AMHERST — Todd Kress was paying attention last fall when the Niagara women’s volleyball team completed the biggest improvement in the country with a trip to the NCAA tournament.

In his first season as coach at nearby Buffalo, Kress marveled at how quickly third-year coach Susan Clements transformed a perennial loser. And he noted the reasons why.

“She’s got the recipe,” Kress said Tuesday. “She’s bringing in those Ohio kids that know how to play, that have ball control, that come from winning programs, and when you bring those kids in, eventually the expectation is going to be winning and that’s exactly what they’re doing.”

Kress, who has previously led Fairfield, Northern Illinois and Florida State to the NCAA tournament, tapped the fertile Ohio territory for three of the six players in a recruiting class that was named one of the nation’s top 50 by prepvolleyball.com.

“We really just sold a dream,” Kress said. “We talked about where the program was, where we’re going to be, you’re role in it, how you can help us and where we want to be. Eventually, we want to do the things that Niagara has been able to do.”

After going 2-1 at the West Virginia Classic to open the season, UB comes to the Gallagher Center at 7 p.m. today to play the Purple Eagles, who went 2-1 at the La Salle Invitational over the weekend, and will hoist their Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship banner prior to the match.

After 11 straight losing seasons, UB finished 16-16 last year (with a three set victory over Niagara) and won a match at the Mid-American Conference tournament for the first time in program history.

“It was a positive step,” Kress said. “It wasn’t great. I wouldn’t even say that it was good. But at least it was a step in the right direction.”

In the preseason coaches poll, the Bulls were picked to finish third in the MAC East division.

“It was nice that we received a little bit of recognition,” Kress said. “On the other hand, third in the conference is on paper. It means absolutely nothing until we go out on the court and do our best.”