A Hidden Gem

by Cheryl Dozier

As a basketball staff, what we try to do here at UB is to recruit quality student-athletes, quality people. My biggest thing here, and when we're looking at recruiting kids, is that I want to recruit kids with a work ethic.

I want to recruit kids who want to come here to UB, who wholeheartedly believe in the system that we're trying to run here, and who believe in our university and in our community. And you know, our kids have proved that they can get it done on the basketball court and in the classroom.

First and foremost is their UB degree. It's the most important thing. I think that our staff does a very good job of taking care of these kids. You know, if they need help, we get them help, and we watch over them academically. I think that's a relief to parents when they send their daughters to us.

I was excited the day I signed my contract here two years ago, and I'm even more excited now about the growth of this university, just to watch the development of the new on-campus housing, and where we're headed not only as a university but as an athletic department.

It's exciting to be at UB right now. It's our job as coaches to get out there in the country and communicate that to future student athletes.

We're a hidden gem up here in the upper part of New York, and we're playing in a tremendous conference. We're bringing teams to play in Alumni Arena that are making people in the community excited about what's going on here.

If we can continue to have that support from the community and from the university, and on the other side, to have the athletic department supporting the university, we're going to have a great relationship.