UB to reinstate baseball, softball: William J. Breene named head coach of baseball program

The Division of Athletics announced Tuesday that UB will reinstate its intercollegiate baseball and softball programs, and has named William J. Breene, associate athletic director, as head coach of the baseball program.

The Mid-American Conference requires that institutions participating in the conference must field teams in six sports, which, in addition to baseball and softball, include football, volleyball and men's and women's basketball.

Baseball and softball, which have operated at the club level at UB since the 1980s, are expected to play a non-conference Division I schedule in the spring of 2000 and are expected to become official members of the MAC in the 2000-2001 academic year.

In announcing Breene's appointment as baseball coach, Bob Arkeilpane, interim director of athletics, pointed to his outstanding baseball background and commitment to UB.

"Bill has remained extremely active in baseball and has great ties to this area," said Arkeilpane. "His knowledge of the game, combined with his excellent administrative experience, made him a natural selection for the job. His tenure here at UB has been marked by his commitment to helping this university achieve its Division I goals."

Breene was a four-year scholarship baseball and basketball player at Southern Mississippi and also spent three years there as an assistant baseball coach. Upon graduation from college, he signed a free-agent contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. He also has coached Junior A baseball in London, Ontario, and has remained active in coaching on the local and regional levels.

The Bulls hope to have a new softball coach in 1999. The softball team will play its games at the diamond adjacent to the new UB stadium, which will undergo renovations next year. The baseball team most likely will play its games in the Amherst Pepsi Arena while reviewing plans for an on-campus complex.