July 5, 2006

LAS VEGAS - The UNLV softball team placed a league-best 14 student-athletes on the 2006 Academic All-Mountain West Conference team. Six of the 14 selections were also recognized as MWC Scholar-Athletes.

Seven of the 14 Rebels named to the all-academic team are mutliple recipients of the honor. Brittany Freight and Becky McDonald have earned the scholastic honor three times, while Britney Hillyer, Maggie Livreri, Brittany Meade, Marissa Nichols, Rosa Ordaz and Caitlyn Paus have twice.

Rounding out the all-academic team were first-year Rebels: Bri Bernardi, Brittany Bolinger, Jaci Hull, Kendall McSwain, Christie Robinson and Lauren von Holst.

To be eligible for selection to the all-academic team, a student-athlete must have completed at least one academic term at the member institution, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better and be a starter or significant contributor.

Six Rebel's earned the distinction of being named MWC Scholar-Athletes: Bolinger, Hull, Livreri, McDonald, McSwain and Paus.

To be eligible for selection as a scholar-athelte, student-athletes must have completed at least two academic terms at the member institution, while maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or better, and have participated in varsity competition for their team.

Comparing UNLV's numbers to other league institutions, the Rebels distanced themselves from the rest of the MWC. New Mexico placed the second-most student-athletes on the all-academic team with seven selections. Utah and New Mexico tied for second by having three named scholar-athletes.

2006 UNLV Members of the Acadmic All-MWC Softball Team

Player          Year    GPA MajorBri Bernardi    Fr. 3.10    UndeclaredBrittany Bolinger*  Fr. 3.63    Kinesiological StudiesBrittany Freight    Jr. 3.10    Communication StudiesBritney Hillyer  Sr. 3.07    University StudiesJaci Hull*  Fr. 3.52    UndeclaredMaggie Livreri* Sr. 3.68    University StudiesBecky McDonald* Sr. 3.77    Physical Education: K-12Kendall McSwain*    Fr. 3.50    UndecidedBrittany Meade    So. 3.25    Kinesiological StudiesMarissa Nichols  So. 3.41    Human Services CounselingRosa Ordaz    So. 3.11    SociologyCaitlyn Paus*   So. 3.56    Kinesiological StudiesChristie Robinson  Fr. 3.19    UndeclaredLauren von Holst Jr. 3.40    Secondary Education

* Indicates a MWC Scholar-Athlete honoree.