Dec. 12, 2003

LAS VEGAS - UNLV junior strong safety Jamaal Brimmer has been named First Team All-America by College Football News, the organization announced Friday.

Brimmer (6-1, 210) becomes the ninth All-American in UNLV history and the first non-punter to earn a first-team nod for the Rebels since the school moved to Division I in 1978.

Punter Joe Kristosik was the last first-team selection from UNLV when he was the national consensus choice in 1998. Brimmer will be the first football All-American to return to UNLV for another year since Randall Cunningham, who was tabbed for his punting, came back for his senior season in 1984.

Brimmer, a local product from Durango High School, led the Mountain West Conference with six interceptions (tying for the second-most in league and school single-season history) and tied for the league lead with four forced fumbles. Brimmer's 186 interception return yards ranked third in the nation while his 77 total tackles, including 10 for loss, stood third on the team. He added four fumble recoveries and three quarterback sacks.

The 2002 MWC Defensive Player of the Year, Brimmer caught the nation's attention after perhaps the most dominating individual defensive performance in school history on September 13. Facing then-14th-ranked Wisconsin, Brimmer recorded 11 tackles, two sacks, grabbed two interceptions, forced one fumble and returned another for a 55-yard touchdown in the Rebels' stunning 23-5 victory in Madison. On November 1, Brimmer scored his third career touchdown on a 62-yard interception return in a road win over Las Vegas Bowl-bound New Mexico.

One of 12 semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, Brimmer was also ranked the 19th-best player in college football for 2003, regardless of position, by CFN. He was joined on the All-America first team by Kirk Morrison, a junior linebacker from San Diego State. The two Mountain West Conference players were the only representatives from non-BCS schools.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS 2003 ALL-AMERICA TEAM
DEFENSE
DT  Chad Lavalais, JR.      LSUDT  Dave Ball, SR.          UCLADE  Kenechi Udeze, JR.      USCDT  Darnell Dockett, SR.    Florida StateLB  Grant Wiley, SR.        West VirginiaLB  Karlos Dansby, SR.      AuburnLB  Kirk Morrison, JR.      San Diego StateCB  Derrick Strait, SR.     OklahomaCB  Keiwan Ratliff, SR.     FloridaS   Jamaal Brimmer, JR.     UNLVS   Sean Taylor, JR.        Miami (FL)
OFFENSE
QB  Matt Leinart, SO.       USCRB  Chris Perry, SR.        MichiganRB  Darren Sproles, JR.     Kansas StateWR  Larry Fitzgerald, SO.   PittsburghWR  Mike Williams, SO.      USCTE  Ben Troupe, SR.         FloridaOL  Robert Gallery, SR.     IowaOL  Shawn Andrews, JR.      ArkansasOL  Jacob Rogers, SR.       USCOL  Alex Barron, JR.        Florida StateOL  Tony Pape, SR.          Michigan
UNLV ALL-TIME ALL-AMERICANS
Jamaal Brimmer, DB      2003    First TeamKevin Thomas, DB          2001    Third TeamJoe Kristosik, P        1998    First TeamBrad Faunce, P           1993    Second TeamBrian Parvin, P          1992    Second TeamRandall Cunningham, P   1984    Second TeamRandall Cunningham, P   1983    First TeamJim Sandusky, WR        1981    Second Team
UNLV SMALL-COLLEGE ALL-AMERICANSJoe Ingersoll, DL       1975    First TeamJoe Ingersoll, DL       1974    Second TeamMike Thomas, RB         1974    First TeamMike Thomas, RB         1973    First Team