Feb. 16, 2005

LAS VEGAS - UNLV senior Henner Nehles tied a school record by being named the Mountain West Conference Men's Tennis Player of the Week for the fourth time in his career, the league announced Wednesday.

Nehles joined former Rebel Asaf Tishler and former Lady Rebel Paulina Janus as the school's only four-time conference honorees. Tishler won his four nods while playing in the Western Athletic Conference from 1997-99 while Janus earned her quartet from the MWC in 2001-02.

Currently ranked 38th in the nation, Nehles raised his overall record to 15-5 in singles and 10-0 in doubles this season by going a combined 4-0 over the weekend at the No. 1 position in the lineup. He led his team to three wins as the Rebels took their own spring invitational for the first time in three years.

In Sunday's championship match vs. then-No. 72 Denver, Nehles and partner Aviram Salomon rallied to win 9-8 at the top doubles spot and take the team point. Nehles then raced past regional rival Adam Holmstrom in singles 6-1, 6-1 as UNLV downed the Pioneers 4-0 for its sixth straight victory.

A native of Duisburg, Germany, Nehles first won the weekly award in 2003 and twice last season. Colorado State's Dasha Zhurin was named the MWC Women's Player of the Week.

The Rebels (6-2) host No. 41 Oklahoma on Friday beginning at 1:30 p.m., weather permitting.