Ron Torgalski begins his fifth season as the head coach of the University at Buffalo baseball team, his 12th season overall with the program. Torgalski spent seven seasons as an assistant coach with the team before being named head coach in July, 2006. In his first season as head coach, Buffalo set a new school record for conference wins, with 11 and narrowly missed out on the school’s first trip to the MAC Tournament.

In his time at UB, Torgalski has established a respective program with many notable accomplishments including a record-breaking season in 2009. The 2009 Bulls made tremendous strides in several offensive categories by setting all-time single team records for most hits (591), runs (424), doubles (132), RBIs (384) and total bases (874). The team also set the set the mark for highest batting average (.306), most wins (20), triples (23) and stolen bases (69) since the program’s reinstatement in 2000. Last season, the team broke another program record after clubbing 46 home runs.

In Torgalski’s tenure, seven players have signed pro contracts including 2009 graduate Zach Anderson. In 2009, Anderson was selected in the 29th round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. With his selection, Anderson becomes the third player drafted since UB reinstated baseball for the 2000 season. In 2007, Mike Folli was drafted in the 42nd round by the St. Louis Cardinals and former Bull Joe Mihalics was drafted in the 34th round of the 2005 draft by the New York Mets. Anderson was the 880th pick overall in the draft and the highest UB player drafted since 2000.

In addition, 2008 graduate Steve Geltz signed a minor league contract to pitch for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and 2010 graduate Chaz Mye signed on to play for the Angels' American League West rival Oakland A's. This past offseason, two more Bulls signed contracts with independent baseball leagues. Brad Agustin, the holder of seven career program records, signed with the Normal Cornbelters of the Frontier League and Eric Flynn will head down under to play for the Beenleigh Hawks of the Greater Brisbane Baseball League in Australia.

In the past three years, Torgalski and his coaching staff have enjoyed conference success in the naming of six Bulls as All-MAC selections. The Bulls’ accomplishments are found not only on the diamond but in the classroom as well with another player being named to the All-MAC academic team. The Bulls have displayed academic excellence in achieving their highest team GPA under Torgalski. These accomplishments are examples of Torgalski’s influence in motivating these young men for athletic and academic success.

Torgalski has enjoyed success in coaching baseball as he was head coach of the New Hartford American Legion team that finished as the New York State runner-up. While Torgalski seems like a baseball guys all the way, he has also served as an assistant coach in basketball at the collegiate level. He spent six seasons as an assistant coach at UB and also for three seasons at his alma mater, Hamilton College, where he helped lead the team to a No. 1 national ranking in the final poll in 1990-91.

Torgalski attended Nichols High School in Buffalo, NY, where he was an All-Western New York player in both baseball and basketball.     

While at Nichols, Torgalski teamed up with former NBA star Christian Laettner and guided the team to a New York State Class C title and was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player. In recognition of his accomplishments, Torgalski was named to the Nichols Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.

From there, he went on to letter in both sports at Hamilton College. As a basketball player, his 10.6 assists per game average in 1989 still ranks as the third-best ever in NCAA Division III history. After graduation from Hamilton in 1989, Torgalski went to Sweden and played professionally with the Monstreas Club basketball team before coming back to his alma mater to coach.

Torgalski’s heart took him back to baseball and when UB decided to bring the sport back to Division I status in 1999-2000, it was Torgalski that former head coach Bill Breene wanted as his right-hand man. The goal in 2000 is the same as it is now, which is to keep the best players in New York State close to home and there is no better way to do that than to have three coaches who know New York, especially Western New York.

Torgalski, who earned his masters of science in education from Canisius in 2003, is a member of the National Baseball Coaches Association and the New York State Coaches Association. He resides in Williamsville with his wife, Lisa and their two sons, Nicholas and Tyler.