be great," Coach Beichner said. "We don't want to be mediocre with mediocre goals. We have got a very tough group of guys who can do some damage nationally. The guys believe in the coaching staff, the team, and the university, and that's what is going to make us a very solid performer."
125 POUNDS
Four Bulls will look to shine at this weight class, as the starting job is up for grabs. A depth issue caused problems last season, but signs could point to a positive remedy with the emergence of one of four grapplers at the team's youngest weight class. Freshman Dan Bishop (Whitehall, NY/Whitehall) returns to the team after having redshirted last year. A two-time New York State Champion, Bishop has gained experience and a year of development to compete for the starting spot.
Sophomore Sean Bauer (Walden, NY/Valley Central) is another likely candidate due to the fact he has experience at a Division I institution after transferring from Sacred Heart. While in high school, he completed a 36-7 record in the New York State Division I Championships after falling to 2006 NCAA finalist, Cornell's Troy Nickerson.
Freshmen Carlo Izzo (Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie) and Corey Greene (Bennington, VT/Mt. Anthony Union) are two notable recruits who will look to contribute in 2007-08, as they will both redshirt their freshman campaigns. Izzo finished fourth at the NYS Division II Championships while posting a 3-2 record at te NHSCA Senior Nationals. Greene, a three-time Vermont state champion, is certified at 125 but was recruited to wrestle at 133. Greene was named a top 30 high school senior at 130 pounds and was among Intermat's top 200 recruits. The 2005 National High School Coaches Association Open Champion will prove to be a dark horse at either 125 or 133 at some point down the road.
133 POUNDS
Taking a step away from youth, the coaching staff believes this weight class is most experienced bunch. Mark Budd is the lone returning MAC Champion on the squad, after having posted an infallible 38-6 record, which was fourth most for wins in school history. Budd held down the 11th-place ranking according to the National Wrestling Coaches Association/Intermat/National Wrestling Media Association Preseason Poll, and was ranked in the top ten of three other major preseason rankings. The lone captain is picked to repeat at MAC Champion at 133 pounds in the MAC Preseason Poll.
"Budd is our best and most experienced guy right now," Beichner said. "We're really lucky to have someone like that who is all work ethic and all attitude. He's our anchor, and as our only captain, he's the guy who we will turn to all year to make sure things are done right."
Sophomore Joe Wilson (Chester, NY/Monroe-Woodbury) supplys hard-working morals and will look for time behind Budd. Wilson is another transfer from Sacred Heart. Freshman Mike Aris (Barker, NY/Barker) won two Section VI Class A titles and the 2005 New York State High School Division II Championships, while earning mention in Wrestling USA's Best 2006 High School Seniors. Aris will benefit greatly from redshirting this season and learning from Budd.
141 POUNDS
Another deep class, the Bulls are thrilled about the addition of junior Ryan Needle (Newfane, NY/Newfane), who will compete for the first time in a Bull singlet after transferring from Ohio State in 2005. Needle is Section VI's all-time winningest wrestler and a three-time New York State Champion. Having sat out his sophomore year due to shoulder surgery, Needle has moved down from 149, and will be a likely candidate to challenge for a national title. Needle is picked to finish second in the MAC, but could surprise many due to a hard work ethic and a winning edge that has seemed to follow him around ever since high school. Needle will have something to prove after not having competed since 2004-05.
"He's a high school phenom," Beichner said of Needle. "He may be the most talented wrestler to ever be in our wrestling room and now that he's in the wrestling room full-time and he's 100%, he's going be very hard to beat."
Sophomore Evan Veney (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) and freshman Andrew Stella (Tonawanda, NY/Sweet Home) will look for time on the mat behind Needle. Veney moved up from 125 to 141, while Stella returns from a redshirt year ready to contribute.
Freshmen Justin Hunt (Salem, NY/Salem), Anthony Ng (Monticello, NY/Monticello) and Vince Aris (Barker, NY/Barker) each have a solid wrestling background and have both done an excellent job in workout sessions and in training to earn recognition from the coaching staff. Hunt is a transfer from Pittsburgh who redshirted in his only season there. Hunt was a four-time NYS Class D Champion and earned himself the third-best record in the state in his senior year (36-2). Ng broke former UB wrestler Marcu Hutchins' high school win record, going 128-18 in that span. Aris, combined with his twin brother Mike, are the top-two winningest grapplers in Barker school history. Aris will look for mat time next season after redshirting this year in a deep weight class.
149 POUNDS
Junior Dana Gingerich (Spring Grove, PA/DeLone Catholic) bumps up from 141 to 149, and could challenge immediately. Picked to finish second in the MAC Preseason Poll, Gingerich could start right away after finishing his sophomore campaign with 15 wins.
Senior Pat Lloyd (Middletown, NY/Valley Central) returns as the team's most experience grappler at 149. Lloyd finished 18-17 before a shoulder surgery took him out of the equation, which makes him a candidate to redshirt. Senior Mike Shannon (Albany, NY/Colonie) is what the coaches call the team's "best technician", and will make the team better, while freshman Jason Hilliard (Genoa, NY/Southern Cayuga) redshirted last season and will also challenge for the starting spot.
"Hilliard has matured greatly and he's getting much closer to being ready to compete as a starter," Beichner said.
157 POUNDS
Two-time Junior College All-American John Cummings (Bay Shore, NY/Bay Shore) proved last season of his immense JUCO status, posting 24 wins in his first year as a Bull. Even with the impressive win total, Cummings will redshirt in 2006-07.
A redshirt from last season, sophomore Scott Rendos (Brockway, PA/Brockway) will get a look at the starting spot. Rendos advanced to the quarterfinals of the Slippery Rock Open last season and went 9-7 for the year.
"We feel that he has matured greatly since his freshman year and think he has a great chance in becoming someone special at 157," Beichner said.
Juniors Steven Muldrow (Cincinnati, OH/Summit Country Day) and incoming freshman Tom Graff (LaGrangeville, NY/Arlington) in the mix at the 157 position. Muldrow has worked out throughout the summer and will contest for a starting spot. Graff will push some of the returning veterans after having earned All-League and All-Section honors as a senior during a 37-1 season.
"Tom looks like a wrestler," Beichner said. "You can tell that when he walks through a door, he is a wrestler. We expect him to help this team out somewhere down the road."
165 POUNDS
Junior Mike Ragusa (Foxboro, MA/Foxboro) won 21 matches at the 174 starting spot last season. He emerged as a MAC threat that, this season, garnered him a third-place ranking in the MAC Preseason Poll at 165. Ragusa placed fourth at the Oklahoma Gold Classic and finished second at the Slippery Rock Open. Senior Jake Blowers (Johnstown, NY/Broadalbin-Perth) is entering his fifth year and who the coaching staff expects big things from. Blowers is an experience grappler and will challenge at both 165 and 174.
"We have two guys who have been starters in the past at both 165 and 174," Beichner said. "We all expect them both to have great years and we know they expect the same from themselves."
174 POUNDS
Possibly the squad's most talented position is at 174, where two Pennsylvanians have the chance to start and possibly contend for a MAC title. Juniors Mickey Moran (Pittsburgh, PA/Shaler Area) and Nate Rock (Ephrata, PA/Ephrata) have won 20-plus matches in their respective careers and will possibly go head-to-head for the starting spot. Rock has the edge, after the coaching staff have discussed interest in redshirting Moran after his dominant 05-06 campaign.
"Moran was one of our top four performances last year who went from a very tough freshman year to a very good sophomore year," Beichner said. "We are going to redshirt him with the intentions of giving him a year to increase his size and strength so that he could be a phenomenal wrestler for us in the near future who will have his greatest two years ahead of him."
After struggling a bit in his sophomore season, Rock is talented enough to win a MAC Championships and qualify for the NCAA Championships. He is, what the coaching staff says, "a great competitor whose sky is the limit."
184 POUNDS
Freshman Ricky Scott (Walden, NY/Valley Central) is the lone Bull at 184 pounds, and is looking to provide a strong showing following a redshirt freshman year. Scott is tabbed to finish third in the conference, and was a highly-touted recruit coming to Buffalo last season. He was a two-time state champion, and was ranked third among the nation's high school seniors by Intermat at 171 pounds.
A Bull who will see time at 184 next season is freshman Jimmy Hamel (Natick, MA/Natick), who will redshirt the upcooming campaign. Hamel is most likely to see time at 197, but will be a solid contributor at both classes. Finishing second at the New England Championships, Hamel finished his career with 146 wins and was named Bay State Conference Wrestler of the Year in 2006.
"This is the kind of kid who has that blue-collar attitude and has a tremendous work ethic from a family of 12," Beichner said. "He has a non-stop personality that will make him good down the road."
197 POUNDS
The departure of Kyle Cerminera leaves this weight class with a giant hole. Senior Ray Lamb (Mays Landing, NJ/Absegami) and freshman Jason Brown (Cato, NY/Cato-Meridian) will look to provide that presence to make the Bulls once again formidable at 197. Lamb has moved up from 174 and will eliminate for a starting spot. Brown is a New York State Division II Champion after finishing his senior campaign at 37-1. Brown is expected to redshirt his first season.
"We usually have eliminations so that we can tell who the starters are going to be," Beichner said. After a good round of eliminations where everyone has wrestled each other, you can see who is going to be the top guy for the season. There are some that will shock you from time to time."
HEAVYWEIGHT
Junior Jeff Parker (Foxboro, MA/Foxboro) was forced to redshirt last season due to a hip injury. Parker went 10-4 before being forced to sit out and will provide a similar force this season. The absence from the mat has allowed him to get stronger and more disciplined and will contend for a MAC title.
"He has come a long way since he came here from Binghamton and has a lot of potential," Beichner said of Parker. "I know his sights are set at winning the MAC Championships and qualifying for the NCAA Championships. I know it is he is thinking that is what he should be thinking."
Three freshmen, Jason Weber (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) and Mark Germano (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) will look to gain experience and guidance under Parker. Weber is the most experienced of the group, having played a collegiate sport in football at Urbana University.
"Weber has very good potential and I believe he could be a very good wrestler," Beichner said. "In time, he's going to surprise people."
Germano is a developmental wrestler who is both big and strong with good work ethics. He could see time on the mat in the near future.
Schedule
The Bulls get a chance to prove themselves worthy of a coveted starting spot at the fourth annual UB Open on November 5th, where each grappler will tussle through eliminations and determine who the top guy will be at each class.
"The UB Open is our first elimination," coach Beichner said. "We are going to see who competes, who does well, who does not, and that will determine who will travel the following week to the Oklahoma Gold Classic. With good competition, somebody will step up and become pretty tough."
The following week is the Oklahoma Gold Classic, a meet that provides stiff competition from the likes of perennial powerhouses, Oklahoma, Bloomsburg, and Army. An Ivy League opponent lingers on November 15th, where the squad will have its first dual meet against Princeton at Alumni Arena.
Two tournaments, the Mat Town USA tournament and the Las Vegas Invitational, will again prepare the Bulls for possibly its toughest dual meet of the year with Edinboro on December 9th. Edinboro finished eighth at last year's NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, and squeezed out a favorable score of 20-13 against Buffalo last year.
A stretch of dual, tri-, and quad-meets set up the team's first Mid-American Conference showdown with Northern Illinois on January 14th at Alumni Arena. Five days later, UB will host the New York State Collegiate Championships, a tournament that pit 17 teams last season against each other. Buffalo scored second in the meet held in Oswego, NY with 134.5 points.
The Bulls square off against Ohio on the 27th to end the month, only to get set for back-to-back conference dual meets with Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan starting on February 3rd. Central Michigan, with 102.5 points at the MAC Championships, claimed the regular season and conference crown while placing 26th out of 64 teams in the NCAA Championships.
UB ends its regular season at Binghamton on February 17th, giving it ample time to prepare for the MAC Championships on March 3rd. The championships are being held this year at UB's Alumni Arena, while the NCAA Championships will take place March 15-17 in Detroit, Michigan.
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