TINA'S TAKE - AUGUST 2014

August is one of my favorite months of the year. There is a sense of anticipation, excitement and renewal as our campus once again welcomes students, faculty and staff for the beginning of the Fall Semester.

You can certainly feel a sense of excitement and enthusiasm across the Athletics Department at UNLV. Our Fall Sports have concluded their preseason preparations and our coaches and student-athletes have a genuine spirit of optimism and confidence about what lies ahead in 2014-15.

In women's soccer, new Head Coach Chris Shaw and his Rebels are off to a fast start, with a pair of opening-weekend victories against Northern Arizona (2-1) and Grand Canyon (3-2, OT).

Our men's soccer team is the preseason choice to finish second in the Western Athletic Conference and begins play this weekend in a challenging tournament in Peoria, Ill., before hosting the Peter Johann Memorial Classic (Sept. 5-7) and then the UNLV Nike Invitational (Sept. 12-14).

After an intense preseason training camp, our volleyball team hosts the UNLV Invitational this weekend (Aug. 29-31), welcoming Cal State Northridge, Western Kentucky and UC Riverside before hitting the road for three consecutive tournaments against top national competition.

And, of course, football steps onto the national stage this Friday with a game against the University of Arizona from the Pac-12 Conference. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN beginning at 7:30 p.m. Pacific Time. Coming off a 7-6 overall record (including 5-3 in the Mountain West) and a bowl berth in 2013, Head Coach Bobby Hauck is looking to lead UNLV to back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1983-84 and back-to-back bowl berths for the first time in school history. Of course, another major competitive goal for the football program is retaining the Fremont Cannon - and you'll hear much more about that as we move into the season!

Rebel Football opens its home schedule on September 6 against Northern Colorado (7:00 p.m. kickoff), and we are encouraging all Rebel fans to come out and show their support as we seek to build upon the breakthrough success of last season. If you are already a Rebel Football season ticketholder, thank you! And if not, there is still time to purchase your season tickets (starting for as low as $90) or individual game tickets by calling 702-739-FANS or visiting UNLVtickets.com.

It's been an extremely active, and productive, summer in the UNLV Athletics Department, and I'm pleased to share a few updates with you:

• In addition to Chris Shaw in women's soccer, we have welcomed the following assistant coaches:
  • Max Good, men's basketball
  • Philip Rowe, men's golf
  • Ryan Potter, women's golf
  • Andy Pringle and Emily Grant, women's soccer
    
    
• We have rebuilt our internal marketing team, welcoming new Director of Marketing Evan Spoon, Marketing Coordinators Meghan Cordeiro and Jenny Little, and Graphic Designer Care Pantojan;
  
  
• We have hired Tod Bannister, Director of Annual Giving for the Rebel Athletic Fund;
  
  
• We have welcomed a new Events Manager, Sarah Sarnocinski, and Administrative Assistant, Jackie Perez;
  
  
• We have received generous contributions of support that will allow for important facility upgrades in men's and women's tennis and baseball, and are in the final stages of completing a facility upgrade that will provide a significant boost for our men's golf program. Look for more news on all of these exciting developments in the coming weeks;
  
  
• We have secured an opportunity for our football team to play at Ohio State University and the famed Horseshoe in 2017;

This summer has also brought moments when our hearts have been heavy -most notably, the passing earlier this month of longtime team physician Dr. Gerald Higgins. Doc Higgins served as the department's primary orthopedic surgeon for four decades, and it is impossible to measure or quantify all that Doc did for UNLV and our student-athletes. He was inducted into the UNLV Athletics Hall of Fame in 2002 as a Distinguished Contributor, and his impact on our program is indelible. In tribute to Doc and his family, the football team will wear a special decal on its helmets this season.

This summer has also brought what can best be described as seismic changes to the landscape of intercollegiate athletics. Earlier this month, a series of governance changes were approved relating to the autonomy of the so-called "Resource 5" or "Power 5" conferences (SEC, ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 12). This link will take you to a helpful overview, produced by the New York Times, of what these changes mean.

Suffice it to say, the winds of change are once again blowing across the landscape of intercollegiate athletics - and the resulting changes are likely to be huge. Look for serious debate in the coming months about universities being permitted to pay 'full cost of attendance' for student-athletes, along with other benefits and services.

For our part, we are going to 'control the controllables' and not become unduly distracted by what may or may not happen with the "Resource 5." Our entire focus is on making UNLV Athletics the best program it can be, winning championships the right way and serving as a source of pride for our university and community. Here's what we can influence and control:

• Making certain our student-athletes have the best opportunity for success academically, athletically and socially as they attend our wonderful institution;
• Making certain our coaches have the resources and support they need to compete and win championships not only in the Mountain West, but regionally and nationally;
• And making certain our entire Athletic Program serves as a source of pride, inspiration and unity for our campus, the greater Las Vegas community and our state

Let me conclude by saying 'thank you' for all you do in support of UNLV Athletics. As our teams strive to reach new heights of excellence in the classroom, on the fields of play and in the community, your continued support has never been more important. Your UNLV Athletics program is poised for another great year in 2014-15, and we couldn't be more proud, and grateful, to have you as a member of the team.

Go Rebels!

Tina Kunzer-Murphy
UNLV Director of Athletics

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REBEL ATHLETIC FUND ROUND-UP

The Rebel Athletic Fund would like to welcome you to another exciting season of UNLV football. There will be some changes taking place within the RAF this year that we hope will enhance the experience that our donors receive while supporting UNLV Athletics. First, we want to remind all our fans about the elimination of required priority seating donations for football this upcoming season. In 2014 you will NOT be required to pay priority in addition to your season or game day ticket price for a seat inside Sam Boyd Stadium. However, if you would like to secure a parking pass in Lots, S, G or E you will need to make the requisite contribution to the RAF. Please visit UNLVRAF.com or call 702-895-1533 to learn more about the donation that is required for the specific lot of your choice.

The RAF is again hosting the "Rebel Experience" pregame hospitality area. In order to receive an invitation you must to be an annual donor to the RAF at the Rebel Circle level, $2,500. Food and beverage will be provided and the tailgate area is located on the northwest side of Sam Boyd Stadium.

The RAF team would like to thank each and every donor for your unwavering support of our student-athletes to become the very best they can be, both in the classroom and on the playing field. Your continued generosity is making a profound impact on the lives of the young people who are fortunate enough to have a chance to wear the scarlet and gray. You are changing lives daily.

We look forward to working with you, our loyal supporters, throughout the entire athletic year. If you ever have any questions regarding the Rebel Athletic Fund please don't hesitate to contact us by phone at 702-895-1533 or by email at rebelathleticfund@unlv.edu


FOOTBALL TICKET INFORMATION

If you don't already have your football tickets, NOW is the time to buy. Single-game tickets start at only $14 when purchased in advance and are on sale now for every home game. Season tickets and mini-plans are also still available. Don't miss out on this exciting Rebel football season! Click here to purchase. The most updated schedule may be found at UNLVRebels.com.


FOOTBALL PARKING & TAILGATING

Star Nursey Field tailgating passes are on sale for the entire season or for single games. Buy your pass online in advance for the lowest prices. Parking is free in the unpaved lots and passes are still available in the RAF paved lots. All of your football parking and tailgating information may be found here.


CAMP REBEL - FOOTBALL IN ELY

Rebel football recently returned from its off-campus training camp up north in Ely. Lots of great stuff came out of UNLV's home away from home for a couple of weeks in August and you can see all of it here.




NEVER TOO EARLY TO THINK RUNNIN' REBEL BASKETBALL

The UNLV men's basketball schedule is out and many people think it is the most challenging for the program in years! Head coach Dave Rice and his staff have assembled a recruiting class that is ranked in the top-five nationally. Lower bowl season tickets are available now and start at $605 each. The lower bowl is filling up fast, so don't wait! Upper level seats are also available now and start at just $185 for all 16 home games. Click here for more ticket information or to purchase.


43 EVENTS TO BE VIDEO STREAMED FOR FREE THROUGH OCTOBER

We are excited about growing the video streaming that was started last year through the Mountain West Network. This fall (through the end of October) we will be producing 43 events ourselves in football, men's and women's soccer, and volleyball. The streams, which include games and football press conferences, are free and available to watch on the internet through your computer, tablet and mobile phones. There are several ways to find the streams, but the easiest is through our website at UNLVRebels.com/videos. And if you missed one live, don't worry - you can always watch the archive. On Monday, we held our first weekly football press conference of the year. Click here to watch it.


NEW MOBILE APP - UNLV GAMEDAY

We have just launched a new social-centric mobile application that enhances the already dynamic experience at our facilities. With the help of IMG and SportsLabs, the UNLV Gameday App will keep you connected to the action while at the game or watching from home. The app is packed with robust social, on-campus and stadium features including: free live game audio, real-time Instagram and Twitter feeds from the team and fans, official game-day guide with key times, events and need-to-know information along with location-aware maps. In addition, live conference and top 25 scores along with real-time stats are available within the app. There are also opt-in alerts for weather updates, pre-game events, play-by-play information and more. The new app can be found as a free download in both the Apple iTunes and Google Play stores.




FIRST REB ZONE SPORTS SHOW AIRED SUNDAY ON FOX 5

Now that the school year has started, so has this year's Reb Zone Sports Show on Fox 5. It airs each Sunday night at 11 pm on Channel 5 in Las Vegas so be sure to set your DVRs. And if you miss an episode, they are uploaded to our YouTube page each Monday. Click here to watch Sunday's show, which features Fox 5's Kevin Bolinger and UNLV head football coach Bobby Hauck as they previewed the 2014 season and Friday's opener at Arizona.


BOBBY HAUCK RADIO SHOW - WEDNESDAYS AT BORN AND RAISED

For the fourth straight year, The Bobby Hauck Radio Show will be broadcast live from Born And Raised Tavern & Lounge (7260 S. Cimarron Road, Las Vegas). The show runs from noon-1 pm on Wednesdays and is broadcast live on Sports 920 AM and then is replayed from 6-7 p.m. that same night on ESPN 1100 AM and 98.9 FM. Fans are invited to come and join Coach Hauck, UNLV football play-by-play radio announcer Russ Langer and ESPN Radio personality Dave Cokin in person each week during the season.




REBEL KIDS CLUB STARTS YEAR STRONG

The UNLV Rebel Kids Club has grown to more than twice as many members as last year - 200 and counting! The RKC Kickoff Party was held on Saturday at the Mendenhall Center. Click here to read about the event, view the photos and to find out more about the club. All of the links may be found there, including what benefits members get and how to sign up.


WELCOME NEW WOMEN'S SOCCER HEAD COACH CHRIS SHAW

New women's soccer head coach Chris Shaw was hired in the spring as the sixth coach in program history. Get to know him better by reading this Q&A on UNLVRebels.com. Congratulations to him and the program on their 2-0 start to the season!


SOME CHANGES AT SOCCER FACILITY

Fans of both the men's and women's soccer programs will experience a few changes at Peter Johann Memorial Field for the 2014 season. First, the university has been working this summer to increase parking, and when the current project is done there is expected to be an additional 125 parking spaces available for Rebel soccer fans at Johann Field. The project, however, is not scheduled to be completed until mid-September, so for the early portion of the season, the parking lot at the Stan Fulton Building and a portion of the soccer parking lot will be closed because of construction. Fans should expect to park at the baseball parking lots and walk over until construction is completed, while UNLV staff will be shuttling fans from the parking lot to the soccer field.

Two more additions to the fan experience at UNLV soccer this season include a 90-foot shade structure covering the north bleachers, while the fences surrounding Alumni Park have been removed creating a more open, fan-friendly facility.


FOLLOW THE REBELS ALL SEASON LONG … SOCIALLY AND ONLINE

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


NEWS & NOTES

Women's soccer is off to its first 2-0 start to a season since 2010, while new coach Chris Shaw is the second head coach in team history to win his first two games. UNLV defeated Northern Arizona 2-1 on Friday and Grand Canyon 3-2 in the first minute of overtime on Sunday off Isabelle Delgado's first career goal … Men's soccer has its highest-ever preseason prediction after being picked to finish second in the WAC this season. A league-best four players were named preseason all-conference, while Ryan Harding is the WAC Preseason Defender of the Year. Coach Rich Ryerson's team gets the season started this weekend at a tournament in Peoria, Ill. … Volleyball senior libero Allison Davies was selected to the All-MW Preseason Team. Coach Cindy Fredrick's squad opens the season this weekend at home in the Cox Pavilion by hosting the UNLV Invitational … Congratulations to former Rebel golfers Andres Gonzales and Bill Lunde who both earned their 2014-15 PGA Tour cards. Coach Dwaine Knight's current team opens the season on Sept. 6 in Colorado. Senior Carl Jonson is coming off an impressive victory at the Northwest Open Invitational in August … Women's golfers Dana Finkelstein and Marguerite Swearingen both played overseas this summer and blogged about their experiences. Coach Amy Bush-Herzer's team opens this year's campaign Sept. 8, also in Colorado … Jebreh Harris' cross country team opens the year Sept. 5 in Fresno, Calif. … Catch up on all your favorite Lady Rebels from the women's basketball team, as many of them contributed to a weekly summer blog … UNLV softball alumna and Olympic gold medalist Lori Harrigan-Mack will be a contestant on this season's "The Biggest Loser," which airs on NBC and premieres Sept. 11 … Other Rebels currently on Reality TV: former UNLV offensive lineman Joe Hawley has been featured on the current installment of HBO's "Hard Knocks" as they follow his NFL team this year, the Atlanta Falcons; and former Rebels Beau and BJ Bell are both featured weekly on AMC's new show "Fourth and Loud," which chronicles the first season of the Arena Football League expansion team, the LA KISS.