UB Well Represented at Empire State Games

BUFFALO, NY - University at Buffalo student-athletes played key roles in the success of the Western Region team in this year’s Empire State Games - helping the West earn a games-best 241 medals (104 Gold, 78 Silver, 59 Bronze). The Western Region earned over 100 medals more than the second place Central Region who finished with 138 medals.

The men’s basketball team brought home the gold medal by beating Hudson Valley (86-81) with the help of a pair of UB men’s basketball players. Junior Dave Barnett led the team with 16 points, while sophomore Mike Clifford had 10 points in the gold medal game. Barnett averaged 8.5 points and Clifford notched 13.5 points over the four-game series.

Recent UB graduate Dana Carter played for the Western Region in the open softball division. The team picked up a gold medal by beating Long Island, 3-0.

UB also had a strong presence on the Western men’s soccer team as recent graduate Lee Catchpole and junior Nick Fetterman were on the squad as well as 2009 All-MAC First Team forward Michael Unwin. Buffalo associate head coach David Hesch coached the Western squad.

The track and field competition was strongly represented by University at Buffalo student athletes at the Empire State Games. The men’s discus event had a distinct UB flavor as senior Matt Gac participated for Central Region and won the gold medal. Senior Corey Knox took home the bronze while junior Rob Golabek finished fourth.

In the women’s discus competition, sophomore Erin Miller won the bronze medal.

Golabek claimed gold in the men’s shot put, while Miller took home the gold in the shot put on the women’s side. Gac finished fourth in the men’s shot put.

Miller picked up her third medal of the games with a silver in the hammer throw.

UB student-athletes were just as successful on the track as they were in the throwing competition. Former UB Bull Mary Veith won a gold medal in a 5,000-meter run while fellow graduate Dan Giza finished second on the men’s side.

Senior Ryan Bloom won the gold medal in the steeplechase, while recent graduate Caitlin Godin won gold in the heptathlon.

In the 800-meter run, sophomore Leah Wightman won gold, while recent graduate Paul Riley finished second on the men’s side.

2010 MAC Champion Brian Smith claimed gold in 200-meter dash. Senior Andrew Omoregie won a silver medal in 110-meter high hurdles.

In the men’s high jump, senior Peter Bligh took home the silver medal.