Nov. 11, 2003

WOODLAND, Calif. - UNLV's senior midfielder Alex Hernandez was named the 2003 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Men's Soccer Co-Player of the Year, the conference announced today. Hernandez becomes the first Rebel Player to earn MPSF Player of the Year honors, and is the fourth player to be named conference player of the Year in the program's history, with the last being Doug Borgel in 1990.

Hernandez shared his award along with Marcus Sagastume of Air Force. Hernandez was also named to the All-MPSF First Team, marking his third straight all-conference selection, and second straight to the first team. Joining him on the first team from the Rebels was Victor "Boomer" Arbelaez and Rod Dyachenko, while Brendon Bain was a second team selection.

Hernandez, from Indio, Calif., is leading the Rebels and is third in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in both scoring this season with 11 goals, including four game-winners, and points with 26, while adding four assists on the season, all in conference play. He scored back-to-back game winners to lead the Rebels to two straight conference wins on the road at Denver and Air Force to close out the regular season and move the Rebels into the top half of the conference standings. In his stellar four-year career at UNLV, Hernandez has scored 34 goals, which ranks ties him sixth in school history, while his 85 career points ranks him fifth all-time as well. He set a school record last year as a junior with 11 assists for the year, and has 17 in his career, tying him for eighth all-time at UNLV.

Arbelaez, a junior midfielder from Las Vegas, Nev., earned his first all-conference honor after posting four goals and four assists on the season, while also posting the game-winner in UNLV's 2-0 win at New Mexico on Oct. 18. Dyachenko, a sophomore midfielder from Vancouver, Wash., also received his first all-conference mention as he scored twice and added four assists for eight points, fourth-best on the team. Bain, a junior midfielder from Beaverton, Ore., was named to the second team after an outstanding season in the midfield helping to coordinate both the offense and the defense for the Rebels. He also finished with two assists for the season.

UNLV, the third-seed in the 2003 MPSF Tournament held in Sacramento, Calif., opens play on Thursday against sixth-seeded Air Force at 4:30 p.m. in the first round of play.

All-MPSF Men's Soccer Teams
First TeamAlex Hernandez             Senior  Midfielder  UNLV    Indio, CAMarcus Sagastume            Junior  Midfielder  Air Force Academy   Colorado Springs, Colo.Frank Sanfilippo            Junior  Defender        San Jose State  San Diego, CABrandon Moss            Sophomore   Defender        New Mexico  Albuquerque, NMDaniel Wasson           Sophomore   MF/FWD      Air Force Academy   Colorado Springs, CORandy Poggio            Sophomore   Forward     San Jose State  Anaheim, CAVictor Arbelaez         Junior  Midfielder  UNLV    Las Vegas, NVJohnny Gonzalez         Sophomore   Forward     San Jose State  Culver City, CARod Dyachenko           Sophomore   Forward     UNLV    Vancouver, WAFrank Mata          Junior  Defender        San Jose State  San Jose, CATyler Tratten           Freshman    Goalkeeper  San Jose State  Sacramento, CA
Second TeamRyan Curtis         Senior  Defender        San Diego State Mission Viejo, CAKevin Sapanli           Senior  Midfielder      San Diego State San Diego, CAKyle Christensen            Freshman    Forward     Denver  Layton, UTStian Ericksen          Senior  Midfielder      New Mexico  Asker, NorwayPat Nelle           Junior  Forward     Sacramento State    Sacramento, CALance Watson            Sophomore   Midfielder      New Mexico  Nederland, TexasJohn Mendes         Sophomore   Midfielder      Denver  La Mesa, CABrendon Bain         Junior  Midifielder UNLV    Beaverton, ORLiam Girard         Sophomore   Defender        Denver  Victoria, BCMark Wellen         Junior  Defender        Denver  Littleton, COAndrew Weber            Junior  Goalkeeper  New Mexico  Phoenix, Ariz.
Honorable MentionBen Ashwill         Sophomore   Forward     New Mexico  Albuquerque, NMKenny Fechner           Junior  Defender        San Diego State Phoenix, AZMarcos Mercado          Junior  Defender        Sacramento State    Sacramento, CAHeath Creager           Sophomore   Forward     San Diego State Glendale, AZSam Sneed           Senior  Midfielder      Sacramento State    Park City, UTLani Harmon         Sophomore   Goalkeeper  Denver  Newark, DE
Co-Players of the YearAlex Hernandez, UNLVMarcus Sagastume, Air Force