4 Inducted Into UB Athletic Hall of Fame

The University at Buffalo Alumni Association today inducted four new members into the university's Athletic Hall of Fame at a dinner in Alumni Arena.

The four, to be inducted as part of Homecoming Weekend festivities, are Richard G. Abbott, Gerard F. Forton, Edward W. Michael and Frank Price.

The UB Alumni Association established and administers the Athletic Hall of Fame to acknowledge the importance of intercollegiate and club athletics. It honors outstanding athletes, teams and other individuals who have represented and served UB's athletic program in a professional or participatory capacity in an exemplary manner.

Richard G. Abbott, who earned his bachelor's degree from UB in 1975 and his law degree in 1980, led UB's tennis team in 1974 and 1975 to its highest finishes ever at the Eastern Inter-Collegiate Championships against Division I teams, including Penn State, Notre Dame and Yale.

Selected Most Valuable Player in his sophomore and junior years, Abbott held the best win/loss record at singles in UB history and was captain of the team that won the first annual SUNY Center Tennis Tournament, playing both singles and doubles.

Abbott has served as tournament chair of the Buffalo Muny tennis tournament and was tennis chair for the 1993 World University Games in Buffalo.

A resident of Kenmore, he is a partner in the law firm of Pusatier, Sherman and Abbott in Kenmore.

Gerard F. Forton, who received a bachelor's degree from UB in 1987 followed by a law degree three years later, played both soccer and hockey at his alma mater.

A three-time All-Conference pick in soccer and twice elected to the National All-Star team by the National Soccer Coaches of American, he captained the UB soccer team and was named Most Valuable Player two years. Forton, who led UB soccer in career saves and shutouts, was named MVP at the 1986 conference tournament.

Forton later served as assistant men's soccer coach at UB from 1991-96.

A former assistant captain of the UB hockey team, he is in his second year as assistant men's hockey coach at Niagara University.

Forton, who competed in two National Ironman Triathlon Championships while attending law school, is a partner in the Buffalo law firm of Forton & Forton. He lives in Buffalo.

Edward W. Michael of Williamsville, UB's director for recreation and intramurals and its wrestling coach from 1970-91, is being inducted into the UB Athletic Hall of Fame for his personal accomplishments. He previously was named a member of the Hall of Fame in 1995 as part of a group induction, which included the members and coaching staff of UB's only national champion team, the 1978 NCAA Division III wrestling team.

Michael coached two NCAA Division III champion wrestlers, 105 tournament champions and 35 all-Americans. His teams were seven-time New York State Collegiate Wrestling champions, and 12 of his teams finished in the top 20 in NCAA Division II and III championships. His career record at UB stands at 213-106-3, for a 66.7 winning percentage.

Twice voted Coach of the Year by the New York State Collegiate Wrestling Coaches Association, Michael is a member of the association's Hall of Fame, the NJCAA Hall of Fame and the Ithaca College Hall of Fame.

Frank Price, who received his bachelor's degree from UB in 1982, began his collegiate football career in 1977 when the sport returned to UB and, as co-captain, led the Bulls back into a winning season in 1980.

He earned honors as ECAC Player of the Week and, as a flanker held UB career records for total receptions and yardage. The leading UB receiver in three of his four varsity years, Price dominated the offensive charts and was named MVP in 1979 and 1980.

Price is president of F.L. Price, a business consulting firm in Albany.