Oct. 8, 2001

LAS VEGAS - UNLV rookie punter Gary Cook has been named the Mountain West Conference Special Teams Player of the Week for the school's first such honor this season, the league announced Monday.

Cook, a true freshman from Truckee, Calif., turned in the best performance of his young career Saturday and helped the Rebels down UNR 27-12. Cook punted six times for 272 yards for a career-best average of 45.3. His day included a career-long 64-yarder and kicks of 48, 46 and 42 yards. His only two attempts that traveled under 40 yards were downed at the UNR 12-yard-line and, with his team holding an eight-point lead with under two minutes, out of bounds at the Wolf Pack nine-yard-line to help preserve the victory.

Cook is the third UNLV punter to win such an honor along with Ray Cheetany last season (Oct. 9) and Joe Kristosik, who won it twice in 1998 while a part of the Western Athletic Conference (Sept. 28 and Oct. 12). Cook is the first Rebel freshman to be honored by his conference since quarterback Jon Denton in 1996 (Sept. 30 and Nov. 18).