About Tom Borrelli

Born September 12th, 1957 in Buffalo, New York; Tom Borrelli went on in life to become a prominent sports journalist and reporter; the first ever to be inducted into the National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame in 2007. His parents also worked in the news industry. His mother, Mary Borrelli, worked as a journalist for the former Buffalo Courier-Express before becoming a full-time reporter at Western New York Catholic. His father, George J. Borrelli, was a political news reporter for The Buffalo News. Tom Borrelli graduated from St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute in 1975 and later graduated from SUNY Buffalo State in 1979. He worked for newspapers in Bluefield, West Virginia; Binghamton, New York; and Painesville, Ohio as part of their sports departments before he began working at The Buffalo News. He became a professional sports journalist and reporter for The Buffalo News in October, 1989; and continued reporting for the News until his death in 2008. He covered the Buffalo Bandits, Buffalo’s professional lacrosse team and local high school sports teams in Western New York.

In 2005, the National Lacrosse League created a scholarship in his honor. Originally for the league’s writer of the year, it changed, along with its title (Media Person of the Year) in 2011 to allow for a broader range of media members within the league to qualify for the award.

Tom Borrelli was severely injured at Robert Rich All High Stadium while covering for a local high school football game on November 8th, 2008; passing away two weeks later at the age of 51 on November 20th due to cause of injuries. Following his death in 2008, The Buffalo News created a scholarship along with a trophy named in his honor in 2009. Each year the scholarship and trophy goes to the top high school lacrosse player in Western New York.

About UB Football

The history of collegiate sports at the University at Buffalo began in 1894 when the football team played their inaugural season. By 1897, UB Football was 7-0 against collegiate foe. Although the entire UB athletics program was cancelled in 1904 due to a lack of financial support, personnel, and leadership, it was reinstated in 1915. All intercollegiate athletics were suspended for the duration of World War II. UB sport teams returned in 1946 and the football program continued to grow and flourish. The football program has celebrated many accomplishments over the decades. The UB Bulls won the Lambert Cup in 1958 and the Mid-American Conference in 2008. On September 4th, 1993, the Bulls joined Division I for the first time since the establishment of the three subdivisions in 1973. September 28th, 2013 marked the Bulls bowl eligibility for the third time after their 41-12 win over Connecticut. Having dropped football from its athletic programs twice, there is a gap in programs from 1905-1914; and through years 1971 to 1976.