Buffalo promotes Greene to take over as athletic director

AMHERST, N.Y. (AP) With the task of raising Buffalo's national profile unfinished following Danny White's departure, university President Satish Tripathi had an easy choice in hiring the school's next athletic director.

Tripathi went with continuity in promoting White's top assistant, Allen Greene, to the job on Tuesday.

''Danny White and his senior leadership team have made tremendous strides for the past few years,'' Tripathi said during a news conference. ''Now we are turning our page to the future as we identify a leader who will not just keep the momentum going forward, but build even further on it.''

Tripathi's search for a replacement was a short one, coming six days after White was lured away to become AD at Central Florida.

''I talked to people who might be available elsewhere, who might fit in to what I want to do,'' Tripathi said. ''And then as I looked around, I had somebody here who really was the person that could take that role.''

The 38-year-old Greene previously worked with White at Mississippi, and joined White at Buffalo in June 2012.

Greene has spent the past two years serving as deputy athletic director, overseeing the Mid-American Conference school's most high-profile programs: football, and men's and women's basketball.

And he shares White's vision in seeking ways to capitalize on Buffalo's position as the state university system's flagship school - and only program to have an FBS team.

''Our vision: Nothing much is going to change,'' Greene said. ''I know that our coaches, our staff, our university administration, our donors and our fans have bought into what has happened over the past 3 1/2 years. And I know they'll buy into what happens in future years to come.''

White set forth an ambitious plan to expand the Bulls' brand by placing a larger emphasis on New York over Buffalo. ''New York'' is now more prominently displayed on team logos.

Buffalo enjoyed its best era of success during White's brief tenure.

In 2013, the football team went 8-4 and made its second postseason appearance in school history, a 49-24 loss to San Diego State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

In March, the Bulls men's basketball team, under coach Bobby Hurley, won its first MAC title and earned its first NCAA Tournament berth. And the women's team earned its first postseason berth by playing in the National Invitational Tournament.

White's biggest splash was hiring Hurley, the former Duke star point guard. Hurley, however, lasted just two years in Buffalo before leaving 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.

Greene has experience in fundraising. He worked for the UMAA Foundation, the fundraising arm of Ole Miss Athletics.

From Seattle, Greene played baseball at Notre Dame and spent three years in the minors after being drafted by the New York Yankees.