May 17, 2002

LAS VEGAS - Former UNLV defensive back Kevin Thomas was named this year's recipient of the Wayne Nunnely Outstanding Contributor to UNLV Athletics Award as part of the Third Annual African American Graduation Celebration, which was held at the Moyer Student Union on campus Friday.

Thomas, who will graduate with his bachelor's degree in social science studies in ceremonies at the Thomas & Mack Center Saturday, joined two former Rebel receiving greats in having earned the award. Len Ware won the inaugural honor in 2000 and was followed by Nate Turner last year. The award is named after UNLV graduate Nunnely, who became the first black head football coach in school history and one of the first in Div. I-A in 1986 and is now a respected NFL assistant for the San Diego Chargers.

The event, which celebrates the graduation of friends and family through culture, was sponsored by the Alliance of Professionals of African American Heritage. The featured speaker was Poet Laureate Mona Lake Jones, who holds that title for Washington State's King County.

Thomas, a native of Sacramento, Calif., leaves the football program as arguably its greatest-ever defensive player. Last fall, the 2001 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year became only the second defensive player from the school to be named All-American as he shattered multiple school and conference records and led the nation in both interception-return yardage and defensive scoring.

The only three-time first-team all-conference selection in school history, Thomas set the UNLV record by starting 46 consecutive games - or every Saturday of his career. Setting the school and conference record with seven interceptions this past season, he also broke the mark for career pass breakups with 55 - remarkably more than doubling the old standard.

After becoming only the second Rebel ever to play in the NFL's Senior Bowl (along with legendary running back Ickey Woods), Thomas was a fifth-round draft selection by the Buffalo Bills on April 21.