In 1986, the Buffalo Bulls baseball team won their first Mid-American Conference (MAC) championship. Coached by Bill Breene, the Bulls finished the season with a 30-13 record, including a 13-7 record in MAC play.

The Bulls’ road to the championship began with a 4-0 victory over the Western Michigan Broncos in the MAC tournament semifinals. In the championship game, the Bulls faced the Eastern Michigan Eagles, who had won the MAC championship the previous year. In a hard-fought game, the Bulls emerged victorious with a 2-1 win, securing their first MAC championship in program history.

The Bulls’ championship season was led by several standout players, including pitcher Jeff Haefner, who was named the MAC tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Haefner pitched a complete game shutout in the semifinals against Western Michigan and also earned the win in the championship game against Eastern Michigan.

The 1986 MAC championship was a significant achievement for the Bulls baseball program, which had been in existence since 1946. The team went on to win three more MAC championships in 1990, 1994, and 1995, establishing the Bulls as one of the top baseball programs in the conference.