With Halloween approaching, The Spectrum lists the five “scariest” athletes on campus. These athletes put fear into opposing teams with their talent and playing style and leave opposing coaches awake at night trying to figure out how to stop them.
Adam Redden, senior safety, football
Redden stands at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds. He isn’t the biggest player on the football team, but is he is one of the most intimidating.
He plays a hybrid linebacker/safety position that allows him to rush into the backfield and make large hits on quarterbacks and running backs. He seems to be wherever the ball is, ready to make a big play.
Reddens enjoys inflicting pain onto Mid-American Conference offenses. Opposing players – and even his own teammates during practice – struggle to get up after being tackled by him.
He leads the team with three sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss. Redden is second on the team with 45 tackles and leads the team with 34 solo tackles.
Kristjan Sokoli, senior defensive tackle, football
At 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, Sokoli is the most physically intimidating athlete on this list.
He starts at nose tackle and anchors the defensive line. He bottles up running back for no gain or a loss in the backfield. His size and intimidation overwhelms the opposing offensive line.
Tahleia Bishop, junior outside hitter, volleyball
If you are questioning why a volleyball player is on this list, you’ve never been on the receiving end of one of her spikes.
She has a team-best 278 kills this season – 79 more than anyone else on the team. Bishop puts fear into her opponents every time she jumps up to spike the ball. That’s because there’s a good chance the ball is going to end up smacking the court.
She ended last season with 400 kills and First-Team All-MAC honors. She is on pace to match that number this season. Opposing teams have been warned.
Russell Cicerone, sophomore midfielder, men’s soccer
Cicerone is by far the men’s soccer team’s scariest player.
After leading Buffalo in goals and points last season as a freshman, Cicerone has a team-best six goals and 13 points this year. With his play-making ability, opposing defenses should fear Cicerone at all times, but he is especially scary at the end of games.
Cicerone has scored five of Buffalo’s six game-winning goals the past two seasons. He scored a game-tying goal off a penalty kick with 12 seconds left in Buffalo’s match against Western Michigan Oct. 10.
Defenses have to fear Cicerone even when he’s more than 50 yards away from the opponent’s net. He scored the game-winning goal in Buffalo’s 3-2 win over Bryant Sept. 5 when he shot the ball from midfield to start the second overtime period.
Laura Dougall, freshman goalkeeper, women’s soccer
There’s almost nothing scarier for a MAC goal scorer than seeing Dougall in goal right now.
The freshman has already shutout 10 opponents this season – tying a program record. Dougall also helped the Bulls set the program record for longest shutout streak to start a season, and only five shots have made it past her all season.
With Dougall being only a freshman, MAC offenses will three more seasons of worrying about how to score against Buffalo.
Honorable mention: Danny White, Athletic Director
Last week’s firing of football head coach Jeff Quinn reaffirmed White’s position as the most feared person in UB Athletics. White has now terminated eight head coaches since becoming the athletic director in May 2012. A call or visit from White should put fear into any Buffalo head coach of a struggling team.
He has made it clear no position is safe, regardless of previous success. White is determined to make Buffalo successful, even if it means making tough decisions. He has put out a warning to all head coaches: Perform well or you may be next.
email: sports@ubspectrum.com
Photo: Courtesy of Tal Hamel, Endvisionprod
Photo: Paul Hokanson/UB Athletics
