Oct. 7, 2002

LAS VEGAS - UNLV senior linebacker Tyrone Tucker has been named the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Week after helping his team to a 21-17 victory over arch-rival Nevada, Reno, the league announced Monday.

Tucker, a 6-2, 240-pound senior from Miami, led all Rebels with 10 tackles, including two for a loss. He also added a pass breakup and combined with Chris Eagen for a quarterback sack. Tucker, a former Iowa State transfer, is making the most of his one season on the field for the Rebels as he leads the MWC with 10.4 tackles per game, just ahead of teammate Adam Seward at 10. 2.

He is the first UNLV player to receive a player-of-the-week award this season. UNLV and BYU are the only two schools to have had at least one player honored in all three categories (offense, defense and special teams) during the first three years of the league.

Tucker is the first non-defensive back to win a league award for UNLV since linebackers Brittney Posey, Mark Byers and Rossie Johnson each earned one such kudo during the 1994 Big West Conference championship season.

BYU freshman running back Curtis Brown (217 yards and three touchdowns) was named this week's offensive honoree while Air Force kicker Michael Greenaway was tabbed for special teams.

UNLV (2-3) opens MWC play this Saturday by hosting New Mexico at 4 p.m. PDT at Sam Boyd Stadium.