Dec. 22, 2009
LAS VEGAS -
End-of-Season Release in PDF Format 
Final Serve:, The UNLV Rebels closed out the 2009 season with hard-fought losses at the Mizuno Thanksgiving Tournament hosted by Long Beach State in Long Beach, Calif. The Rebels fell in four sets (3-1) to the host 49ers on Nov. 27 before dropping a heartbreaking five-set thriller (3-2) to Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 28. With the losses, UNLV closed out the year with an 8-19 overall record, while going 5-11 in Mountain West Conference play, which placed them seventh in the nine-team league.
Jackson Earns All-MWC Nod: UNLV sophomore middle blocker Cursty Jackson was named to the Mountain West's All-Conference Team Tuesday following a vote by the league's nine head coaches. This is Jackson's first time being named to the All-MWC squad after taking home freshman of the year honors last season.
Jackson, who was named the MWC's Player of the Week on Sept. 28, played in all 16 league matches and 58 sets. In conference-only statistics, she ranked second in points per set (4.21), third kills per set (3.43) and 10th in blocks per set (1.03).
Overall, Jackson placed third in points per set (4.10) and fourth in kills per set (3.39),
She has participated in all 25 matches, thus far in 2009 and all 88 sets. She leads the Rebels in kills (298), kills per set (3.39), assisted blocks (71) and total blocks (88). She sits tied for first in solo blocks (17). She has racked up double digits in kills on 14 occasions this season, while topping out at a career-high 23 vs. Seattle on Oct. 10. She has hit for .300 or better 10 times with a .600 effort at New Mexico on Oct. 17, marking a season best. She has also added 72 digs, 30 assists and 10 aces to her stat line.
The conference coaches selected Colorado State's Danielle Minch as the player of the year, while Wyoming's Jodi Purdy follows in Jackson's footsteps as the freshman of the year.
CSU's Tom Hilbert was named MWC Coach of the Year for the seventh time in his career. He led the 23rd-ranked Rams to their sixth outright and seventh overall MWC regular-season title with a 15-1 conference record. Hilbert also guided CSU to its 11th 20-win season as a member of the MWC.
We Played Them: In all, UNLV played three ranked teams in 2009 and went 0-3 in those contests. The Rebels played Florida (then-#8) and UCLA (then-#9) within the first three matches of the year before concluding Mountain West action with a 3-2 loss to Colorado State (then-#25).
The team also played seven squads that made the 2009 NCAA Tournament. UNLV owned a 2-8 record in 10 meetings. The Rebels played three MWC teams thrice, while facing four others once apiece. UNLV went 1-1 against both New Mexico and TCU and 0-2 vs. Colorado State. The other losses were to Florida, UCLA, Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara.
Those seven NCAA participants combined for a 6-7 record. Florida and Colorado State fared the best as each went 2-1 and reached the Regional Semifinals. UCLA and TCU both notched wins and went 1-1. Long Beach State, New Mexico and UC Santa Barbara lost their opening matches.
Nationally Speaking: The Rebels, as a team, ranked in the top half of two NCAA per-set statistical categories, with a #72 placing in blocks (2.26) and #146 in kills (12.68). They finished just behind the half-way point in hitting percentage (#177: .193) and digs (#182: 14.25).
Individually, Erin Greenwood and Cursty Jackson ranked highly amongst the top 250 players in four categories. Greenwood placed 62nd in hitting percentage with her .342 average. Jackson, on the other hand, finished 116th in points per set (4.06), 140th in blocks per set (1.02) and 153rd in kills per set (3.35).
Rare Roofing Materials: In the history of the UNLV volleyball program only two players have etched their names in the top five of all three career blocking categories, Lauren Miramontes (2003-07) and Erin Greenwood (2006-Pres.).
Miramontes, a 2007 AVCA Honorable Mention All-America and three-time All-MWC performer, ranks first in all three categories with 426 total, 80 solos and 344 assisted blocks.
Greenwood climbed the charts with each block she amasses this season. She finished her career third in total blocks (353), fourth in assisted blocks (294) and fifth in solo blocks (59).
Moving On Up: Besides ranking highly in UNLV's career blocking categories, Erin Greenwood slowly climbed up five other all-time charts. She ranks highly in matches played, sets played, kills, total attempts and hitting efficiency.
Greenwood played in every match that she has suited up for since her freshman year of 2006. Her 117 matches played ranks second in school history. She sits behind her former teammate Melody Nua, who played in 120 contests during her four-year career.
She finished fourth in sets played with 415. Nua tops this category, as well, with 442 sets played.
Offensively, she finished her career ranked third in hitting efficiency (.289), fifth in kills (918) and seventh in total attempts (2,277).
Record Rankings: Four other Rebels joined Greenwood in the UNLV career record books with help from their play this season. Cursty Jackson placed in two categories, while Jessica Walters, Samantha Richard, Amanda Alles and Samantha Noland wrote their names once.
Jackson has quickly climbed up the career charts after only two years of action. She ranks seventh in hitting efficiency (.252) and solo blocks (35).
Alles has amassed 410 assists in only two years of play to rank ninth.
Walters, Richard and Noland closed out their careers in 2009. Walters had the 10th most attempts (1,886) all time, while Richard finished sixth in assists (644) and Noland tied Jackson for seventh in solo blocks (35).
