UNLV Athletics

TINA'S TAKE

As our rising temperatures signal the end of another school year, we've enjoyed these past few weeks getting to see UNLV student-athletes excel in the two ways that matter most to our Athletics Department:

Academically, as more than 60 current and former UNLV student-athletes earned the honor of participating in Spring Commencement Ceremonies this past weekend at the Thomas & Mack Center;

And athletically, with our men's swimming & diving team claiming the Western Athletic Conference championship and our baseball team winning a share of the Mountain West regular-season championship.

We've also seen UNLV women's golfer Dana Finkelstein qualify for the NCAA Championship, which is being held this week in Tulsa, Okla.

Topping it all is the fact that UNLV Athletics has, for the second consecutive year, won the Governor's Series, presented by NV Energy and sponsored by Barrick Gold, in our rivalry with the University of Nevada, Reno. The final score in this year's series was 30-18, with UNLV earning points in football, volleyball, women's soccer, women's indoor track and field, women's basketball, softball, women's golf, men's golf, baseball and women's outdoor track and field.

These are the priorities that drive our efforts at UNLV Athletics: supporting student-athletes in the attainment of their goals - academically, athletically and socially; and serving as a source of pride and unity for the UNLV Rebel family. We are about winning - in the classroom, on the fields of play and in life.

I would like to make a special mention of Kylie Wassell, who was honored during commencement last weekend. She was selected by UNLV as one of five Outstanding Graduates in this year's class.

Looking ahead, we are just under 100 days away from our opening football game, which is Friday, August 29 at the University of Arizona. 2013 was a breakthrough year for UNLV Football, as the Rebels posted a winning record and appeared in a bowl game for the first time since 2000. Our goals for 2014 include building on this momentum by:

Becoming the first UNLV football team since 1983-84 to post back-to-back winning seasons
Solidifying our position as a program that is among the upper echelon of teams in the Mountain West
Retaining the Fremont Cannon, which UNLV claimed last year with a thrilling 27-22 victory in Reno

Of course, our football program must overcome a setback as it prepares for 2014. You are likely aware that the NCAA recently ruled UNLV football ineligible to participate in postseason competition this year (conference championship and bowl game) due to an APR score that fell below the NCAA requirement. While we are disappointed in the NCAA ruling, I am extremely pleased by the response from our football coaches, student-athletes and academic advising team in responding to this challenge. They are displaying the same fighting spirit that makes UNLV, and Las Vegas, great: show us a little adversity and we'll show you the determination and heart of a winner.

I'm also extremely proud of the fact that 96% of the student-athletes currently on our football roster have never cost UNLV an APR point. These student-athletes understand and embrace their responsibilities in the classroom along with on the gridiron.

While I understand and support the rationale behind the NCAA's APR mechanism, I'm not convinced it is working as the NCAA intended. In reality, the APR program is creating yet another divide between universities from the so-called ‘resource conferences' and those outside - and I am certain this is not what the NCAA intended when it created the APR system. Look for more discussion and debate about the merits of APR, on a national level, during the coming months.

Through the support of our President, Don Snyder, we have already put in place a number of measures that will improve the academic support provided to our football team. I want to thank President Snyder, Dean Ann McDonough, everyone at the Academic Success Center and our head coach, Bobby Hauck, for their support and commitment on this important issue.

I want to take this opportunity to also congratulate our head baseball coach Tim Chambers and junior pitcher Erick Fedde on their Mountain West awards which were announced yesterday. Tim earned the league's Coach of the Year award and Erick was named the Pitcher of the Year, while a school-record eight players were placed on the all-conference team.

I hope everyone has a very safe and enjoyable Memorial Day Holiday.

Go Rebels!

Tina Kunzer-Murphy
UNLV Director of Athletics

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GRADUATION OF STUDENT-ATHLETES

Over 60 current and former UNLV student-athletes were eligible to take part in last Saturday's annual Spring Commencement Ceremonies at the Thomas & Mack Center on campus. Click on the below video shot during a photo shoot the day prior. Some graduates, including eight football players, have remaining eligibility and will compete for their respective teams again next season while pursuing either a master's or second bachelor's degree. The UNLV Athletics Department congratulates the Class of 2014!

BASEBALL SHARES MOUNTAIN WEST TITLE, PREPARES FOR LEAGUE TOURNAMENT

Rebel baseball completed a sweep of Nevada, Reno last weekend and in doing so earned a share of the Mountain West regular-season title. It is the program's first since 2005. MW Coach of the Year Tim Chambers' squad will be back in action this week in the MW tournament, which has a double-elimination format and will be played right here at UNLV's Wilson Stadium. The Rebels have earned the No. 1 seed and will play the late game tonight. Click here for the full tournament bracket. If you can't make it out in person, all games will be video streamed for free by the Mountain West Network. Purchase your tickets here.

GOVERNOR'S SERIES WIN - AGAIN!

Even though the score was closer this time around, the final result was the same as the UNLV Athletics Department is again the winner of the Governor's Series presented by NV Energy and sponsored by Barrick Gold. The Rebels won this year's all-encompassing competition with Nevada, Reno by the final score of 30 to 18. UNLV won last year's inaugural competition by the score of 37.5 to 10.5. UNLV earned its points in the 2013-14 season in the sports of football, women's soccer, women's volleyball, women's indoor track and field, women's basketball, softball, women's golf, men's golf, baseball and women's outdoor track and field.

SEASON TICKET RENEWAL DEADLINE FOR FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL & RAF

The season ticket renewal deadline is approaching fast. Monday, June 2 is the renewal deadline for football season tickets, men's basketball season tickets, and Rebel Athletic Fund priority donations. Renewals are going great this season and we are very pleased with the early response from our fans. Season ticket holders are the lifeblood of our programs and we need your support again this year. Click Here to renew online today!

New season tickets are also on sale now for both football and men's basketball. If you did not have season tickets this past year, now is your chance to jump on board. Thank you Rebel fans for your support of our student-athletes!

NEW VIDEO BOARD FOR FOOTBALL AT SAM BOYD STADIUM

A brand-new, permanent LED video board was recently installed in Sam Boyd Stadium's North End Zone scoreboard. The new board measures 21x48 feet (15 mm Pixel Pitch) and is double the width of the previous screen that had been used at the stadium since 1999. During football games, the board will also display the score, down and distance along with other statistics and state-of-the-art video and graphics.

FOLLOW THE REBELS ALL SEASON LONG... ONLINE

Get all of the up-to-the-minute information, photos, video and more by following UNLV Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and on the official athletics website UNLVRebels.com.

OTHER NEWS & NOTES

Good luck to former UNLV running back Tim Cornett, who signed a free-agent contract with the NFL's Arizona Cardinals ... Also to former Runnin' Rebels Khem Birch and Roscoe Smith, who have both declared for June's NBA Draft ... Women's tennis standout Lucia Batta was named the 2014 ITA Regional Senior Player of the Year ... The UNLV cheerleaders performed at the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday - watch their performance here ... Former Rebel football player Marquel Martin is one of 25 bachelors on TV's The Bachelorette ... Former Rebel golfer Adam Scott is now ranked as the world's top player ... Chris Shaw has been hired as the new head women's soccer coach ... Dana Finkelstein sank her first career hole-in-one at the NCAA Championships ... Lisa Dodd was tabbed as an assistant coach for the USA Softball Women's National Team program.