Bihr to Step Down as Head Men's Basketball Coach at Buffalo State
Dick Bihr, Buffalo State College’s most successful men's head basketball coach, will retire from coaching at the end of this season to focus on teaching and providing advising and mentoring support to students.
“Dick has been such a tremendous asset to this college since he began his coaching career here. His leadership both on and off the court has inspired his players to set the bar high academically and athletically and achieve all that they can,” said Jerry Boyes, Buffalo State College athletics director.
"Dick Bihr is a legend in Division III basketball," said Buffalo State College President Muriel A. Howard. "He will always be a hero to us and we are grateful for his service and contributions."
In his 25th year of coaching, Bihr, who played at Buffalo State from 1965-69, ranks 14th in the nation among active coaches in wins with a record of 446-199, with this year’s team 7-3 and 2-0 in conference play. He has been named State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Coach of the Year six times.
His Bengals have won the State University of New York Athletic Conference Basketball Championship 11 times and advanced to the NCAA Division III tournament 12 times. He has posted 20-win seasons on 10 separate occasions -- eight in the past 12 years -- and coached several 1,000-point scorers and SUNYAC Most Valuable Players during his 25-year tenure at Buffalo State College.
The Bengals received their highest ranking under Bihr during the 1982-83 season, when they earned the top spot in the nation after a 10-0 start that included upsets of Division I teams Niagara and Canisius. The following year, the Bengals posted their first SUNYAC Championship and first NCAA tournament berth under Bihr. The team went 23-5 -- the best in school history to that point. The Bengals repeated as SUNYAC champs the next two years and placed second in the NCAA East Regionals. Bihr’s teams won five consecutive conference championships from 1988-1992, and the Bengals again earned the top spot in the nation in 1990 after winning their first 17 games to post a 27-2 record that year.
Bihr received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Exceptional Education and Master of science degree in education from Buffalo State College and a Master of Business Administration from Canisius College. He was head basketball coach at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute in Kenmore from 1971-1979 before joining Buffalo State in 1979.
“Dick has been such a tremendous asset to this college since he began his coaching career here. His leadership both on and off the court has inspired his players to set the bar high academically and athletically and achieve all that they can,” said Jerry Boyes, Buffalo State College athletics director.
"Dick Bihr is a legend in Division III basketball," said Buffalo State College President Muriel A. Howard. "He will always be a hero to us and we are grateful for his service and contributions."
In his 25th year of coaching, Bihr, who played at Buffalo State from 1965-69, ranks 14th in the nation among active coaches in wins with a record of 446-199, with this year’s team 7-3 and 2-0 in conference play. He has been named State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Coach of the Year six times.
His Bengals have won the State University of New York Athletic Conference Basketball Championship 11 times and advanced to the NCAA Division III tournament 12 times. He has posted 20-win seasons on 10 separate occasions -- eight in the past 12 years -- and coached several 1,000-point scorers and SUNYAC Most Valuable Players during his 25-year tenure at Buffalo State College.
The Bengals received their highest ranking under Bihr during the 1982-83 season, when they earned the top spot in the nation after a 10-0 start that included upsets of Division I teams Niagara and Canisius. The following year, the Bengals posted their first SUNYAC Championship and first NCAA tournament berth under Bihr. The team went 23-5 -- the best in school history to that point. The Bengals repeated as SUNYAC champs the next two years and placed second in the NCAA East Regionals. Bihr’s teams won five consecutive conference championships from 1988-1992, and the Bengals again earned the top spot in the nation in 1990 after winning their first 17 games to post a 27-2 record that year.
Bihr received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Exceptional Education and Master of science degree in education from Buffalo State College and a Master of Business Administration from Canisius College. He was head basketball coach at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute in Kenmore from 1971-1979 before joining Buffalo State in 1979.
Media Contact:
Jeff Ventura, Sports Information Director | 7168786030 | venturjm@buffalostate.edu