Nov. 21, 2001

LAS VEGAS - Senior UNLV cornerback Kevin Thomas has been named third team All-America by Football News, the publication announced Wednesday.

Thomas is currently tied for second in the nation with a Mountain West Conference- and school-record seven interceptions this fall for a nation-leading 213 return yards and three touchdowns. Thomas, who also leads the league with 17 passes defended and finished his career with a UNLV-record 55 pass breakups, set five other school records this season, including most consecutive starts with 46 and most career defensive scores with six.

Thomas is only the second defensive player in UNLV history to earn All-America honors from one of the six major agencies and the first since the school moved to Division I in 1978. Former defensive lineman Joe Ingersoll was named second-team "Little College" All-America by the Associated Press in 1974 and first team by the American Football Coaches Association in 1975. Overall, the school has had eight players win such accolades 11 times in the program's 34 years. The last Rebel to earn All-America was punter Joe Kristosik, who was the school's first-ever consensus first-team selection in 1998. In fact, four of the eight Rebel All-Americans have been punters.

Thomas was joined by two other MWC players on the Football News squads as BYU running back Luke Staley was named first team while Wyoming kicker Jarvis Wallum was tabbed second team. The All-American teams as well as conference awards will appear in the Dec. 15 issue of Football News.

UNLV FOOTBALL ALL-TIME ALL-AMERICANS
YEAR    PLAYER            POS   ORGANIZATION(S)
2000    Kevin Thomas    DB   Football News - 3rd Team1998    Joe Kristosik      P    Walter Camp - 1st Team, FWAA - 1st Team,                    Football News - 1st Team, AP - 1st Team, FWAA - 1st Team1993    Brad Faunce    P    Football News -- 2nd Team, AP - 3rd Team1992    Brian Parvin       P    Football News -- 2nd Team1984    Randall Cunningham P    AP - 2nd Team1983    Randall Cunningham P    AFCA - 1st Team, AP - 2nd Team1981    Jim Sandusky       WR   AP - 2nd Team1975    Joe Ingersoll      DL   AFCA - 1st Team1974    Mike Thomas    RB   AFCA - 1st Team1974    Joe Ingersoll      DL   AP - 2nd Team1973    Mike Thomas    RB   AFCA - 1st Team