TINA'S TAKE - OCTOBER 2014

We have a special opportunity this week to welcome back alumni and friends of UNLV as we host our annual Homecoming Football Game. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. this Friday against defending Mountain West Conference Champion Fresno State.

In addition to a celebration of Homecoming, Friday's game also marks the midpoint of the football season - and I know Coach Bobby Hauck, his coaching staff and our players are working tirelessly to make Friday's game a turning point and the beginning of a strong second half to the season. I encourage everyone to show your Rebel Spirit by attending Homecoming and giving our team your full support! Your attendance and support has never been more important than it will be during the second half of the season as the team works to turn things around - and we greatly appreciate it!

The Volleyball Team is off to a strong start, having won six of its past eight matches and taking nationally ranked Colorado State (#7) to four sets on the road before losing. The Rebels are home this week for a pair of Mountain West matches - tonight against Air Force (6:00 p.m. at Cox Pavilion) and Saturday against New Mexico (6:00 p.m. at Cox Pavilion) - and it's a great opportunity to come out and see Coach Cindy Fredrick's talented, young squad in action.

Our Women's and Men's Soccer Teams continue to show excellent form, as well. Women's Soccer has won four of its last six matches and has a pair of home games this week -- Friday against New Mexico (7:00 p.m. at Peter Johann Memorial Field) and Sunday against San Diego State (1:00 p.m. at Peter Johann Memorial Field). On the men's side, goalkeeper Ryan Harding was named Western Athletic Conference Defender of the Week this week. Winners of two in a row, the Rebels are home next against Air Force on Oct.17 and UM-Kansas City on Oct. 19.

As our Fall Sports hit the midpoint of their seasons, our Winter Sports are beginning their official practices. Coach Dave Rice welcomes one of the top recruiting classes in the nation and eight new players to Runnin' Rebel Basketball. A few important dates to keep in mind:

• Oct. 16 is the annual Scarlet & Gray Showcase, with an exclusive event for our season ticket holders immediately beforehand in the Cox Pavilion
  
  
• Nov. 5 is an exhibition game against Florida National
  
  
• And the regular season begins Nov. 14 at home against Morehead State

There is still time to purchase season tickets for what promises to be an exciting season of Runnin' Rebel basketball, which includes home games against the University of Albany (Nov. 29), the University of Arizona (Dec. 23) and Mountain West Conference rivals Nevada, Reno (Jan. 7), New Mexico (Jan. 21) and San Diego State (March 4). Call (702) 739-FANS or visit www.unlvtickets.com to reserve your season tickets!

There is a great deal of excitement around Kathy Olivier's Lady Rebel Basketball Team, as well. Three starters return from last year's squad, including seniors Alana Cesarz and Danielle Miller, along with five freshman who join the Lady Rebels. Women's Basketball will host its annual Rise ‘N' Shine event on Oct. 18 at 11 am in the Mendenhall Center before facing Dixie State in an exhibition game on Nov. 10. The home season begins Nov. 14 with a visit from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and the Lady Rebel Round-Up is Nov. 29-30 with Delaware State, Northern Illinois and South Dakota State visiting Las Vegas.

We hope to see you at the many special events taking place on campus this week, at the Homecoming Football Game this Friday, and at other upcoming UNLV Athletics Events. Thank you for all you do in support of our student-athletes.

Go Rebels!

Tina Kunzer-Murphy
UNLV Director of Athletics

---

REBEL ATHLETIC FUND ROUND-UP

There truly is power in numbers. Every athletic department in the country is constantly looking for ways to grow its membership numbers. The Rebel Athletic Fund is no different. We currently have over 2,800 people who support UNLV student-athletes and we would like to continue to broaden our base of support. Donor recruitment, engagement and retention are the three critical elements needed for any fundraising organization to be successful. The Rebel Athletic Fund is committed to meeting the academic needs of our young men and women by providing the scholarship support needed to continue their educational careers at UNLV. The only way that this can happen is to seek out additional individuals who believe in the mission of higher education and the role athletics plays, to join us in continuing to raise private dollars to help pay the escalating costs of higher education.

If you are not currently a member of the Rebel Athletic Fund you can join today by simply clicking HERE to donate now! If you are a current member we encourage you to recruit a friend to become a fellow RAF member.

We also want to alert you to the new twitter account that we have started, @UNLVRAF. Please follow us as we provide insight and updates regarding UNLV Athletics. In addition, we want to make sure you know about the Select-A-Seat Program scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16 before the Runnin' Rebel Scarlet & Gray Showcase, which will allow you the opportunity to either purchase season tickets or upgrade your current seat location. To learn more please call us at (702) 895-1533.

We can never repay our donors for all they do on behalf of our student-athletes, but please accept our heartfelt gratitude for your continued generosity.


SLAM DUNK SOCIAL FOR LADIES - THIS SATURDAY!

The UNLV men's basketball program will host the Slam Dunk Social for Ladies this Saturday, October 11, from 1:30-4:00 p.m. at the Mendenhall Center. The event is a basketball clinic for women that will offer a behind-the-scenes experience and a crash course in Runnin'Rebel basketball. UNLV's men's basketball coaches will instruct during the clinic, which will include various basketball stations, a locker room presentation and a meet and greet with photo opportunities with the Runnin'Rebel student-athletes. There will also be a “happy hour” with appetizers and drinks, while the coaches' wives will host a question and answer panel.

The clinic is open to 100 participants (must be ages 21 and older). Participants are encouraged to wear athletic shoes, but participation on the court is optional. The cost of the event is $42, which includes a t-shirt. To register, visit UNLVtickets.com/SlamDunkSocial or for more information, please contact Christin Downing in the men's basketball office at (702) 895-3295 or by email at Christin.Downing@unlv.edu


SELECT YOUR RUNNIN' REBEL SEATS

Come early to the Runnin' Rebel Showcase for the Select-A-Seat event! Fans will be able to purchase season tickets for all 16 home games and see where they will sit during games. A limited number of lower bowl season tickets are still available starting at $605. Doors to the Thomas & Mack Center open for the Select-A-Seat event at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16. The Showcase begins at 7:00 p.m. Don't miss out on your last chance at these tickets.


BUTCH HARMON TO SPEAK AT ANNUAL WOMEN'S GOLF FUNDRAISING DINNER

UNLV women's golf will host its annual fall dinner on Sunday, Oct. 19, and golf coaching legend Butch Harmon will be the guest speaker. The event will take place at Cascata Golf Course in Boulder City, Nev., with a reception at 6:00 p.m. and dinner following at 7:00 p.m. The cost of the dinner is $300 per pair or $1,000 per table, which will seat eight guests. There will also be a silent auction and a raffle. Proceeds of the event will directly benefit the women's golf program. For more information, please contact assistant women's golf coach Ryan Potter at (702) 895-2009 or by email at Ryan.Potter@unlv.edu


UNLV'S KNIGHT GROOMS PGA PROS - MOUNTAIN WEST NETWORK FEATURE

For those that haven't seen it or even those that have, we think it is worth another watch: the Mountain West Network produced a great feature on UNLV men's golf coach Dwaine Knight and the success his Rebel golfers have gone on to have on the PGA TOUR. Click here to watch.


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.


OTHER NEWS & NOTES

Baseball is in the middle of fall camp with practices and scrimmages with an exhibition game vs. Utah scheduled for Oct. 18 ... Cross country competes at in Cedar City, Utah, on Friday, following its second-place showing at the UNLV Invitational ... Men's golf just finished third in its third tournament of the season at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate in Ala., and will be back in action Oct. 19-21 at the Tavistock Collegiate Invitational in Orlando, Fla. ... Women's golf is coming off a second-place showing at the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational in New Mexico in Sept., where Dana Finkelstein won her third career tournament. They will be back on the links this weekend at the Betsy Rawls Invitational in Austin, Texas ... Softball is also in the middle of fall ball with its first game scheduled for Oct. 18 vs. BYU ... Men's and women's swimming & diving begins their season Nov. 1 vs. Arizona and Utah at home ... Men's and women's tennis will be back in action at the USTA/ITA Mountain Regional starting Oct. 15. The men will be playing in Las Vegas at the Darling Center, while the women will be in Albuquerque, N.M. ... Volleyball's matches this week are also Cancer Awareness Nights, click here for details. The match vs. Air Force tonight is Victory for Victoria Night and Saturday's match vs. New Mexico is Block Out Cancer Night.