Head Coach Andy Bashor Named MAC Swimming Coach of the Year

Swim Coach Honored After Breakout Season

BUFFALO, NY- University at Buffalo head swimming coach Andy Bashor was named Mid -American Conference Swimming Coach of the Year at the conclusion of the MAC/Sun Belt Championships, as announced by the conference on Monday. The honor came after the Bulls finished in an impressive second place at the MAC Championship meet to cap a great season where the Bulls finished at 4-3 (1-2 MAC). The men finished their season with a dual-meet record above .500 for the first time since 2000.

Andy Bashor

At the MAC meet last weekend, the men set eleven school records and had three individual MAC Champions. Freshman Jake Sangren won the 100 backstroke title, swimming to a time of 50.03. In the final day, Connor Vander Zalm took the MAC title in the 1650 freestyle, earning a life-time best time of 15:39.75 and shattering the old school record set in 1995 by nearly 10 seconds. Zach Ruske took the MAC Championship title in the 200 backstroke for the second consecutive year in a time of 1:47.08, breaking his own school record. Ruske set two other records (200 IM and 400 IM) and was a member of the record breaking 800 freestyle relay. Buffalo beat MAC rivals Miami and Ball State, but could not catch Eastern Michigan, who won their third consecutive MAC team title. The 2008-2009 season is Bashor's second as head coach of the men and third as the women's head coach. He shares the MAC Swimming Coach of the Year title with Eastern Michigan's head coach Peter Linn.