Dec. 3, 2008

LAS VEGAS - A pair of junior UNLV football players earned spots on the 2008 first and second All-Mountain West Conference teams as the league announced its official postseason awards on Wednesday.

Junior Ryan Wolfe, out of Santa Clarita, Calif., became the first UNLV wide receiver in history to be named first team all-conference twice in a career as he was also a first team selection as a freshman in 2006. This fall, Wolfe tied the school record for receptions in a season with 88 and became the program's first 1,000-yard receiver since 1994 with a total of 1,040. He currently ranks eighth in the nation with 7.33 catches per game and 22nd with 86.67 yards per game.

Wolfe posted five 100-yard receiving games this season, which pushed his career total to a UNLV-record 10. The versatile student-athlete also finished fifth on the team in rushing with 91 yards on 14 carries as well as adding seven tackles on special teams and a pass breakup on defense. With one year left to play, the graduate of Hart High School is already the Rebels' all-time leader in receptions with 209 and receiving yards with 2,735 in just 36 games played.

Junior linebacker Jason Beauchamp, out of San Diego, was named to the second team in what was his first all-conference appearance. The graduate of Steele Canyon High School led the Mountain West Conference and currently ranks seventh in the nation with 10.58 tackles per game. His total of 127 tackles ranked sixth in UNLV single-season history. He also added six tackles for loss, two quarterback sacks and one fumble recovery. He was named MWC Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 20 after recording 21 total tackles against Air Force, which was just one short of the school record.

Earning honorable mention this year from UNLV was a trio of seniors and one sophomore. The seniors were wide receiver Casey Flair (49 catches for 560 yards), running back Frank Summers (740 yards and eight touchdowns rushing, 150 yards and two more TDs on 13 receptions), and offensive lineman Johan Asiata (zero sacks allowed at left guard). Returning next season will be defensive tackle Malo Taumua (27 total tackles, 6.5 TFL, one sack and one blocked field goal at Arizona State). The MWC awards were voted on by the nine head coaches and a panel of 18 members of the media. Utah quarterback Brian Johnson was the choice for the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year while TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes was named MWC Defensive Player of the Year. Utah place-kick/punter Louie Sakoda won his third MWC Special Teams Player of the Year award and the Utes' Kyle Whittingham was this season's MWC Coach of the Year.

2008 MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE AWARDSOffensive Player of the YearBrian Johnson, Senior, QB, Utah
Defensive Player of the YearJerry Hughes, Junior, DE, TCU
Special Teams Players of the YearLouie Sakoda, PK/P, Utah
Freshman of the YearTim Jefferson, QB, Air Force
Coach of the YearKyle Whittingham, Utah
2008 ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
OFFENSEPOS PLAYER              CL  SCHOOLQB  Brian Johnson       Sr. UtahWR  Austin Collie       Jr. BYUWR  Ryan Wolfe*         Jr. UNLVRB  Gartrell Johnson    Sr. Colorado StateRB  Devin Moore         Sr. WyomingTE  Dennis Pitta*#      Jr. BYUOL  Ray Feinga*         Sr. BYUOL  Dallas Reynolds*    Sr. BYUOL  Blake Schlueter     Sr. TCUOL  Zane Beadles        Jr. UtahOL  Robert Conley       Sr. UtahPK  Louie Sakoda        Sr. UtahPR/KR Jeremy Kerley     So. TCU
DEFENSEPOS PLAYER              CL  SCHOOLDL  Jake Paulson        Sr. Air ForceDL  Jan Jorgensen*      Jr. BYUDL  Jerry Hughes#       Jr. TCUDL  Paul Kruger         So. UtahLB  Robert Henson       Sr. TCULB  Jason Phillips      Sr. TCULB  Ward Dobbs          Sr. WyomingDB  Glover Quin         Sr. New MexicoDB  Brice McCain        Sr. UtahDB  Stephen Hodge       Sr. TCUDB  Sean Smith          Jr. UtahP   Louie Sakoda*       Sr. Utah
*Two-Time First-Team Selection#Unanimous Selection

2008 ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL SECOND TEAM
OFFENSEPOS PLAYER              CL  SCHOOLQB  Max Hall            Jr. BYUWR  Rashaun Greer       Jr. Colorado StateWR  Freddie Brown       Sr. UtahRB  Harvey Unga         So. BYURB  Rodney Ferguson     Sr. New MexicoTE  Kory Sperry         Sr. Colorado StateOL  Nick Charles        Jr. Air ForceOL  Travis Bright       Sr. BYUOL  Shelly Smith        Jr. Colorado StateOL  Erik Cook           Jr. New MexicoOL  Marshall Newhouse   Jr. TCUPK  Ryan Harrison       Sr. Air ForcePR/KR Ian Clark         Jr. New Mexico
DEFENSEPOS PLAYER              CL  SCHOOLDL  Cody Moore          Sr. TCUDL  Matt Panfil         Sr. TCUDL  Koa Misi            Jr. UtahDL  John Fletcher       Jr. WyomingLB  David Nixon         Sr. BYULB  Jason Beauchamp     Jr. UNLVLB  Stevenson Sylvester Jr. UtahDB  Chris Thomas        Jr. Air ForceDB  DeAndre Wright      Sr. New MexicoDB  Steven Coleman      Sr. TCUDB  Rafael Priest       Jr. TCUP   Anthony Hartz       Jr. Colorado State

HONORABLE MENTIONAir Force: Chris Campbell, Jr., OL; Andrew Pipes, Sr., C; Reggie Rembert; So.; KR; Ken Lamendola, So., LB; Hunter Altman; Sr., LB.  BYU: C.J. Santiago, Sr., P; David Tafuna, Sr., DB. Colorado State: Tim Walter, Jr., C; Jason Smith, Sr., PK; Ricky Brewer, So., LB, Mychal Sisson, Fr., LB. New Mexico:   Zach Arnett, Sr., LB; Herbert Felder, Sr., LB. San Diego State: Russell Allen, Sr., LB; B.J. Williams, So., DE; Corey Boudreaux, Sr., DB. TCU: Andy Dalton, So., QB; Jimmy Young, So., WR; Marcus Cannon, So., OL; Aaron Brown; Sr., KR; James Vess, Sr., NT; Nick Sanders; Jr., CB; Anson Kelton, Fr., P. UNLV: Casey Flair, Sr., WR, Frank Summers, Sr., RB; Johan Asiata, Sr., OL; Malo Taumua; So., DL. Utah: Zane Taylor, So., OL; David Reed, Jr., KR; Greg Newman, Sr., DL; Mike Wright; Jr., LB. Wyoming: Kyle Howard, Sr., OL; Mitch Unrein, Jr., DL; Tim Bond; Sr., C; Chris Prosinski, So., DB.