Sports in upstate New York

Upstate New York has a large community centered around a variety of sports, in all seasons.

Ice hockey is a fairly large part of culture in Upstate New York.

This is due in part to upstate having strong cultural ties to Canada, and Southern Ontario.

[1] The city of Buffalo, New York also has been branded as "hockey town", due to the large presence of the game in the area.

It is also played by many at the collegiate level, with NCAA D1, D2, and D3 ice hockey teams in the region.

SUNYAC houses several college ice hockey powerhouses, including the Oswego Lakers and Plattsburgh Cardinals, who share a heated rivalry.

The NYPFL would compete primarily in local circuits before participating in what is believed to be the first playoff tournament in professional football, which culminated in a Thanksgiving championship at Buffalo Baseball Park.

In Western New York, the UB Bulls are the most widely known college football team, while in basketball, the regional "Big 4" rivalry between UB, the Canisius Golden Griffins, the Niagara Purple Eagles and St. Bonaventure Bonnies takes prominence.

Siena College located in Loudonville, New York men's basketball team in 2008 (Vanderbilt) as a 13-seed and in 2009 (Ohio St.) as a 9-seed, upset major programs to advance to second of their respected NCAA Tournaments.

Most recently, the Le Moyne Dolphins representing Le Moyne College in Syracuse, began a transition from NCAA Division II to Division I in 2023 as the newest member of the Northeast Conference.