Buffalo State Names Fajri Ansari Head Men’s Basketball Coach
BUFFALO, NY—Fajri Ansari, a two-time New York State Federation Champion in the high school ranks, has been named the head men’s basketball coach at Buffalo State. He was selected after a national search to replace Dick Bihr who announced his retirement after 25 seasons with a record of 449-211.
“We are thrilled to be getting a proven winner,” said Athletics Director Jerry Boyes. “We are confident that Fajri will continue to build on the tradition of success that has become synonymous with Buffalo State basketball.”
“I am excited about this opportunity and extremely appreciative of the support I received through the process,” said Ansari. “I am looking forward to building on the rich tradition at Buffalo State and producing a program that Western New York can be proud of.”
Ansari is well-known in Western New York for his highly successful tenure at Turner Carroll High School from 1989 through 2003. During that span, Ansari led his teams to two State Federation Championships, five State Catholic Association titles, and three Monsignor Martin Manhattan Cup Championships. Following the closing of Turner Carroll, Ansari spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Hutchinson Technical High School. In all, Ansari has mentored 16 scholarship athletes, eight First Team All-Western New York players, including three Players of the Year, and four players currently playing at the professional ranks.
Ansari is probably best known within the Western New York community, however, for his work as the developer and director of Camp Achieve. An initiative born in 1996, the camp has provided SAT prep work and life skills training, coupled with basketball as a bonding agent for many of the top high school players produced in this region over the past decade.
He has additional coaching experience as an assistant coach with AAU Upstate Developmental Basketball (USDBL) for the past 13 years. He also has coached internationally, training and coaching Rwanda’s National and University Teams in Africa in 1992. He also worked with the United States College Exhibition Team in Kiev, Ukraine in 1999, and coached the Western New York High School Team in SurYon, France in 1994 and 1996.
Ansari is also familiar with recruiting to Buffalo State, working in the college’s admissions office since 1981. For the past 20 years, he has been the Assistant Director of Admissions and Director of Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Admissions, developing and implementing recruitment strategies for students who are academically and financially challenged.
“We are thrilled to be getting a proven winner,” said Athletics Director Jerry Boyes. “We are confident that Fajri will continue to build on the tradition of success that has become synonymous with Buffalo State basketball.”
“I am excited about this opportunity and extremely appreciative of the support I received through the process,” said Ansari. “I am looking forward to building on the rich tradition at Buffalo State and producing a program that Western New York can be proud of.”
Ansari is well-known in Western New York for his highly successful tenure at Turner Carroll High School from 1989 through 2003. During that span, Ansari led his teams to two State Federation Championships, five State Catholic Association titles, and three Monsignor Martin Manhattan Cup Championships. Following the closing of Turner Carroll, Ansari spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Hutchinson Technical High School. In all, Ansari has mentored 16 scholarship athletes, eight First Team All-Western New York players, including three Players of the Year, and four players currently playing at the professional ranks.
Ansari is probably best known within the Western New York community, however, for his work as the developer and director of Camp Achieve. An initiative born in 1996, the camp has provided SAT prep work and life skills training, coupled with basketball as a bonding agent for many of the top high school players produced in this region over the past decade.
He has additional coaching experience as an assistant coach with AAU Upstate Developmental Basketball (USDBL) for the past 13 years. He also has coached internationally, training and coaching Rwanda’s National and University Teams in Africa in 1992. He also worked with the United States College Exhibition Team in Kiev, Ukraine in 1999, and coached the Western New York High School Team in SurYon, France in 1994 and 1996.
Ansari is also familiar with recruiting to Buffalo State, working in the college’s admissions office since 1981. For the past 20 years, he has been the Assistant Director of Admissions and Director of Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Admissions, developing and implementing recruitment strategies for students who are academically and financially challenged.
Media Contact:
Jeffrey Ventura, Sports Information Director | 7168786030 | venturjm@buffalostate.edu