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

  • Baseball
    3/4/25
    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
    3/7/25
    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
    3/4/25
    In the Fall of 1948, the first “varsity” cross country team was formed.
  • Football
    3/5/25
    In 1894, the University of Buffalo embarked on its very first football season.
  • Hockey
    3/5/25
    The first U.B. hockey team was organized in the winter of 1895-1896.
  • Soccer
    3/5/25
    In the Fall of 1971, a “club” soccer team was formed at the University at Buffalo under the direction of Bert Jacobsen.
  • Swimming & Diving
    3/4/25
    The 1923-1924 academic year was when the first swimming team was formed.
  • Tennis
    3/5/25
    The University of Buffalo granted tennis “varsity” status during the 1933-1934 academic year.
  • Track & Field
    3/5/25
    Buffalo’s first track team formed during the 1899-1900 academic year.
  • Wrestling
    3/5/25
    Local athletic stock soared to a new high during the 1933-34 season, when the University of Buffalo wrestling team put themselves literally and figuratively on the mat.