July 22, 2014
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - Three UNLV players were named to the Preseason All-Mountain West Football Team for the first time since 2006 as the league released its official list Tuesday to kick off this year's annual Media Days at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
Three standout seniors - all on offense -- were named after a vote by the league's media. All-America candidate at wide receiver Devante Davis, who is the nation's top returning touchdown catcher after shattering the school record with 14 last season, is on the team along with four-year starting left tackle Brett Boyko and four-year starting center Robert Waterman. Davis is on multiple preseason watch lists, including the Maxwell Award, which is given to college football's top player, while Waterman was cited for the third straight year by the Rimington Award, which goes to the country's best center.
UNLV was the only team this year with more than two players named on the offensive side of the ball. Both Davis and Boyko were second team all-league picks after the 2013 season while Waterman earned his third honorable mention after the trio helped the Rebels make their first bowl game appearance in 13 years. The last time UNLV had three preseason honorees on the official MW team, the trio was made up of linebacker Beau Bell, cornerback Eric Wright and placekicker Sergio Aguayo.
The league on Tuesday also announced the media's predicted order of finish and the Rebels were slotted fourth in the West Division. Boise State was predicted to win the 2014 Mountain Division title, while 2013 MW Champion Fresno State was chosen to finish atop the West Division.
This marks the second season of divisional play for the conference, which moved to the two, six-team divisional format in 2013 following the additions of San José State and Utah State. The two divisional winners will meet in the MW Championship Game on Dec. 6 at the home stadium of the divisional champion with the highest College Football Playoff Committee ranking.
UNLV will hold its first practice August 6 and open its season on Friday, Aug. 29 at Arizona. The home opener is Saturday, Sept. 6 vs. Northern Colorado. Season tickets are on sale now starting at only $90 for all six home games. Three-game mini-plans are also on sale starting as low as $42. Call (702) 739-FANS or log on to www.unlvtickets.com for more information.
2014 PRESEASON ALL-MW TEAMOffenseQB Chuckie Keeton Sr. Utah StateWR Matt Miller Sr. Boise StateWR Devante Davis Sr. UNLVRB Jay Ajayi Jr. Boise StateRB Donnel Pumphrey So. San Diego StateOL Ty Sambrailo Sr. Colorado StateOL Cody Wichmann Sr. Fresno StateOL LaMar Bratton Sr. New MexicoOL Brett Boyko Sr. UNLVOL Robert Waterman Sr. UNLVTE Kivon Cartwright Sr. Colorado State
DefenseDL Tyeler Davison Sr. Fresno StateDL Brock Hekking Sr. Nevada, RenoDL B.J. Larsen Sr. Utah StateDL Eddie Yarbrough Jr. WyomingLB Ejiro Ederaine Jr. Fresno StateLB Kyler Fackrell Jr. Utah StateLB Zach Vigil Sr. Utah StateDB Donte Deayon Jr. Boise StateDB Jeremy Ioane Sr. Boise StateDB Derron Smith Sr. Fresno StateDB J.J. Whittaker Sr. San Diego State
SpecialistsP Garrett Swanson Jr. Fresno StatePK Jared Roberts Sr. Colorado StateRet. Carlos Wiggins Jr. New Mexico
Preseason Offensive Player of the YearChuckie Keeton, Sr., QB, Utah State
Preseason Defensive Player of the YearDerron Smith, Sr., DB, Fresno State
