Buffalo State sports fans look forward to a good year

Whether you're a new student, returning from last year or an alumni of Buffalo State College, you've picked a great time to be a Bengals fan.

There may not have been a better time to be a sports fan in the school's 140-year history.

This is high praise for such a decorated athletics program like that of Buff State, but well justified and the future may have never looked brighter for the Bengals than it does now.

I say this mainly due to the outstanding year many of Buffalo State's sports teams put together in 2010-11.

The list of the Bengals' achievements last year is extensive.

The athletics program finished fourth in the Commissioner's Cup, which ranks each of the ten teams in the SUNYAC based on the entire year's athletic achievements. The fourth place rank is the highest in Buffalo State history since the Cup was created in 2000. They also finished 67th of 447 teams in the Division III Learfield Sports Directors' Cup, which rates the success of every NCAA school in the nation.

The men's basketball team won the SUNYAC title and made it all the way to the NCAA Division III Tournament's "Sweet 16"round.

The women's hockey team, despite not having their most successful season record-wise, beat an Elmira team that ranked 7th nationally in Division III for the first time in the program's history.

The men's and women's indoor track and field squads won their respective SUNYAC titles, with the men's win being the first in the program's history. Not to mention Erica Johnson, Xavier Mateen and Justin Allen all captured a national title for their events during the indoor season. 

The way things are looking, that list of achievements is only going to continue to grow in the near future, beginning with this year.

Much of the success of Buffalo State's sports programs can be accredited to Jerry Boyes, who has served as the school's athletic director since 1999.

Boyes' football team is one of the biggest reasons why Bengals fans should be excited this year.

Since the program's inception in 1981, football as been the heart and soul of the athletic department. The team was considered one of the best in the nation throughout the 90's but fell on hard times at the turn of the century after Boyes left to take the position as the school's athletic director.

Now, three years after Boyes resumed coaching, everything is looking up for a team that has improved its record every year since and has big expectations for the 2011 football season.

If you're more of a basketball fan, you are probably looking forward to this winter when the Bengals hit the court.

The team went 23-7 last season before falling to St. Mary's of Maryland in the third round of the NCAA tournament and will return four of their five starters from last year, including leading scorer Jake Simmons.

If you're a hockey fan, the men's team should improve on its 12-11-3 record from last year. While they lost all-time leading scorer Nick Petriello to graduation, goalie Kevin Carr had an outstanding freshman year last season and has the team's future looking better than ever.

The ladies have something to offer for Bengals' fans as well.

Last season the basketball team went 15-10, losing in the SUNYAC quarterfinals and they return star Barb Kiliszek. Softball gave the league's powerhouses a run for their money too, going 18-21 before nearly upsetting a Cortland team in the SUNYAC's that was ranked ninth in the nation. Also expect good things in the winter from the swimming and diving team highlighted by Kaitlin Mergler, who already owns 11 school records.

If you're a sports fan, this season should remind you just exactly what it is you love so much about college sports. If you don't believe me, make sure you take a look for yourself. The Bengals are certainly poised to take their fans on one heck of a ride.

• Brandon Schlager can be reached by email at schlager.record@live.com.