December 15, 1998
LAS VEGAS - UNLV punter Joe Kristosik earned two more firsts Tuesday when he was named to the 1998 Associated Press All-America Football Team.
The Las Vegas native became the first Rebel to earn first-team honors from AP and the first to become a unanimous first-team All-American selection among the four major national lists.
Kristosik already was honored by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, The Football Writers Association of America and the American Football Coaches Association (also known as the Burger King Coaches' Team).
The Bishop Gorman High School graduate also was tabbed first-team by various publications such as Football News and various on-line services.
Kristosik is the sixth UNLV football All-American since the school moved to NCAA Division I in 1978, the first since 1993 and the first first-team honoree since Randall Cunningham was named 15 years ago.
UNLV's other AP honorees were punters Brad Faunce (1993-third team) and Randall Cunningham (1983 & '84-second team), wide receiver Jim Sandusky (1981-second team) and defensive lineman Joe Ingersoll (1974-second team).
A former walk-on who became college football's top punter this season, Kristosik led the nation with an average of 46.2 yards per kick. Of his school-record 76 attempts this fall, an amazing 27 went 50 yards or longer and eight traveled 60 yards or longer. He twice was named the WAC's Mountain Division Special Teams Player of the Week (Sept. 28 & Oct. 12).
A four-year letterwinner for the Rebels, Kristosik was named the squad's Special Teams Most Valuable Player at the annual awards banquet Nov. 22. His work also helped UNLV lead the nation this year in net punting with an average of 41.4.
One of five finalists for the Mosi Tatupu Award, which was given to the nation's top special teams player, Kristosik also was named as one of college football's Top-10 Special Team Players by Sports Illustrated in the Nov. 9 issue.
A former quarterback in high school, Kristosik also completed a seven-yard pass for a first down on a fake punt that led to a touchdown vs. Rice.
JOE KRISTOSIK'S 1998 STATISTICSATT YDS AVG LG 50+ 60+76 3509 46.2 67 27 8
