Turner Battle joins UB men's basketball staff
Bulls' grad was assistant coach at Sweet Home

Turner Battle

One of the greatest men's basketball players in University at Buffalo history has now become a member of its coaching staff.

Turner Battle, who led the Bulls to their first modern postseason basketball tournament and was the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year his senior season, has joined head coach Reggie Witherspoon's staff as an assistant coach.

Battle, who was an Associated Press All-American as well as an ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American his senior season, replaces Chris Hawkins, who took an assistant coaching position at Tulane University in June after seven seasons on the Bulls' staff. Ironically, it was Hawkins who helped deliver Battle, a Kernersville, N.C., native, to the Buffalo program in the fall of 2000 in what long-time recruiting guru Bob Gibbons dubbed "the steal of the century" for the Bulls.

Those words turned out to be prophetic, because when Battle arrived as a player, the Bulls were at the bottom of the Mid-American Conference. By the time he graduated, he had led Buffalo to 40 wins in his final two seasons, including a school-record 23 wins in the 2004-05 campaign, an appearance in the MAC Championship game and a berth in the National Invitation Tournament, a first for the Bulls since moving up to Division I play in 1991-92.

As a collegian, Battle scored 1,414 points (fifth all-time in UB history) and ranks fourth in Bulls' history in three-point field goals made (126), fourth in free throws made (306), third in assists (458) and fourth in steals (170). He is credited with changing the face of Buffalo basketball with his leadership both on and off the court.

"It is very special for me to not only keep Turner Battle in the Bulls' basketball family but also to give him his first opportunity in collegiate coaching," said Witherspoon. "Turner has some of the finest leadership skills I have ever seen in a young man, and as he applies those skills with his basketball acumen, he has the ability to be a tremendous coach. While we lost an excellent coach and friend in Chris Hawkins, I believe we have solidified our staff with Turner, someone who knows our system and bleeds Blue and White."

After his collegiate career ended, Battle spent the 2005-06 season playing professionally both locally (with the Buffalo Rapids) as well as around the world in Estonia, France and Sweden. After breaking his arm last summer, Battle spent the past year in Buffalo close to the Bulls' program, while also getting his coaching career started at Sweet Home High School - coach Witherspoon's alma mater. With Battle on the bench, Sweet Home won the sectional title in a huge upset over perennial power Niagara Falls.

"Coaching is what I always wanted to do after my playing career was over, and when Coach Witherspoon approached me about it, I thought it was too good an opportunity to pass up," said Battle. "It's a place where I'm comfortable, and not too many guys get the opportunity to coach at the place where they played."

"The thing that helps me the most is I know how Coach (Witherspoon) is and what he expects," said Battle.

"I've played for him and I've seen how he reacts to certain situations. I learned so much from him this year while sitting out because I was at practice just about every day just observing. I'm very excited and grateful for this opportunity."