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Bulls' Eye Set On Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort

"(The success) was a result of building upon last season’s progress," junior goalkeeper Daniel Bell (Brampton, Ontario/Notre Dame) said. "We knew we had a solid core of returning players. We came into the season confident and ready to go."

However, even before the season’s first game on Sept. 2, assurance was soon overshadowed by anxiety, as Hurricane Katrina, the season’s first Category 5 tropical storm, soon consumed the Gulf of Mexico, causing catastrophic damage to the way of life for millions of Americans. In an attempt to reach out, the men’s soccer team joined the long list of organizations around the country to assist in fundraising efforts to help revitalize the ravaged region.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Katrina was estimated to be responsible for $75 billion in damages, making it the costliest hurricane in United States history, both monetarily and fatally. Although being more than 1,000 miles away, the tragedy hit home with the UB athletic community.

"Our team, just like everyone else, realized it was a bad tragedy," junior midfielder Brain Knapp (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) said. "As a soccer team, we had a responsibility to help out and make a difference towards the relief."

In response to the tragedy, the men’s soccer team spearheaded an effort to sell t-shirts and wristbands in the Student Union as well as at home games during the span of late September to early October. The proceeds raised, which totaled $2,011.78 overall, were donated through the university-wide State Employee Federated Appeal (SEFA) to Feed The Children, an international, non-profit relief organization that delivers food, medicine, clothing and other necessities to individuals, children and families who lack these essentials due to famine, war, poverty or natural disaster.

Senior defender Matt Stuczynski (Erie, PA/Cathedral Prep) led the charge in raising money for Katrina victims. He was in charge of organizing times to sell in the Student Union, managing the money raised and ensuring that the proceeds went safely to Feed The Children.

"It was nice to see all the support from the student body at UB as well as the fans for contributing to the victim relief," Stuczynski said. "It shows what a great community UB has and how supportive it is."

With the men’s soccer team riding a wave of wins during the season, other teams such as the baseball, volleyball and women’s soccer teams, and organizations like the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) pitched in to operate the tables while the team was occupied with traveling and with practices.

"This is a great opportunity for our student-athletes to give back to those in need," said Kellie Peiper, UB’s Student-Athlete Services Coordinator. "The devastation from Hurricane Katrina is overwhelming, but the student-athletes have taken it upon themselves to make whatever positive difference they can. Our teams have really pulled together to make this happen."

In addition to the donation made by the men’s soccer team, the UB men’s tennis team and head coach Russ Crispell, president of the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE) and UB’s assistant recreation director of outdoor pursuits, headed the collection of old camping gear and equipment. The men’s tennis team then forwarded the items to the University of Alabama’s outdoor recreation office, which acted as the main depository of camping gear and equipment to aid in the relief efforts.

Men’s soccer head coach John Astudillo sings praises about the UB community and what they did for something that affected not only the lives in the Southeast, but life as a whole.

"When asked about how successful our season was this past fall, I said it was very successful," Astudillo said. "You finally get college students thinking about people other than themselves. It is incredibly heart warming as a coach to watch them not only think about their pressing needs but also doing something for somebody else. You will always remember what you do for other people more than what you do for yourself. I’m always so impressed with the way the college community responds to issues such as this."

"It definitely felt good to contribute in any way we could," Bell added. "It made me feel lucky and privileged, but also strengthened my belief that the lucky have a responsibility to help the unfortunate."

By coming together on and off the pitch, it was no wonder why the men’s soccer team enjoyed their most successful season in school history. It also constitutes the image that many Americans have undertaken: a group of citizens uniting for a worthy cause.

"(The fundraiser) brought us closer as a team," Knapp contributed. "We were always pretty close as a team, but this year, through the fundraiser and success on the field, we just joined together and became really united as one."