STAFF REPORTS
news@allwnynews.com
BUFFALO — As the weather starts to feel more like summer outside that means that Buffalo State spring sports seasons are starting to come to a close.
Commencement is just two weeks away, ending another successful year both athletically and academically at Buffalo State. Before the spring athletes are ready to either walk across the stage or to start getting ready for a well-deserved summer, four teams are gearing up for runs at the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) playoffs.
The weekend is even more special, as the inaugural Benji Awards show and the SUNYAC-wide initiative Yards for Yeardley will take place on campus this Sunday.
Without further ado, here is what on the docket for Buffalo State athletics this weekend:
Softball on the road, trying to clinch postseason berth – Friday & Saturday
Buffalo State softball (12-20/8-6) currently sits in the sixth and final spot for the SUNYAC’s.
The Bengals will travel to Plattsburgh (21-15/9-5) to take on the Cardinals in a doubleheader on Friday at 3 p.m. and will then head to Potsdam (8-21/1-13) for another conference twin bill on Saturday, beginning at noon.
Both Geneseo (18-14/6-8) and Brockport (16-18/5-9) are trying to run down the Bengals in the standings. Buffalo State is two games up on the Knights and three games up on the Golden Eagles. The Bengals control their own density this weekend, with two wins securing them a berth in the postseason.
The team’s seeding can also fluctuate based on the outcomes of this weekend’s games. Buffalo State can finish anywhere from No. 2-6 in the standings.
Fans can follow along live with Friday’s doubleheader against Plattsburgh here, and Saturday’s against Potsdam at this link.
Live video will also be available for just Saturday’s twin bill here.
Men’s and Women’s Track & Field tunes up at St. John Fisher – Saturday – Rochester, NY
Both men’s and women’s track & field teams will be competing in one final tune-up meet before the SUNYAC Championships this Saturday at St. John Fisher College’s Cardinal Classic.
The event will start at 10 a.m. and fans can watch it live right here, or follow along with the results at this link.
The SUNYAC Championships will take place May 5-6 at SUNY Cortland.
Women’s Lacrosse Senior Day – Saturday – Coyer Field
Come cheer on the Bengals in their last home contest of the regular-season and Senior Day, Saturday at 1 p.m. out at Coyer Field.
Buffalo State (6-9/3-4) is sixth in the SUNYAC standings and has already clinched a bid to the post season no matter the outcome of this contest. It is the first time the Bengals will be returning to the SUNYAC’s since 2015.
Buffalo State will be taking on Cortland (11-4/6-1) on Saturday. Admission is free.
If fans are unable to attend in person, they can still watch the game live here on buffalostateathletics.com or follow along with the live stats at this link.
Yards for Yeardley – Sunday – Coyer Field
The Buffalo State Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) in conjunction with the One Love Foundation will host “Yards for Yeardley” on Sunday, April 30 on Coyer Field beginning at 9 a.m. as part of the SUNYAC-wide event “10 Million Yards for Yeardley.”
Student-athletes and athletic department staff on each SUNYAC campus will be asked to run, walk, skip or swim in an effort to accumulate 1 million yards to promote awareness of relationship and domestic violence. The ultimate goal of SUNYAC SAAC is to accumulate 10 million yards across the 10 SUNYAC member institutions between April 20-30.
The event is organized in remembrance of former University of Virginia women’s lacrosse player Yeardley Love. On May 3rd, 2010, Love was brutally beaten to death by her deranged former boyfriend and member of the men’s lacrosse team. Since that fatal day, Yeardley’s mother, Sharon Love developed the One Love Foundation in response to her tragic loss to raise awareness about the consequences of relationship violence.
For more information on the “Yards for Yeardley” event and the One Love Foundation, visit www.JoinOneLove.org.
The SUNYAC SAAC 10 Million Yards for Yeardley event is the first-ever Yards for Yeardley endeavor taken on by an entire conference. It is SUNYAC SAAC’s first community service event where all 10 institutions will work together to raise awareness and give back to the entire New York Community.
The event is rain or shine and will move inside to the Sports Arena and Houston Gym complex with its activities if there is any inclement weather.
The Benji Awards Show – Sunday – Rockwell Hall Performing Arts Center
Buffalo State Athletics will hold the inaugural Benji Awards show on Sunday, April 30 at 4:30 p.m. in the Rockwell Hall Performing Arts Center to celebrate the outstanding team and individual accomplishments of the 2016-17 seasons.
The revamped version of the annual Buffalo State Athletics Banquet will be a theater-style awards show ala the ESPY’s and the Oscars. In addition to paying tribute to the 59 seniors in the Class of 2017, Buffalo State will hand out nine “Benjis” to the evening’s top honorees and recognize the Golden Bengal Service Award recipient.
All student-athlete are expected to attend and the event is free and open to the public.
A complete list of the award nominees can be found here and fans can watch the event live here on buffalostateathletics.com.