Jan. 31, 2013

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - A total of 18 UNLV football players -- the second most in program history -- earned spots on the 2013 Academic All-Mountain West team, the league announced Thursday.

The Rebels, who hit double figures on this list for the seventh consecutive season, ranked second in the conference this year for most football players behind only Boise State.

The group of Rebels included two players that earned the honor for the third straight year: junior defensive lineman Tyler Gaston (North Las Vegas) and junior linebacker Tim Hasson (Las Vegas).

Making their second appearance on the annual list were senior defensive lineman Trent Allmang-Wilder (Palm Springs, Calif.), sophomore tight end Taylor Barnhill (Rhome, Texas), sophomore offensive lineman Brett Boyko (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), graduate student defensive back Kenny Brown (Palmdale, Calif.), sophomore linebacker Perry Cooper (The Woodlands, Texas), senior tight end Aaron Reed (Las Vegas) and sophomore offensive lineman Robert Waterman (Castaic, Calif.).

First-time honorees were: freshman tight end Tyler Bergsten (Phoenix, Ariz.,), junior linebacker Max Elhert (Helsinki, Finland), junior tight end Max Johnson (Wildomar, Calif.), junior receiver Maika Mataele (Kaneohe, Hawaii), freshman Andrew Oberg (Islip, N.Y.), sophomore offensive lineman Brian Roth (Lake Forest, Calif.), freshman quarterback Nick Sherry (Petaluma, Calif.), sophomore defensive lineman Jordan Sparkman (San Diego, Calif.) and freshman receiver Anthony Williams (Brentwood, Calif.).

To be eligible for selection student-athletes must have completed at least one academic term at the school while maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better, and be a starter or significant contributor on their team.

UNLV MEMBERS OF 2013 ACADEMIC ALL-MW FOOTBALL TEAMPlayer, Pos.               Year       MajorTrent Allmang-Wilder*, DL   Senior     SociologyTaylor Barnhill*, TE    Soph.      Hospitality ManagementTyler Bergsten, TE            Freshman   Hospitality ManagementBrett Boyko*, OL             Soph.      PsychologyKenneth Brown*, DB         Senior     Master's in Public AdministrationPerry Cooper*, LB          Soph.      Hospitality ManagementMax Ehlert, LB             Junior     Hospitality ManagementTyler Gaston*, DL          Junior     Criminal JusticeTim Hasson*, LB            Junior     Interdisciplinary StudiesMax Johnson, TE            Junior     Human ServicesMaika Mataele, WR          Junior     Criminal JusticeAndrew Oberg, OL           Freshman   Political ScienceAaron Reed*, TE            Senior     Real EstateBrian Roth, OL             Soph.      Criminal JusticeNick Sherry, QB            Freshman   Political ScienceJordan Sparkman, DL        Soph.      Human ServicesRobert Waterman*, OL       Soph.      Criminal JusticeAnthony Williams, WR       Freshman   Kinesiological Sciences
*Multiple-season honoree