Men’s Sports

The University’s first athletic programs consisted exclusively of men’s varsity and junior varsity teams. However in the fall of 1922, Lillias MacDonald, the newly appointed Dean of Women, helped to established a physical education program for women at UB which included the Women’s Athletic Association (WAA). The WAA, run by a student governing council, developed a foundation for UB women’s athletics that “would be strong enough to stand the test of time” (1923 Iris yearbook).

In 1923 Gretchen Lee became Director of the Clark Gymnasium and Physical Education Instructor often coaching women’s athletics.

In the 1940’s women around Clark Hall–the University’s main gymnasium at the time–were known as “PEWs,” or Physical Education Women.

• Baseball

  The year 1949 is considered the official inaugural season of U.B. varsity baseball. But baseball’s start at U.B. goes back much further. There are newspaper accounts of a U.B. baseball team from as early as 1895. From 1914 – 1917, several good Buffalo teams took to the diamond.

• Basketball

  The 1915-1916 academic year is considered the official inaugural season of U.B. “varsity” basketball but there were several other teams dating back to 1905.

• Cross Country

  In the Fall of 1948, the first “varsity” Cross Country team was formed.

• Football

  In 1894, the University of Buffalo embarked on its very first football season.

• Hockey

  The first U.B. hockey team was organized in the winter of 1895-1896.

• Soccer

  In the Fall of 1971, a “club” soccer team was formed at the University at Buffalo under the direction of Bert Jacobsen.

• Swimming & Diving

  The 1923-1924 academic year was when the first swimming team was formed.

• Tennis

  The University of Buffalo granted tennis “varsity” status during the 1933-1934 academic year.

• Track & Field

• Wrestling