Saturday, October 18
Buffalo, NY
12 pm
vs
Cornell
Photo by: Paul Hokanson/UBBulls.com
Swim & Dive To Open 2025-2026 Season Hosting Cornell & Niagara on Saturday
10/16/2025 11:19:00β―AM | Swimming and Diving
BUFFALO, NY β The University at Buffalo swimming and diving program is opening the 2025-2026 season on Saturday afternoon in the Alumni Arena Natatorium, competing against Cornell and Niagara. The tri-meet is scheduled to begin at noon.
Head Coach Andy Bashor enters his 20th season with the Bulls. Bashor is UB's all-time winningest head coach, posting a record of 164-84 since taking over the program in 2006. Bashor is joined by Head Diving Coach Russ Dekker for the 11th season. Dekker has been named the Mid-American Conference Diving Coach of the Year for the last five seasons. Sydney Thomas joined the program in May as an Assistant Coach. Thomas came to Buffalo from Centre College, where she spent two seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Thomas is familiar with the MAC, having competed as a member of the Eastern Michigan swimming program from 2016 to 2020.
The Bulls have 21 returning student-athletes from last season, including one All-MAC First Team honoree in Bella Forsman, and three All-MAC Second Team honorees in Ava Cunningham, Grace Rider and Elise McCaul. Forsman was also named the MAC Freshman Swimmer of the Year, posting three top 10 finishes at conference championships, including a silver medal in the 400-yard individual medley (4:16.15) and a fourth-place finish in the 200-yard individual medley (2:01.20).
The Bulls' freshmen class comes to Buffalo representing five different countries. Four of eight newcomers are from the United States, with Lillian Bailey joining the program from Hillard, Ohio, Tristan Krajcarski from Oxford, Michigan, Hattie Wasmuth from Norcross, Georgia, and Evie Welser from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Adele Melamud joins the Bulls from Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, just two hours northwest of Buffalo. The freshman class is rounded out with three student-athletes from across the ocean: Alex Bulat from Lincoln, England, Pinar Donmez from Izmir, Turkey, and Kamilla Nemes from Budapest, Hungary.
The Bulls are 36-7 all-time versus the Niagara Purple Eagles. Niagara began its season last Saturday, competing at Binghamton University and falling to the Bearcats, 169-125. The Purple Eagles entered the season as the reigning champions from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, looking to continue that momentum but with a new Head Coach at the helm in Matt Bosse.
Cornell enters the season looking to turn the page, finishing eighth at last year's Ivy League Championship. The Big Red were 3-7 in the regular season last season, picking up wins over Binghamton, St. Bonaventure and Le Moyne. The competition between the Bulls and Cornell is an exhibition and will not be scored.
The Bulls begin the season on Saturday at noon in the Alumni Arena Natatorium. Live results are available on Meet Mobile. A live stream for the event can be accessed here. Click here for a complete swimming and diving schedule.
For all the latest on UB Swimming & Diving, check out the official website of the Buffalo Bulls, and follow the program on Instagram (@UBSwimDiveTeam), X (@UBSwimDiveTeam) and Facebook ("Buffalo Bulls Swimming and Diving").
Click here for information on the Bulls Championship Fund.
Click here for ticket information regarding all athletic events.
Head Coach Andy Bashor enters his 20th season with the Bulls. Bashor is UB's all-time winningest head coach, posting a record of 164-84 since taking over the program in 2006. Bashor is joined by Head Diving Coach Russ Dekker for the 11th season. Dekker has been named the Mid-American Conference Diving Coach of the Year for the last five seasons. Sydney Thomas joined the program in May as an Assistant Coach. Thomas came to Buffalo from Centre College, where she spent two seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Thomas is familiar with the MAC, having competed as a member of the Eastern Michigan swimming program from 2016 to 2020.
The Bulls have 21 returning student-athletes from last season, including one All-MAC First Team honoree in Bella Forsman, and three All-MAC Second Team honorees in Ava Cunningham, Grace Rider and Elise McCaul. Forsman was also named the MAC Freshman Swimmer of the Year, posting three top 10 finishes at conference championships, including a silver medal in the 400-yard individual medley (4:16.15) and a fourth-place finish in the 200-yard individual medley (2:01.20).
The Bulls' freshmen class comes to Buffalo representing five different countries. Four of eight newcomers are from the United States, with Lillian Bailey joining the program from Hillard, Ohio, Tristan Krajcarski from Oxford, Michigan, Hattie Wasmuth from Norcross, Georgia, and Evie Welser from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Adele Melamud joins the Bulls from Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, just two hours northwest of Buffalo. The freshman class is rounded out with three student-athletes from across the ocean: Alex Bulat from Lincoln, England, Pinar Donmez from Izmir, Turkey, and Kamilla Nemes from Budapest, Hungary.
The Bulls are 36-7 all-time versus the Niagara Purple Eagles. Niagara began its season last Saturday, competing at Binghamton University and falling to the Bearcats, 169-125. The Purple Eagles entered the season as the reigning champions from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, looking to continue that momentum but with a new Head Coach at the helm in Matt Bosse.
Cornell enters the season looking to turn the page, finishing eighth at last year's Ivy League Championship. The Big Red were 3-7 in the regular season last season, picking up wins over Binghamton, St. Bonaventure and Le Moyne. The competition between the Bulls and Cornell is an exhibition and will not be scored.
The Bulls begin the season on Saturday at noon in the Alumni Arena Natatorium. Live results are available on Meet Mobile. A live stream for the event can be accessed here. Click here for a complete swimming and diving schedule.
For all the latest on UB Swimming & Diving, check out the official website of the Buffalo Bulls, and follow the program on Instagram (@UBSwimDiveTeam), X (@UBSwimDiveTeam) and Facebook ("Buffalo Bulls Swimming and Diving").
Click here for information on the Bulls Championship Fund.
Click here for ticket information regarding all athletic events.
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