Swimming and Diving
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- ajbashor@buffalo.edu
- Phone:
- 716-645-3145
Andy Bashor, UB's all-time winningest coach, enters the 2025-26 season for his 20th season with the Bulls, serving as women’s head coach since 2006. Since his hiring, the Bulls have re-written the record books, setting more than 100 new top-10 times over the past five seasons.
The Bulls completed the 2024-25 season with a 2-2 record against MAC opponents, finishing fourth at MAC Championships and earning 10 MAC medals. Under Bashor's guidance, Bella Forsman was named the MAC Freshman Swimmer of the Year. The Bulls had two new school records and 19 performances enter the program's all-time top 10.
The 2022-23 campaign was good for the Bulls under Bashor, finishing 3-2 in MAC play and placing second in the MAC Championship. Toni Naccarella placed first in both the 50-meter freestyle and 100-meter freestyle, qualifying for the NCAA Championships for the second time under Bashor. Both Victoria Franz and Marialis Kwak also qualified for the NCAA Championships in 1-meter diving and 3-meter diving, respectively. Bashor’s squad earned eight silver medals in the 2023 MAC Championships. with five First-Team All MAC selections and one Second-Team selection.
The Bulls completed the 2021-22 season with a 4-0 record against MAC opponents, adding a win over Duquesne too, finishing with an undefeated record. Buffalo placed second at the 2022 MAC Championships, with three swimmers and one diver earning gold medal honors. Throughout the season, Bashor’s squad earned 10 MAC Athlete of the Week honors, a program record. The team also featured five athletes who were First-Team All MAC, and three athletes who earned Second-Team All MAC honors. By seasons end, the Bulls set four new school records and 33 new top-10 times or scores.
The 2020-21 campaign was one to remember for the UB women’s swimming and diving team as they won their first ever Mid-American Conference title. The Bulls would take down the seven-time reigning Akron Zips by just seven points in a thrilling championship. This marked the program’s first conference title since winning the Mid-Continent Conference (currently the Summit League) championships four consecutive years from 1995-98. Bashor would earn MAC Coach of the Year for the second year in a row. Brittney Beetcher earned the MAC Outstanding Senior award along with a program record 10 Bulls earning All-MAC honors.
For the first time since 2017, a women’s swimmer qualified for the 2021 NCAA Championships. Toni Naccarella qualified for both the 50 and 100-yard freestyles.
On March 27, 2021, Bashor earned his 150th career victory at UB with a 167-82 win over Cleveland State.
Bashor was also the men’s swimming and diving head coach from 2007-16.
In 2011, the men’s swimming and diving team captured its’ first Mid-American Conference Championship title and, in the process, Bashor earned his third consecutive MAC Coach of the Year title. He won the award in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
The 2011 men’s team was by far his greatest achievement at the University at Buffalo. The Bulls became the first team other than perennial powers Eastern Michigan and Miami (OH) to claim the team title since 1979. In the meet, held in Carbondale, Ill., the Bulls swept all five relay races, setting school records in each. All told, UB set 13 school records at the three-day meet and eight of his athletes earned All-Mid-American Conference honors.
Bashor has also guided his swimmers to individual success, highlighted by Brittney Kuras becoming the first UB women’s swimmer to compete at the NCAA Division I National Championships in 2012. In the summer of 2012, seven of his swimmers competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, the precursor to the London Olympic Games.
In 2013, the Bulls had two women’s swimmers compete in the NCAA Championships as Mallory Morell and Brittney Kuras both advanced to Indianapolis. Morrell became the first UB women’s swimmer to reach the evening session of the NCAA Championships where she eventually finished fifth in the consolation final of the 50-yard freestyle and earned All-America honors.
His Bulls squads have been consistent, not just in the water, but in the classroom, as both the men’s and women’s teams have earned recognition to the College Swimming Coaches Association of America’s team scholar All-American lists.
Bashor arrived in Buffalo from Rutgers University where he spent four seasons as the head assistant swim coach for both the men’s and women’s programs. Bashor, who coached the sprinters and was the recruiting coordinator, helped lead the Scarlet Knights’ women’s swim team to one of its most successful campaigns in 2006 as the team finished second in the Big East Conference and qualified seven swimmers for the Women’s NCAA Championships. Rutgers was ranked 13th in the final CSCAA women’s swimming rankings and finished in 18th place at the 2006 NCAA Championships. While at Rutgers, Bashor was also part of a three-time women’s swimming and diving coaching staff of the year in the Big East.
Prior to being hired at Rutgers, Bashor spent four seasons as the head assistant swim coach at University of California at Santa Barbara. He coached sprinters and breaststrokers in addition to serving as the team’s recruiting coordinator and the team’s strength coach. During his four seasons at UC-Santa Barbara, the men’s team won three Big West Conference titles, while the women won one Big West title.
Bashor is no stranger to the Mid-American Conference as he spent two seasons as a graduate assistant swim coach at Ohio University where he received his master’s degree in Athletic Administration in 1998.
Bashor had a successful career as a collegiate swimmer as a four-year letterwinner at North Carolina State University. Specializing in sprint free and butterfly, Bashor was a team captain during his senior season and received a bachelor’s degree in biology in 1996.
Bashor currently resides in Kenmore, New York with his three children, Allie, Bobby and Colby.
