Former Athlete Spotlight

Kathy McNally

Q & A with Kathy (Brown) McNally
Swimming & Diving 1977-1980
BS - 1980 UB School of Nursing

How do you feel that your experiences as a student-athlete at the University at Buffalo prepared you for life?

"Swimming on a daily basis from September to March was a great way to keep my academic life at UB on track. I learned how to balance work, studying, playing and exercise into my daily routine which I still adhere to today. It helped me with the mental toughness required to exercise and now to ride in long distance bicycling charity rides. (210 mile bike rides for Crohn Disease and Ulcerative Colitis)"

What does your connection with the BLOCK B Letter Winners Association mean to you?

Kathy (Brown) McNally

"For me, it connects me back with a great group of friends who had some fantastic experiences. And frankly I am proud to have accomplished being on a team at the University level- especially a school with a high academic record."

As a BLOCK B member, what would you recommend to other former student-athletes who have yet to join this elite group of supporters?

"Join! Our lives are all about our human connections. The years of Division 3 UB Athletics helped mold us into who we are today and it is good to reconnect with that."

What would you find most enjoyable about a UB Swimming & Diving Reunion event?

"Getting the opportunity to see fantastic swimmers at the Division 1 level. I also would love to see swimming and diving at Alumni Arena instead of at Clark Gym where we often had to forfeit diving because the pool was too shallow."

What are your best memories as an athlete competing for UB?

"My best memory was bringing home the trophy from the 1980 State Championship (senior year). We finished 2nd in the State in our division. The first year I swam we had a 1-11 record. A new coach came on board (Pam Noakes) and we improved immensely. By the time I was the senior co-captain, we had a strong team and the excitement was fantastic! I remember the trophy being three feet high! I would love to see that thing."

Kathy & Lar McNally

Kathy (Brown) McNally graduated from UB with a BS in Nursing in 1980.  She met her husband, G. Lawrence McNally (BS Med Tech 1980) at UB and 29 years later they still attend UB Football and have season tickets for UB Basketball.  They live in Williamsville, NY and have 2 grown children.  Kathy’s interest has always been in health education and she is currently the President of the Board of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America; an auto-immune disease of the intestines.  She bicycles a lot and uses that as an excuse to travel and bike!