Sept. 15, 2004
LAS VEGAS - UNLV All-American defensive back Jamaal Brimmer was one of only 11 players in the nation named to the 2004 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division I-A Good Works Team, the Waco, Texas-based organization announced Wednesday.
Brimmer, a senior from Las Vegas and graduate of Durango High School, is the second Rebel ever elected to the prestigious collection of student-athletes that has been honored for its performance off the field for the last 13 years. Former lineman Tony Terrell was the first Rebel honoree in 2002.
Impressively, three of the 11 honorees this season hail from Mountain West Conference schools as Utah defensive back Morgan Scalley and New Mexico linebacker Nick Speegle were their respective schools' first-ever selections.
"This is a major honor and Jamaal certainly deserves to be on this prestigious team," said Wendy Wallington who oversees UNLV Athletics' community relations efforts. "He has already become an All-American on the field and this essentially makes him a community service All-American off the field as well."
Nominated by their school's sports information directors and voted on by an AFCA committee, successful candidates must be involved in working for charity and/or service. During his career, Brimmer has volunteered his time to Rebel Football Plays Santa, which sees the team adopt a local needy family and then delivers gifts near the holidays, taking phone pledges at the annual Children's Miracle Network telethon, acting as a guest activities director at Camp Cartwheel, which is a summer program for the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation, and has made numerous visits to area schools to read to students and speak about sportsmanship and the importance of staying in school.
"It never ceases to amaze me to see the contributions student-athletes make to their communities," AFCA Executive Director Grant Teaff said. "Oftentimes, these young men are better known for the good things they do on the field. The AFCA is proud to recognize these student-athletes for the good things they do in their communities."
On the field, Brimmer is a two-time MWC Defensive Player of the Year who is the first returning All-American at UNLV since Randall Cunningham in 1984. Before this Saturday's home opener vs. Air Force, Brimmer will be honored as the 2004 winner of the Tom Wiesner Award, which is given each season to one senior player who best exemplifies the late Mr. Wiesner's courage, enthusiasm, dedication and toughness.
2004 AFCA DIVISION I-A GOOD WORKS TEAM
NAME CL POS SCHOOL HOMETOWNRaymorris Barnes SR CB Rice D'lberville, Miss.Brian Barthelmes JR OL Virginia Parkman, OhioJamaal Brimmer SR SS UNLV Las VegasDerek Curry SR LB Notre Dame Sealy, TexasAntoine Huffman JR CB Kentucky Jonesboro, Ga.Luke Johnson JR P/PK Southern Miss Laurel, Miss.James Kilian SR QB Tulsa Medford, Okla.Taqiy Muhammad SR WR South Carolina Wilmington, N.C.Morgan Scalley SR DB Utah Salt Lake City, UtahNick Speegle SR LB New Mexico Albuquerque, N.M.Matt Tarullo SR C Syracuse Albany, N.Y.
