Jan. 21, 2005
LAS VEGAS - Tickets are still available for this year's UNLV Athletic Hall of Fame ceremonies on Friday, Feb. 4 by calling 895-1533.
The public is invited to attend and help honor four outstanding members of the Rebel family: current NFL receiving star Keenan McCadell, former NCAA golf champion Warren Schutte, hometown hero and former Runnin' Rebel standout Freddie Banks and longtime Hustlin' Rebel baseball head coach Fred Dallimore.
Ceremonies will take place at the MGM Grand Hotel's Studio Ballroom. A cash-bar reception will begin the evening at 6 p.m. Dinner will be served at 7 p.m. and the featured program will begin at approximately 7:45 p.m.
Tickets are $100 for the general public and $50 for UNLV staff, alumni and athletic letterwinners.
Headlining the inductees is the school's first men's individual national champion in any sport, Warren Schutte (1989-93), who will also hold the honor of being the first-ever Rebel golfer inducted. The South African was a four-year letterman under head coach Dwaine Knight and became the first First Team All-American in Rebel golf history en route to leading the program to its first two league titles and first top-10 and then top-five national finishes. After winning three straight tournaments to end his sophomore season, the 1991 and '92 Big West Conference Golfer of the Year bested two-time defending champ Phil Mickelson to win the NCAA crown on June 9, 1991. Schutte, who still owns or is tied for at least 12 school records, is enjoying a pro golf career playing on various tours around the world.
One of the top receivers in Rebel football history, Keenan McCardell (1987-90) was a four-year letterman who has gone on to become of the leading professional ball-catchers ever. Leaving his school ranked first in career receiving yards (2,189) and second in all-time receptions (141) the 1990 First Team All-Big West Conference selection was drafted by the Washington Redskins before finding a job with Cleveland. Emerging with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the two-time Pro Bowl player currently ranks 15th in receptions in NFL history. Now with San Diego, he became the first and only Rebel ever to score in a Super Bowl, doing it twice to lead the Buccaneers to a title after the 2002 season.
A true local-boy-made-good, Las Vegas High School alumnus Freddie Banks (1983-87) played four seasons for the UNLV men's basketball team and remains fourth in career scoring with 2,007 points. Considered the greatest three-point shooter in school history, "Fearless Freddie" still ranks second with 229 career threes and his 152 in the 1986-87 season were the most ever by a Runnin' Rebel. Named First Team All-Big West Conference in both 1986 and 1987, Banks was an integral member of the 1987 Final Four Team and his total of 10 three-pointers vs. Indiana in the semifinals still stands as an NCAA Tournament record. Banks went on to be a second-round pick by the NBA's Detroit Pistons.
The lone non-athlete honoree among the class, Fred Dallimore (1974-96) was one of the winningest coaches in college baseball history. He Led UNLV for 23 seasons and compiled an overall record of 794-558-2 (.587), ranking 31st on the NCAA all-time victories list. Freddie D's teams averaged a stunning 34.5 wins per season en route to seven NCAA Tournament appearances. The Hustlin' Rebels won 40 or more games eight times, including a program-record 53 by the 1980 team after finishing one game short of a trip to the College World Series. In 1997, Dallimore, who produced 11 All-Americans, had his Jersey No. 13 retired to join UNLV Hall-of-Famer Jerry Tarkanian as the only coaches in school history to be so honored.
Born in 1987, UNLV's Athletic Hall of Fame will now grow to 80 members strong. Under the hall's bylaws, former student-athletes must have completed their eligibility at least 10 years earlier to be selected. Coaches and administrators must have stopped working at the University five years previous. All classes now enter on a biennial basis.
