The Arizona Wildcats will be serving, heading and tackling in several home games throughout the weekend. The following are a few of the University of Arizona's top athletes to watch for.
Senior Barb Bell, an outside hitter for women's volleyball, is the UA's all-time kills leader with 1,643 kills. This year, she also leads the team in kills, digs and blocks. Bell is a native Tucsonan and has been nationally recognized since her freshman y ear. She is a two-time member of the All-Pac-10 team, making the team both freshman and junior year. In addition, she was named to the Asics Volleyball Monthly All-Freshman team. The UA will play Oregon today at 7 p.m. and Oregon State on Sunday, Oct. 27 at 1 p.m. in McKale Center.
Senior defensive tackle Joe Salave'a leads the team this year in total tackles for defensive linemen. He has 29 tackles for the first six games of the season, and 93 total tackles for his career on the UA football team. He also has five sacks this season. Salave'a, from Pago Pago, Somoa, played high school football at Oceanside, Calif. He was an Honorable Mention All-Pac-10 pick last year. The Wildcats play Oregon State tomorrow at 7:07 p.m. at Arizona Stadium.
The Icecats will be playing their season opener tonight at 7:30 at the Tucson Convention Center. Last year the Icecats placed fifth in the American Collegiate Hockey Association with help from junior Ben Ruston. Ruston is from Naperville, Ill., and transferred to the UA from Iowa State last year. At center, Ruston scored 25 goals and had 27 assists in his first season playing for the Icecats.
Sophomore Nikki Jones has started in all 15 women's soccer games since joining the team last year. She is second in career goals with 13, four goals behind senior Kristen Kealy. This year, Jones is second in scoring with five goals and two assists. In addition, Jones has two out of three of Arizona's hat tricks that have been made over the team's last two seasons.
Sophomore Amy Skieresz won't be competing in a cross-country race this weekend, but she is also one to watch throughout the rest of her season. Skieresz has taken first place in all four of her races this year, and has taken second in only one race in her college career - the NCAA Championships, which placed her second in the country last year. She was also named the 1995 Pac-10 cross-country athlete of the year. Skieresz, from West Lake Village, Calif., has set two course records this year.
