University at Buffalo Wrestler Dan Bishop Returns Home

University at Buffalo wrestler Dan Bishop, who suffered a life-threatening
spinal injury at the Mid-American Conference Championships in early March,
returned to his home in Whitehall, NY today.
 
Bishop was released from the Sunnyview Rehabilitation Center in
Schenectady today where he has stunned and won over staff with his rapid
recovery. From the time he arrived there in mid-March, Bishop has gone from
standing with help, to walking with a walker and now is walking on his own.
 
"Yesterday I walked 45 minutes without a walker,˜ said Bishop. ¯It
kicked my butt, but I was really happy to go that far. I feel great and have
no pain at all, outside of getting tired pretty quickly.˜
 
Bishop will remain in Whitehall getting therapy twice a week and plans
on returning to Buffalo for graduation. He plans on walking up to get his
diploma at the ceremony. He will move full-time back to Western New York by
the end of May to finish his coursework and plans on making Buffalo his
home.

¯I canˆt thank people enough for all of their cards, e-mails and notes,˜
Bishop said. ¯It has kept me going every day. I canˆt wait to get back to
Buffalo and see everyone in person.˜

Bishop suffered the injury on March 6, 2010, while competing at the
Mid-American Conference Championships at Central Michigan University.
 
He underwent emergency surgery at St. Marys Hospital in Saginaw, MI that
night to relieve the inflammation on his spinal cord after it was determined
that a fracture had occurred between his C5 and C6 vertebrae and that damage
to one of his major arteries had also occurred. Doctors performed successful
surgery that included fusing the two vertebrae back together and installing
a metal plate and permanent screws to support the spine. At the time of the
surgery, Bishop had lost feeling to all of his extremities.
Paul Bradley Named University at Buffalo Assistant Wrestling Coach

BUFFALO, NY - Head wrestling coach Jim Beichner has announced the hiring of
Paul Bradley as UB's assistant wrestling coach. Bradley brings impressive
credentials with him as he spent one season on the coaching staff at Indiana
and he was a two-time All-American at the University of Iowa. In his first
season at Indiana, Bradley helped lead the Hoosiers to a 10-5 dual-meet
record and a fifth place finish at the Big Ten Championships. Ultimately,
Indiana finished 14th at the 2007 NCAA Wrestling Championships. Bradley
worked with the higher weight classes at Indiana.

"I am very excited for the opportunity that was given to me by Coach
Beichner," said Bradley. "I am looking forward to recruiting as well as
bringing my style of wrestling from Iowa to UB. I was drawn to the position
because I know Coach Beichner and I have the same philosophy and that is
that we won't settle for anything less than a winner."

During his career at Iowa, Bradley wrestled anywhere from 184 pounds to
heavyweight. His sophomore and junior seasons saw him garner All-American
status at 184 pounds, where he competed for the majority of his career. In
2003-04, Bradley went 26-12, placing second in the Big Ten and finishing
fourth at the NCAA Tournament. That year, he recorded five major decisions
and six pins for Iowa.

In 2004-05, Bradley followed up his first All-American selection with a
second, this time finishing fifth in the nation. It capped off a 24-9 season
for the junior, who brought home a fourth-place finish in the 184-pound
division at the Big Ten Championships.

Bradley finished his career with a 16-10 mark as a senior, wrapping up
his final Big Ten tourney with a seventh place finish. He advanced to the
NCAAs, but was unable to succeed in his quest for a third straight
All-American nod.

"We are thrilled to bring in somebody with the collegiate wrestling
experience of Paul Bradley," said Beichner. "When he wrestled at Iowa he
was known as an 'old school' type wrestler. He can get very intense on the
mat, but what will make him a good recruiter is his ability to turn off that
intensity when he has to. He is a great technician like our current
assistant coach, Jeff Catribone, and he will have a positive impact not just
on the heavyweight wrestlers, but on the entire team."

University at Buffalo Wrestling Announces Team Award Winners

BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo wrestling squad honored its 2006-07
award winners at the annual UB Athletic Awards Banquet held on May 1 at the
Millenium Hotel in Cheektowaga. Four student-athletes from head coach Jim
Beichner's team received awards at the ceremony.

Receiving awards from the UB coaching staff were redshirt freshman Ricky
Scott (Walden, NY/Valley Central), senior Ray Lamb (Vineland, NJ/Absegami),
senior Jake Blowers (Johnstown, NY/Broadalbin-Perth) and senior Mark Budd
(Orrville, OH/Orrville).

Scott was named the team's Top Newcomer following a remarkable 20-10
campaign at 197 lbs. After placing second at the UB Open at 184 lbs., Scott
pounded the competition at 197, taking third at the Mat Town USA
Invitational. Scott held a 12-3 record heading into a match with
nationally-ranked Chris Weidman of Hofstra, but was defeated by major
decision, 13-5. Weidman went on to finish third at the NCAA Championships.
Following a fourth-place finish at the New York State Collegiate
Championships, Scott suffered a season-ending tricep injury, preventing him
from competing any further. Scott finished second on the team in season
falls and technical falls with two a piece.

Lamb was another successful grappler in the 2006-07 season, earning a
career-best 24-14 record and Most Improved award. Lamb entered the
starting lineup for good at 184 lbs. at the Bloomsburg Duals and provided
the Bulls with a steady presence. Lamb went 10-4 in dual meets, the second
most dual meet wins on the team, with his only four dual losses coming
against nationally-ranked competitors. Lamb earned a fourth-place finish at
the Mid-American Conference Championships.

Blowers earned the Coaches' Award in his senior year after being a
capable filler for many of the injuries and other circumstances at 197 lbs.
When Scott suffered his season-ending injury, Blowers picked up the slack
and provided strength at one of the toughest weights in the country.
Blowers faced off against Central Michigan's Wynn Michalak on two seperate
occasions, falling in both. Blowers finished the season with a 6-13 record.

Budd, named Most Outstanding, became the fourth wrestler in UB history
to win 100 or more matches. He ranked as high as eighth in the nation at 133
lbs. and had the most wins in the country at his weight class in 2007. A MAC
champion and NYS Collegiate champion, Budd finished with a 36-6 record in
2007. He went undefeated in dual meets in 2007 and his 16-0 record gave him
the second best all-time single season dual meet win percentage in school
history. At the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, Budd placed sixth after
successfully upsetting nationally-fourth ranked Tyler McCormick of Missouri
by a 3-1 sudden victory decision. Budd led the team this season with 41
takedowns.

The Bulls finished 8-7 overall and 0-5 in MAC dual meets.

Buffalo's Needle, Moran Named All-Americans At University Nationals

AKRON, OH - The University at Buffalo wrestling squad sent 20 of its best
last weekend to Akron, Ohio to compete in the ASICS Men's FILA Cadet and
University National Championships hosted by the University of Akron at the
Athletics Field House. Comprised of top-notch competitors from across the
nation at both the FILA Cadet Division as well as the University Division,
two Bulls successfully earned All-American status while two others were on
the verge.

At 145.5 lbs., junior Ryan Needle (Newfane, NY/Newfane) bounced back in
dramatic fashion following a sub-par 2006-07 season to claim fifth out of 60
participants. New York State Section VI's all-time winningest wrestler
advanced to the semifinals after defeating four straight opponents,
including Michael Keefe of Chattanooga, who was crowned the SoCon
Championship at 141 pounds. However, Needle met stiff competition from
Jordan Burroughs of Nebraska, who took the decision 4-2, 3-2. A second
consecutive defeat positioned Needle for a fifth-place finish, as he
decisioned Nathaniel Holt of Central Michigan, 1-0, 3-0.

Junior Mickey Moran (Pittsburgh, PA/Shaler Area) entered the weekend's
festivities after having redshirted this past season. Moran shook off the
dust by winning seven matches in the 185 lbs. bracket, en route to a
seventh-place finish. Moran's first loss came in the form of Matt Pell of
Missouri, who placed third at the NCAA Championships this past March. Pell
decisioned Moran, 3-1, 1-1, sending the junior Bull into the wrestleback.
After battling past five straight opponents, Moran met Pell once again, who
in turn sent Moran to the seventh-place match with Kent State's Eric Chine.
Having never faced his Mid-American Conference adversary, Moran earned the
decision, 1-0, 2-1.

Redshirt freshman Dan Bishop (Whitehall, NY/Whitehall) and freshman
Jimmy Hamel (Natick, MA/Natick) were both on the verge of earning
All-American finishes, providing strong efforts in the wrestlebacks. Bishop
was handed his first loss against 2007 NCAA All-American Obe Blanc of Lock
Haven, 2-0, 3-0, before earning two victories in the wrestlebacks. Bishop
would be denied an All-American placing after falling to Matt Steintrager of
Central Michigan, 2-1, 9-0. Hamel was another Bull who redshirted the
2006-07 season, providing a glimpse of next season as he went 4-2 on the
weekend. Hamel fell to Kent State's Eric Chine, 2-0, 2-0 in the
wrestlebacks.

The Bulls finished the 2006-07 season with a 8-7 record.

Buffalo's Budd Falls in Wrestle-back Action

Budd finishes career as one of UB's best ever

DETROIT, MI - Mark Budd's (Orrville, OH/Orrville)journey into the All-American round came to an abrupt end Friday morning, as he was pinned by Harvard's Rob Preston at 6:50 in the second consolation bracket at the 2007 NCAA Wrestling Championships. The University at Buffalo senior was down 3-0 in the third period, when Preston turned him and caught him with the fall.

Having never faced Preston in his collegiate career, both competitors went into collar ties for a majority of the opening period. It was not until the closing seconds of the first when Budd attempted a shot at the legs for the two-point takedown as time expired.

Preston would be the first to get on the scoreboard, earning a penalty point as the official called Budd for illegally interlocking hands. Still at the neutral level, Preston shot behind Budd and was able to hang on to the waist, scoring the takedown and building the lead to 3-0.

With a moderate lead, Preston put on extra riding time as Budd elected the down position to start the third period. After a few tilt attempts, Preston caught Budd with a turn that enabled him to pick up the pinfall with 50 seconds remaining, thus ending the match and Budd's hopes of advancing in the wrestle-backs and a chance to attain All-American status.

Budd completes his senior campaign with a 36-6 overall record, the sixth-best win total in Buffalo lore. He ends his stellar UB wrestling career with a 104-37 overall record. His win total is third-best in school history, while his .738 career winning percentage is 11th best.