In this series, The Spectrum Sports Desk will rank the Top-10 moments in UB Athletics from the past few weeks. Tweet us your nominations at @ubspecsports with the #UBTop10.
10. Ron Willoughby erupts for 132 yards in season opener
The football team had many questions surrounding its receivers going into the season.
Junior wide receiver Ron Willoughby answered some of those Week One.
Willoughby caught 10 passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns – all career-highs – in the Bulls’ season-opening 38-28 victory over Duquesne Aug. 30. The Bulls trailed 28-24 in the fourth quarter before Willoughby caught two fourth-quarter touchdown passes that secured the win for Buffalo.
9. Danny White, Bobby Hurley receive contract extensions
Athletic Director Danny White and men’s basketball head coach Bobby Hurley both received contract extensions within the past few weeks.
White’s contract, which now runs through 2019, was formally announced on Sept. 10. Hurley’s new deal expires after the 2018-19 season and is a one-year extension to his original contract signed in 2013.
8. Hughes catches longest touchdown in program history
Junior quarterback Joe Licata and senior wide receiver Devon Hughes connected on a 92-yard touchdown in the first quarter of the Bulls’ 36-7 victory over Norfolk State Sept. 20. The touchdown was the longest in program history, breaking an 18-year record of 91 yards.
7. Dougall and Hall named MAC East Defensive Players of the Week
A Buffalo women’s soccer player was named Mid-American Conference Player of the Week twice in a three-week period. Junior defender Jackie Hall won the award on Sept. 8 after her defensive effort in a 2-0 win over Niagara. The Bulls allowed just one shot on goal in the game.
Freshman goalkeeper Laura Dougall captured the award on Aug. 25 after making 11 saves and not allowing a goal in her first two games against St. Bonaventure and Canisius.
6. Bishop wins consecutive MVP awards
Junior outside hitter Tahleia Bishop won two Most Valuable Player awards in two weekends for the volleyball team. Bishop was awarded MVP for her efforts in the University of South Florida Tournament three weeks ago and in the University of Illinois-Chicago Tournament two weekends ago.
5. Licata wins MAC East Offensive Player of the Week
Albeit in a losing effort, junior quarterback Joe Licata was named MAC East Offensive Player of the Week for his work against Army on Sept. 6. Licata completed 35 passes for 401 yards and five touchdowns. He threw all of his touchdown passes in the second half and brought the Bulls’ deficit to within eight points after they trailed by 30 earlier in the quarter.
4. Volleyball finishes first in tournaments for three straight weekends
The volleyball team won the USF and UIC tournaments, and finished tied for first place in the Hoosier Classic this past weekend. The Bulls had a five-game winning streak this season and have won seven of their past eight matches with conference play set to begin Friday against Bowling Green in Alumni Arena.
3. Women’s soccer gets off to historic start to season
The Bulls didn’t allow a goal in the first 493 minutes of the season. It wasn’t until a Sept. 12 match against No. 3 Virginia Tech that a shot finally got past a Buffalo goalkeeper.
The 493-minute scoreless streak set the longest shutout streak in program history, breaking the previous record of 482 minutes. The previous record was 385 minutes. The team possesses a 4-2-1 record and begins conference play Friday at Kent State.
2. Russell Cicerone scores game-winning midfield goal in double overtime
Men’s soccer sophomore midfielder Russell Cicerone scored a game-winning goal from midfield at the beginning of the second overtime against Bryant Sept. 5.
Cicerone took the opening touch and blasted a perfect strike into the top left corner of the net over the Bryant goalkeeper’s arms to give Buffalo its first win of the season. The play was No. 2 on ESPN’s SportsCenter top-10 plays.
1. Bulls featured on ESPN against No. 8 Baylor
While it wasn’t the result the team was hoping for, the Bulls’ Friday night game on Sept. 12 against No. 8 Baylor was monumental for the program. The game was the first time UB hosted a top-10 football team and UB Stadium’s first appearance on ESPN, as the game was nationally televised on the channel’s flagship program.
24,714 fans attended the ‘blackout’ game – the third highest attendance in stadium history.
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