Photo by: Paul Hokanson / UB Athletics
University at Buffalo Extends Contract of Vice President and Director of Athletics Mark Alnutt
8/21/2025 4:00:00 PM | General
BUFFALO, NY – University at Buffalo Vice President and Director of Athletics Mark Alnutt has signed a contract extension that will keep him at UB through July 2030.
"Mark's outstanding leadership of our UB Athletics has greatly benefited our student-athletes and our entire university community," said UB President Satish K. Tripathi. "Thanks to his efforts, across our Athletics Division, our student-athletes are competing ever-more successfully at the highest levels while continuing to excel in the classroom. His vision has been key to both increasing the national exposure of our athletics programs and deepening UB Athletics' engagement in the community, and I am excited to see what the future holds for our Athletics Division under his expert leadership."
Since Alnutt's hiring on March 18, 2018, UB Athletics has continued to excel on the fields and courts of play as well as in the classroom. In addition, through successful fundraising efforts, many of UB's athletic facilities have been transformed.
Both the men's and women's tennis teams won Mid-American Conference championships this past spring, bringing the total number of conference titles by UB teams to eight since Alnutt's arrival.
In front of a sold-out Alumni Arena, the women's basketball team captured the hearts of the Western New York community by winning the 2025 WNIT title. It capped a school-record 30-win season.
Alnutt was responsible for hiring football head coach Pete Lembo who, in his first season, led the Bulls to a 9-4 record, the second-most wins in school history. The Bulls defeated Liberty, 26-7, to win the 2024 Bahamas Bowl for their fourth straight bowl win and fifth bowl appearance in seven years. The four bowl victories in program history have all come under Alnutt's watch.
Alnutt has always placed an emphasis on academics and UB student-athletes responded by posting a department-record 3.380 grade point average in the fall of 2024. Under Alnutt, UB has recorded 11 of the top 12 GPAs in department history.
Another continuous focus during Alnutt's tenure has been facility upgrades. In November 2024, UB cut the ribbon on the Brittany Murchie Mulla Sports Performance Center – a 12,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that rivals some of the best in the nation.
Prior to the 2024 season, artificial turf was installed at Nan Harvey Field, significantly upgrading the softball team's facility.
Every program's facility has been enhanced in recent years. This fall, fans at UB Stadium will get to experience a brand-new high-definition videoboard that is nearly 300 percent larger than the previous board and features an advanced sound system.
Under Alnutt, UB has continued to have fundraising success. On UB Giving Day 2025, it set a new department record with 316 donors contributing $99,357 – the largest single-day giving total in department history. UB Athletics led the entire university in fundraising, accounting for nearly 20 percent of the day's total.
"I'm honored and very grateful to Dr. Tripathi for the opportunity to continue to lead UB Athletics into the future," Alnutt said. "Our department is on an incredible trajectory and carries exceptional momentum into the upcoming 2025-26 academic year.
"Furthermore, we continue to evolve and adapt to the new landscape of the NCAA, which will ensure future successes while capitalizing on opportunities that will enhance our student-athlete experience. We will continue to engage and galvanize our alumni and the Western New York and university communities by delivering on our mission to produce champions who will instill UB pride amongst our constituencies."
A native of Kansas City, MO, Alnutt is a graduate of Missouri with a bachelor's degree in sociology and a master's degree in public administration with an emphasis on sports psychology. He and his wife, Kate, have four children, Jaren, Kinleigh, Mason and Aidan.
"Mark's outstanding leadership of our UB Athletics has greatly benefited our student-athletes and our entire university community," said UB President Satish K. Tripathi. "Thanks to his efforts, across our Athletics Division, our student-athletes are competing ever-more successfully at the highest levels while continuing to excel in the classroom. His vision has been key to both increasing the national exposure of our athletics programs and deepening UB Athletics' engagement in the community, and I am excited to see what the future holds for our Athletics Division under his expert leadership."
Since Alnutt's hiring on March 18, 2018, UB Athletics has continued to excel on the fields and courts of play as well as in the classroom. In addition, through successful fundraising efforts, many of UB's athletic facilities have been transformed.
Both the men's and women's tennis teams won Mid-American Conference championships this past spring, bringing the total number of conference titles by UB teams to eight since Alnutt's arrival.
In front of a sold-out Alumni Arena, the women's basketball team captured the hearts of the Western New York community by winning the 2025 WNIT title. It capped a school-record 30-win season.
Alnutt was responsible for hiring football head coach Pete Lembo who, in his first season, led the Bulls to a 9-4 record, the second-most wins in school history. The Bulls defeated Liberty, 26-7, to win the 2024 Bahamas Bowl for their fourth straight bowl win and fifth bowl appearance in seven years. The four bowl victories in program history have all come under Alnutt's watch.
Alnutt has always placed an emphasis on academics and UB student-athletes responded by posting a department-record 3.380 grade point average in the fall of 2024. Under Alnutt, UB has recorded 11 of the top 12 GPAs in department history.
Another continuous focus during Alnutt's tenure has been facility upgrades. In November 2024, UB cut the ribbon on the Brittany Murchie Mulla Sports Performance Center – a 12,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that rivals some of the best in the nation.
Prior to the 2024 season, artificial turf was installed at Nan Harvey Field, significantly upgrading the softball team's facility.
Every program's facility has been enhanced in recent years. This fall, fans at UB Stadium will get to experience a brand-new high-definition videoboard that is nearly 300 percent larger than the previous board and features an advanced sound system.
Under Alnutt, UB has continued to have fundraising success. On UB Giving Day 2025, it set a new department record with 316 donors contributing $99,357 – the largest single-day giving total in department history. UB Athletics led the entire university in fundraising, accounting for nearly 20 percent of the day's total.
"I'm honored and very grateful to Dr. Tripathi for the opportunity to continue to lead UB Athletics into the future," Alnutt said. "Our department is on an incredible trajectory and carries exceptional momentum into the upcoming 2025-26 academic year.
"Furthermore, we continue to evolve and adapt to the new landscape of the NCAA, which will ensure future successes while capitalizing on opportunities that will enhance our student-athlete experience. We will continue to engage and galvanize our alumni and the Western New York and university communities by delivering on our mission to produce champions who will instill UB pride amongst our constituencies."
A native of Kansas City, MO, Alnutt is a graduate of Missouri with a bachelor's degree in sociology and a master's degree in public administration with an emphasis on sports psychology. He and his wife, Kate, have four children, Jaren, Kinleigh, Mason and Aidan.
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