Dec. 13, 2000
LAS VEGAS - All but one award went to a senior player at the annual UNLV football awards banquet, which was held at the Four Seasons Hotel Wednesday.
With honors voted on by the UNLV coaching staff, tailback Jeremi Rudolph won the team's offensive Most Valuable Player Award for the second consecutive year after becoming the fifth Rebel ever to rush for 1,000 yards in a season and the first since Ickey Woods in 1987. Rudolph, who posted six 100-yard games en route to leading the Mountain West Conference and finishing 48th nationally in rushing, also scored nine touchdowns on the ground.
On defense, junior free safety Sam Brandon, the only award winner that will return in 2001, earned MVP honors in his first year playing the position. The former wide receiver led the Rebels in tackles this fall with 82 and also added his first career interception and blocked a key field-goal attempt at Ole Miss.
Another repeat winner was Special Teams Player of the Year Ray Cheetany, who capped an impressive two-year career at UNLV by finishing 30th nationally in punting average with 41.3 yards per kick, kicking off for the Rebels and making five of seven field goal attempts, including a 48-yarder that was the longest for the program since 1994.
Other honors handed out Wednesday included cornerback Amar Brisco receiving the $2,000 Rene Arceneaux Scholarship Award, which is given to a player who has demonstrated exemplary improvement in academic progress. The Bill "Wildcat" Morris Most Inspirational Award, which was the only award voted on by Rebel players, went to fullback James Wofford. The sixth-leading rusher in school history with 1,861 yards, Wofford also was named the John Robinson Man of the Year, which is a new award given to the student-athlete who possesses the highest integrity while aspiring for excellence. Senior strong safety Sharif Hamilton picked up the Jack Gilmore Coaches Award, which is given to a former walk-on player who excelled on the field, while offensive tackle John Greer earned the "Doc" Tobler Senior Award, which is awarded to the senior player who brings the highest credit to himself and the university. Greer was the only unanimous choice for First Team All-MWC by the league's coaches and also picked up his second consecutive First Team Academic All-District honor.
2000 UNLV FOOTBALL AWARDS
Most Valuable Player - Offense: Jeremi Rudolph, TB, Sr.
Most Valuable Player - Defense: Sam Brandon, FS, Jr.
Special Teams Player of the Year: Ray Cheetany, P/K, Sr
Rene Arceneaux Scholarship Award: Amar Brisco, CB, Sr.
Jack Gilmore Coaches Award: Sharif Hamilton, SS, Sr.
Bill "Wildcat" Morris Most Inspirational Award: James Wofford, FB, Sr.
John Robinson Man of the Year Award: James Wofford, FB, Sr.
"Doc" Tobler Senior Award: John Greer, OL, Sr.
Captains Award: Randy Black, SS, Sr., John Greer, OL, Sr., James Wofford, FB, Sr.
