July 28, 2011

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV women's golf team earned its first top 25 finish in the nation in team GPA, garnering a tie for 24th on the National Golf Coaches Association's top 25 listing.

The Rebels were the highest nationally ranked team (49th) to appear on the list and were one of two teams from the Mountain West Conference, joining the University of New Mexico who was 13th.

"We are very proud of the team's accomplishments in the classroom," said first-year head coach Amy Bush. "The entire team understands the importance of being a student-athlete and went out this season and did the work on and off the course through a grueling travel schedule."

The honor marks the first time in the program's 10-year history to finish in the top 25. Four UNLV women's golf student-athletes have been named 2010-11 All-America Scholar recipients, the National Golf Coaches Association announced this week.

Earlier this month, four Rebels were named to the NGCA All-America Scholar Team. UNLV's selections to the team were seniors Alejandra Guacaneme (journalism major) and Therese Koelbaek (management major), junior Bethany Glassford (photography major) and freshman Katerina Prorokova (undeclared major).

Koelbaek and Guacaneme are UNLV's only four-time honorees while Glassford picked up her third straight distinction and Prorokova her first.

UNLV closed the season having qualified for its ninth consecutive NCAA Regional appearance in the 10th season as a program and having the fourth Rebel women's golfer earn the Mountain West Golfer of the Year honor as Koelbaek took home the top honor after leading the MW in scoring average and winning the medalist title at the year-ending tournament.