Jan. 8, 2008

LAS VEGAS - Forward Daniel Cruz of UNLV was named to the College Soccer News 2007 All-Freshman Second Team, it was announced this week. Cruz, the 2007 MPSF Newcomer of the Year and a All-MPSF First Team selection, is the first Rebel to ever earn national freshman honors.

A freshman from Glendale, Ariz., Cruz was perhaps the biggest addition to a team's offense in the MPSF in years, as his impressive scoring ability instantly enhanced UNLV's overall offense. Having scored 11 points in the five-game stretch immediately prior to the start of league play off four goals and three assists, he became the main target of the MPSF's defenses and was constantly double-teamed. That simply opened up more opportunities for the other UNLV forwards, mostly Lamar Neagle, who was able to take advantage of the constant attention to Cruz by scoring nine goals, which tied for second in the MPSF.

Cruz still finished the year with four goals (which ranked ninth), and four assists (third) to finish sixth in the MPSF with 12 points. He scored the game-winner against Missouri State in a 1-0 win on Sept. 22, had three points (goal and assist) in a win over regionally-ranked Cal Poly (Sept. 14), and assisted on both goals in the final 10 minutes of a 2-2 double-overtime tie with Drake (Sept. 21).