Buffalo promotes Greene to take over as athletic director

AMHERST, N.Y. (AP) - The University at Buffalo is going with continuity by promoting Allen Greene to take over as athletic director.

University President Satish Tripathi announced the decision during a news conference on Tuesday.

Greene has spent the past two years as the program's deputy director of athletics. He replaces Danny White, who was hired by Central Florida last week to become its AD.

White brought Greene with him to Buffalo in 2012 after the two previously worked together at Mississippi. Greene worked for the UMAA Foundation, the fundraising arm of Ole Miss Athletics.

At Buffalo, Greene is expected to follow White's vision to raise Buffalo's national profile in taking over a Mid-American Conference program that has already undergone numerous changes.

In three years, White overhauled the department's coaching staff, starting with a big splash in hiring former Duke star point guard Bobby Hurley to head the men's basketball team. Hurley coached the Bulls to win their first MAC title and earn the school's first NCAA Tournament berth in March.

Hurley, however, left Buffalo last spring for a more high-profile job at Arizona State.

White also switched football coaches by firing Jeff Quinn and hiring Lance Leipold last year. Leipold had a 109-6 record and won his sixth national title last year in his eighth season at Division III Wisconsin-Whitewater.

The Bulls are 5-6 this season and can still become bowl eligible by winning their regular-season finale against Massachusetts on Friday.

White most notably set forth an ambitious plan to expand the Bulls' brand by placing a larger emphasis on "New York" over Buffalo because of the school's position as the state university system's flagship school.

"New York" is now more prominently displayed on team logos.