Bulls Bolster Roster with Mid-Year Transfers
1/27/2026 10:53:00 AM | Football
BUFFALO, NY – There are a number of new faces roaming the halls of the Murchie Family Football Center as 18 transfers enrolled at UB in January and are eligible to practice with the football team heading into spring drills.
Of the 18 transfers, 12 play defense, five play offense and there is one specialist.
Four defensive edges have joined the team, including Logan Goodwin, Caleb Oliver, Sedrick Vessah and Henri Zeneli.
Goodwin is a transfer from IUP where he spent two seasons. He was a PSAC West All-Conference First Team selection in 2025 after posting 37 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and seven sacks.
Oliver is a transfer from Wofford where he spent two seasons. He had 33 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in 2025.
Vessah is a transfer from California (PA) where he spent two seasons. He was an All-PSAC West selection in 2025 after totaling 52 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. He added an NCAA Division II-best four blocked kicks on the year.
Zeneli transferred to UB after spending one season at Seton Hill University.
A trio of linebackers, Zach Bergmann, Stevie Bracey and Joey Cheshire, joined the team in January.
Bergmann is a transfer from Missouri Southern State where he spent four seasons. He had 100 tackles and two interceptions in 2025 en route to earning All-MIAA Third Team honors.
Bracey transferred from Virginia where he spent four seasons. He appeared in 20 games and made 26 tackles and a tackle for loss. Along with earning the team's Defensive Impact Player of the Year Award in 2022, Bracey was an Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List nominee as well as UVA's nominee for the 2025 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
Cheshire is a transfer from Cornell where he spent four seasons. He started all 10 games at linebacker in 2025 and finished with 73 tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. He had 63 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in 2024.
The Bulls added a pair of transfer defensive tackles in Mason Nickel and Stantavious Smith.
Nickel is a transfer from Saginaw Valley State where he spent one season after beginning his career at Michigan State. He had 23 tackles and 1.5 sacks in his lone season with the Cardinals. He redshirted in his lone season at Michigan State.
Smith transferred to UB from Florida A&M after beginning his career at USF. He played two seasons at FAMU and had 22 tackles and a tackle for loss. He began his career at USF where he redshirted in his lone season.
The Bulls added two cornerbacks and a safety to their defensive backfield.
Drayson Crane is a cornerback who transferred from Morehead State where he appeared in all 10 games and made six starts in 2025 as a true freshman. He had 35 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack, an interception and six pass breakups on the season.
Sayre Smothers is a cornerback who transferred from The Citadel where he played one season. He appeared in all 12 games in 2025 and had 29 tackles, two tackles for loss, two pass breakups and scored a touchdown on a 31-yard fumble recovery. Sayre was named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team.
Safety Zae Jennings is a transfer from West Virginia where he played in 21 games over two seasons. He had six tackles and a tackle for loss for the Mountaineers.
The Bulls added five transfers on the offensive side of the, including a pair of tight ends.
Clint Walker is a transfer from Davenport University where he spent four seasons. He was an All-Conference selection in 2025 after catching 13 passes for 96 yards and two touchdowns. He added nine carries for 73 yards a touchdown on the season.
Trevor Wilson is a transfer from Campbell after beginning his career at Robert Morris. In his lone season at Campbell, he had 22 catches for 193 yards and a touchdown. In three seasons at Robert Morris, Wilson had nine catches for 67 yards and a touchdown over 19 games.
Quarterback Elijah Holmes is a transfer from Wingate University where he spent three seasons. He was the Bulldogs starter in 2025 and threw for 3,040 yards, 24 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He added 290 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Joe Crocker is an offensive lineman who transferred from Baylor where he played 11 games in 2025. He spent the two previous seasons at Louisville where he appeared in seven games in 2024.
Punter Andrew VanSlyke transferred from James Madison where he spent two seasons. He began his career at Brightpoint Community College.
The Bulls will likely add more transfers in the near future.
Of the 18 transfers, 12 play defense, five play offense and there is one specialist.
Four defensive edges have joined the team, including Logan Goodwin, Caleb Oliver, Sedrick Vessah and Henri Zeneli.
Goodwin is a transfer from IUP where he spent two seasons. He was a PSAC West All-Conference First Team selection in 2025 after posting 37 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and seven sacks.
Oliver is a transfer from Wofford where he spent two seasons. He had 33 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in 2025.
Vessah is a transfer from California (PA) where he spent two seasons. He was an All-PSAC West selection in 2025 after totaling 52 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. He added an NCAA Division II-best four blocked kicks on the year.
Zeneli transferred to UB after spending one season at Seton Hill University.
A trio of linebackers, Zach Bergmann, Stevie Bracey and Joey Cheshire, joined the team in January.
Bergmann is a transfer from Missouri Southern State where he spent four seasons. He had 100 tackles and two interceptions in 2025 en route to earning All-MIAA Third Team honors.
Bracey transferred from Virginia where he spent four seasons. He appeared in 20 games and made 26 tackles and a tackle for loss. Along with earning the team's Defensive Impact Player of the Year Award in 2022, Bracey was an Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List nominee as well as UVA's nominee for the 2025 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
Cheshire is a transfer from Cornell where he spent four seasons. He started all 10 games at linebacker in 2025 and finished with 73 tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. He had 63 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in 2024.
The Bulls added a pair of transfer defensive tackles in Mason Nickel and Stantavious Smith.
Nickel is a transfer from Saginaw Valley State where he spent one season after beginning his career at Michigan State. He had 23 tackles and 1.5 sacks in his lone season with the Cardinals. He redshirted in his lone season at Michigan State.
Smith transferred to UB from Florida A&M after beginning his career at USF. He played two seasons at FAMU and had 22 tackles and a tackle for loss. He began his career at USF where he redshirted in his lone season.
The Bulls added two cornerbacks and a safety to their defensive backfield.
Drayson Crane is a cornerback who transferred from Morehead State where he appeared in all 10 games and made six starts in 2025 as a true freshman. He had 35 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack, an interception and six pass breakups on the season.
Sayre Smothers is a cornerback who transferred from The Citadel where he played one season. He appeared in all 12 games in 2025 and had 29 tackles, two tackles for loss, two pass breakups and scored a touchdown on a 31-yard fumble recovery. Sayre was named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team.
Safety Zae Jennings is a transfer from West Virginia where he played in 21 games over two seasons. He had six tackles and a tackle for loss for the Mountaineers.
The Bulls added five transfers on the offensive side of the, including a pair of tight ends.
Clint Walker is a transfer from Davenport University where he spent four seasons. He was an All-Conference selection in 2025 after catching 13 passes for 96 yards and two touchdowns. He added nine carries for 73 yards a touchdown on the season.
Trevor Wilson is a transfer from Campbell after beginning his career at Robert Morris. In his lone season at Campbell, he had 22 catches for 193 yards and a touchdown. In three seasons at Robert Morris, Wilson had nine catches for 67 yards and a touchdown over 19 games.
Quarterback Elijah Holmes is a transfer from Wingate University where he spent three seasons. He was the Bulldogs starter in 2025 and threw for 3,040 yards, 24 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He added 290 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Joe Crocker is an offensive lineman who transferred from Baylor where he played 11 games in 2025. He spent the two previous seasons at Louisville where he appeared in seven games in 2024.
Punter Andrew VanSlyke transferred from James Madison where he spent two seasons. He began his career at Brightpoint Community College.
The Bulls will likely add more transfers in the near future.
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