By Gabe DiMaio
Buffalo, NY – UB President John Simpson pledged Wednesday to provide the institutional leadership and support necessary for the university's athletics program to succeed in the Mid American Conference.
The announcement came on the heels of a report from consultant and former president of the NCAA, Gene Corrigan. He was asked to assess UB's athletics endeavors. While he was impressed by UB's facilities, Corrigan says that is not what makes a successful program.
"The size of the arena has nothing to do with it," Corrigan said. "It's the heart of the team. It's the competency of the coach. It's the support of the fans. It's the support of the administration. Those are the things that make it happen."
Recommendations from Corrigan's report include UB hiring a permanent director of Athletics "as soon as possible."
"The question comes up about whether you have too many sports. Are you trying to stretch your budget too far? All those things are for somebody who has the daily job of making the athletics department run," Corrigan said.
Corrigans other recommendations include providing immediate financial help for the football program but he said that should be considered after success is achieved on the playing field.