A Hero off the Field Supports a Head Manager on the Court

In 1977, UB sophomore Ronald Balter walked into football coach Bill Dando’s office with a simple offer: “I’d like to help.” With UB football returning after a six-year hiatus, Balter—who’d managed his high school swim team—became the Bulls’ new student manager. He stayed in that role for three years, helping build the program behind the scenes. His contributions earned him a place in the UB Athletics Hall of Fame.

More than four decades later, Balter continues to show up for UB Athletics. He’s traveled to away games and organized golf fundraisers. He also served on the UB Alumni Association board for many years, in addition to supporting UB financially. What began as a $15 gift after graduation grew into a decades-long commitment, culminating in major gifts like the Ronald Balter and Family Equipment Room in Alumni Arena.

Most recently, Balter turned his attention to honoring the people whose work often goes unrecognized—the student assistants, practice players, ushers and managers like Ella Unger. He endowed the Ronald Balter Behind the Scenes Scholarship to celebrate these “unsung heroes.”

“I’ve been lucky,” Balter says. “I give to athletics because that was my main connection to UB. I know what it’s like to be behind the scenes—and how important that work is.”

For the last two years, Ella Unger has been a fixture on the sidelines of UB women’s basketball—not as a player, but as the team’s dedicated head manager. A psychology major minoring in coaching, Unger has poured her heart into the role, supporting players in every way imaginable: attending every practice, traveling to away games, filling water bottles, jumping into drills when needed and cheering the team on during their historic WNIT championship run last spring. She does it all while working part-time at a supplements store and keeping up with her coursework.

“There are some people you meet and just know they’re special—Ella Unger is absolutely one of those people,” said D’Ann Keller, deputy director of athletics. “Her tireless dedication, professionalism, and team-first attitude make her not just a manager, but truly part of our basketball family.”

This summer, Unger was named the inaugural recipient of the Ronald Balter Behind the Scenes Scholarship—an award endowed by someone who knows exactly what it means to be in her shoes.

For Unger, the scholarship is more than financial support—it’s validation.

“As a manager you can fall through the cracks,” she said. “But D’Ann [Keller] made sure I felt included and supported, and now to be recognized by someone like Ronald Balter—someone people look up to—that’s amazing. It shows that what we do matters.”

Unger, who began playing basketball at age 10, saw her own playing career cut short by injuries. But being sidelined helped her find a new path.

Now entering her senior year, Unger is setting her sights on graduate school. She hopes to become a graduate assistant coach while pursuing a master’s degree in kinesiology.

“I love psychology and motivational theory—learning how to inspire individual players so everyone can reach their potential,” she said, also noting that the scholarship takes pressure off her family for her last year at UB, better positioning her for graduate school and beyond.

Keller echoed that sentiment: “Ella balances early mornings, late nights, and long road trips with grace—all while excelling academically and holding a part-time job. Her quiet leadership and care for others speak volumes about the kind of coach and leader she’s destined to become.”

Balter’s impact—and now Ella’s recognition—was amplified by the SUNY University Center Endowment Match Program. This statewide initiative matches $1 for every $2 contributed to new or existing endowment funds at UB, up to $200 million. The match program runs through April 2026 or until the full amount is claimed, making now an ideal time to establish or grow an endowed fund.