LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV Athletics family is mourning the loss of former UNLV football assistant coach and longtime supporter Rich Abajian, who passed away suddenly Tuesday night.

"We are devastated about losing our dear friend Rich Abajian and our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Jo Ann, and the entire family" said UNLV Director of Athletics Tina Kunzer-Murphy. "Rich was a giant in this community when it came to being successful in business and then using that success to help others. His love of this city, of UNLV and especially the Rebel football program, is well known. Rich was warm, generous, talented, competitive and inspiring and it is truly a sad day for Southern Nevada and our entire University."

A native of Walla Walla, Wash., and 1975 graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno where he played as a defensive back, Abajian joined UNLV in 1977 as a graduate assistant coach and then served as defensive secondary coach under Tony Knap from 1979-81. He soon went into the automobile sales business for Cliff Findlay and became one of the nation's most successful dealership general managers, eventually becoming a partner in Findlay Toyota and serving as chief operation officer of the Findlay Automotive Group.

"Rich Abajian was such a big supporter of this school and UNLV Football and he will be deeply missed," said UNLV football head coach Tony Sanchez. "It didn't matter what the year was, who the staff was, Rich was steadfast in his support of the Rebels and that is something special."

"Rich was a great supporter and inspiration to everyone here at UNLV," said UNLV men's basketball interim head coach Todd Simon. "He was also a mentor to me since I first arrived in Las Vegas and we have all lost a true friend."

A driving force behind the launching of the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame, Abajian was later inducted into that same hall of fame in 2008.

"Rich and I, along with receivers coach Doug Filan, had an immediate connection when I arrived in 1979," said ESPN personality Kenny Mayne, who played quarterback at UNLV during Abajian's time on staff. "They looked after me, as we were all from Washington, but they also challenged me. Rich was a true players' coach, as the saying goes, just ask his old defensive backs. He related to them in such a real way. We are still talking about color in football, which is so disappointing, but 35 years ago Rich, a guy from Walla Walla, was relating without barriers to kids from Inglewood, Compton. It never mattered. I grew to count on him as a friend. He helped me and countless others many times. His death is a shock and he will be greatly missed."

Information on services is still to be announced.