March 8, 2002

LAS VEGAS - The hits just keep on coming for UNLV women's basketball star Linda Fr?hlich.

Already a three-time Mountain West Conference Player of the Year, Fr?hlich added an equally impressive academic honor to her resume Friday as the senior was one of six members of the 2002 Verizon Academic All-America First Team, which was announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

The first four-time first-team all-conference men's or women's basketball player in school history, Fr?hlich boasts a 3.61 career grade point average while majoring in psychology and is on schedule to graduate in May. The native of Oldendorf, Germany, was named third team academic all-district in 2000 and a first-team district honoree last month. An academic all-conference performer every year eligible, she also will be one of two national winners of the 2002 Russell/WBCA Scholarship Award, which will be presented at the Women's NCAA Final Four in San Antonio, Texas.

A strong candidate to become an All-American on the court as well, Fr?hlich leads the league in scoring (21.4 ppg) and rebounding (10.5 rpg) for the third consecutive season. With 52 double-doubles to her credit, the nine-time MWC player of the week is the leading scorer in UNLV men's or women's basketball history with 2,317 points and has more rebounds than any Lady Rebel ever with 1,096.

Fr?hlich became the eighth UNLV student-athlete to earn first team All-America honors, who combined to do it 11 times. She joined three-time honoree Misty Thomas, who earned first-team kudos in 1984, '85 and '86, as the only two UNLV women's basketball players to earn the prestigious award, which is voted on by a national committee of sports information directors.

With Rebel soccer standout Andrew Hooker having earned the same honor a month ago, 2002 marked the second time in three years and third time in history that UNLV boasted two first-team honorees in the same year (2002, 2000 and 1984). This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Verizon Academic All-America program, which was founded by CoSIDA in 1952 to recognize collegiate student-athletes for their outstanding achievements in the classroom and on the playing field.

2002 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL VERIZON ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM*
PLAYER             SCHOOL            YR MAJOR               GPA
Kristine Austgulen Virginia Commonwealth JR Political Science   4.00Stacey Dales       Oklahoma          SR Communications      3.70Linda Fr?hlich    UNLV                  SR Psychology      3.61Lindsey Meder      Iowa                  SR Psychology/Pre-Med  3.95Kate Miller    Kent State            SR Biology             4.00Jenny Nett     Wofford           SR Business/English    3.94
*Because of a tie in voting, the first teamconsisted of six players and the second team four players
UNLV FIRST TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS
PLAYER            YEAR  SPORTLinda Fr?hlich   2002  Women's BasketballAndrew Hooker     2002  Men's SoccerJeremy Anderson   2000  Men's GolfRyan Bledsoe      2000  Men's SoccerKim Rondina   1997  SoftballRoger Pettersson  1996  Men's TennisMisty Thomas      1986  Women's BasketballMisty Thomas      1985  Women's BasketballMisty Thomas      1984  Women's BasketballDanny Tarkanian   1984  Men's BasketballDanny Tarkanian   1983  Men's Basketball