Dec. 5, 2005

LAS VEGAS - Three UNLV players earned Second Team All-Mountain West Conference honors as the league announced its official postseason football awards on Monday.

Senior tight end Greg Estandia out of Moorpark, Calif., earned his first all-conference nod after becoming the first tight end to lead the Rebels in receptions (49 for 563 yards) since 1972. He also set a school record for touchdowns by a tight end with seven. Named the John Mackey National Tight End of the Week on Oct. 26, he also blocked two field-goal attempts this fall to give him four in his career. Estandia is the first UNLV tight end to earn league honors since Sam Mineo was Second Team All-WAC in 1998.

Senior defensive back Joe Miklos also earned his first postseason nod. The safety out of Concord, Calif., led the MWC with four fumble recoveries, which ranked fifth in school history, and was third in the league for total tackles with a career-high 98. He also paced the Rebels with two interceptions, which gave him six for his career. His selection marked the seventh consecutive season that UNLV had at least one defensive back named first or second team all-conference.

Linebacker Beau Bell out of Tustin, Calif., will be UNLV's only returning All-MWC player in 2006. The first Rebel sophomore to earn All-MWC since 2003, Bell ranked fifth in the league with 92 total tackles, including a team season-high 18 at TCU. He was named MWC Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 10 after a dominating performance over San Diego State that included 3.5 quarterback sacks.

Earning honorable mention this year from UNLV were sophomore place-kicker Sergio Aguayo, who booted two game-winning field goals and finished 12-16 on the year; senior defensive end Leon Moore, who led the MWC with 12.5 tackles for loss; and junior defensive lineman Howie Fuimaono, who had a career-high 4.5 TFL as a run-stopper in the middle of the line. The MWC awards were voted on by the nine head coaches and a panel of 18 members of the media.

2005 MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE AWARDS
Offensive Player of the YearDonTrell Moore, Sr., RB, New Mexico
Defensive Player of the YearEric Weddle, Jr., DB, Utah
Freshman of the YearAaron Brown, RB, TCU
Coach of the YearGary Patterson, TCU
2005 ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
POS   PLAYER            CL    SCHOOLQB    John Beck         Jr.   BYUWR    Hank Baskett III  Sr.   New MexicoWR    Jovon Bouknight   Sr.   WyomingRB    Curtis Brown      Jr.   BYURB    DonTrell Moore*   Sr.   New MexicoTE    Jonny Harline     So.   BYUOL    Ryan Cook         Sr.   New MexicoOL    Robert Turner     Jr.   New MexicoOL    Herbert Taylor    Jr.   TCUOL    Michael Toudouze  Sr.   TCUOL    Jesse Boone       Sr.   UtahPK    Dan Beardall      Sr.   UtahPR/KR Cory Rodgers      Jr.   TCU
DEFENSE
POS   PLAYER            CL    SCHOOLDL    Tommy Blake       So.   TCUDL    Chase Ortiz       So.   TCUDL    Evroy Thompson    Sr.   New MexicoDL    Steve Fifita      Sr.   UtahLB    Mike Mohoric      Sr.   New MexicoLB    Freddy Keiaho     Sr.   San Diego StateLB    Spencer Toone     Sr.   UtahDB    Gabriel Fulbright Sr.   New MexicoDB    Marcus Demps      Sr.   San Diego StateDB    Quincy Butler     Sr.   TCUDB    Eric Weddle       Jr.   UtahP     Jimmie Kaylor     So.   Colorado State
*Unanimous selection
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
POS   PLAYER            CL    SCHOOLQB    Brian Johnson     So.   UtahWR    David Anderson    Sr.   Colorado StateWR    Jeff Webb         Sr.   San Diego StateRB    Kyle Bell         So.   Colorado StateRB    Quinton Ganther   Sr.   UtahTE    Greg Estandia     Sr.   UNLVOL    Jon Wilson        Sr.   Air ForceOL    Jake Kuresa       Jr.   BYUOL    Lance Reynolds    Sr.   BYUOL    Michael Brisiel   Sr.   Colorado StateOL    Tavo Tupola       Jr.   UtahOL    Stephen Culp      Sr.   TCUPK    Chris Manfredini  So.   TCUPR/KR Jovon Bouknight   Sr.   Wyoming
DEFENSEPOS   PLAYER            CL    SCHOOLDL    Manaia Brown      Sr.   BYUDL    Kurt Kahui        Sr.   San Diego StateDL    Ranorris Ray      Sr.   TCUDL    Dusty Hoffschneider Sr. WyomingLB    Cameron Jensen    Jr.   BYULB    Jason Phillips    Fr.   TCULB    Beau Bell         So.   UNLVDB    Drew Coleman      Sr.   TCUDB    Jeremy Modkins    Sr.   TCUDB    Joe Miklos        Sr.   UNLVDB    Casey Evans       Jr.   UtahP     Michael Hughes    So.   San Diego State

HONORABLE MENTIONAir Force: Bobby Giannini, So., DB; Gilberto Perez, Jr., DL; Ross Weaver,Sr., OL.  BYU: Justin Luettgerodt, Jr., LB.  Colorado State: Josh Day, Jr., OL; Travis Garcia, Sr., S; Robert Herbert, Jr., DB; Courtney Jones,Sr., LB, Miles Kochevar, Sr., Jesse Nading, So., DL; Clint Oldenburg,Jr., OL; Kory Sperry, So., TE.  New Mexico: Cody Kase, So., LB.  SanDiego State: Antwan Applewhite, So., DL; Reggie Grigsby, Sr., DB; JasperHarvey, Sr., OL; Joe Martin, Jr., LB; Terrell Maze, Jr., DB; GarrettPalmer, So., PK. TCU: Jeff Ballard, Jr., QB; Aaron Brown, Fr. TB; RobertHensen, Fr., LB; Robert Merrill, Jr. TB; Cory Rodgers, Jr., WR; MarvinWhite, Jr., DB.  UNLV: Sergio Aguayo, So., K; Howie Fuimaono, Jr, DL;Leon Moore, Sr., DL.  Utah: None.  Wyoming: Ward Dobbs, Fr., LB; John Flora, Sr., DL; Chase Johnson, Jr., OL; Jason Karcher, Jr. OL; DerrickMartin, Jr., DB; Ron Rockett, Sr., DB; John Wendling, Jr., DB.