LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV earned spots on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball for the first time since 2009 as the official Preseason All-Mountain West Team was announced Tuesday morning to kick off the league's annual media gathering at the Cosmopolitan on the world famous Las Vegas Strip.

Both of this year's Rebel honorees are local products and are serving as their program's representatives at the Media Summit.

Senior wide receiver Devonte Boyd (Henderson/Basic HS) earned his place on the offensive side for the third straight year â€" the first Rebel to do so since all-time leading receiver Ryan Wolfe made a trio of preseason squads in 2006-09. Boyd's appearance meant that, amazingly, UNLV placed a wide receiver on the official league preseason team for the ninth time in the last 11 years. An All-America and MW Offensive Player of the Year candidate, Boyd can become the first player to lead UNLV in receptions four times in a career and needs 866 yards this fall to pass Wolfe's career record of 3,495 receiving yards at the school.

Senior defensive tackle Mike Hughes Jr. (Las Vegas/Palo Verde HS) is the first defensive player from UNLV to make the official preseason team since linebacker Jason Beauchamp way back in 2009. Hughes, who has started 24 consecutive games, enters his final campaign with a team-leading nine career tackles-for-loss and turned in a career-high 37 tackles while plugging up the middle last fall.

2017 MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM OffenseQB  Josh Allen, Jr., WyomingWR Michael Gallup, Sr., Colorado StateWR Devonte Boyd, Sr., UNLVRB  Rashaad Penny, Sr., San Diego StateRB  Tyrone Owens, Jr., New MexicoOL  Jake Bennett, Sr., Colorado StateOL  Austin Corbett, Sr., Nevada, RenoOL  Dejon Allen, Sr., Hawai'iOL  Aaron Jenkins, Jr., New MexicoOL  Mason Hampton, Sr., Boise StateTE  David Wells, Sr., San Diego State DefenseDL  David Moa, Jr., Boise StateDL  Malik Reed, Jr., Nevada, RenoDL  Garrett Hughes, Sr., New MexicoDL  Mike Hughes, Jr., Sr., UNLVLB  Jahlani Tavai, Jr., Hawai'iLB  Logan Wilson, So., WyomingLB  Frank Ginda, Jr., San José StateDB Andrew Wingard, Jr., WyomingDB Andre Chachere, Sr., San José StateDB Tyler Horton, Jr., Boise StateDB Trayvon Henderson, Sr., Hawai'i SpecialistsP     Michael Carrizosa, Sr., San José StatePK   John Baron II, Jr., San Diego StateRET Rashaad Penny, Sr., San Diego State
Offensive Player of the Year: Josh Allen, Jr., QB, WyomingDefensive Player of the Year: Andrew Wingard, Jr., DB, WyomingSpecial Teams Player of the Year: Rashaad Penny, Sr., KR, San Diego State

This fall, UNLV head coach Tony Sanchez will open his third season leading the program by hosting Howard University September 2 at 6 p.m. PT. That will be the first of a six-game home slate that includes BYU and Hawai'i. Season tickets, which start as low as $99, are available now by calling (702) 739-FANS (3267), visiting the Thomas & Mack Box Office or online at www.unlvtickets.com.

TWO- AND THREE-GAME MINI-PLANS NOW ON SALE

Mini-plans, starting as low as $34, are now on sale and can include this fall's premium games vs. the Cougars November 10 and the Rainbow Warriors November 4. The Scarlet Plan allows fans to purchase any three home games for special prices starting as low as $51 (plus fees) while the Gray Plan features any two home games starting as low as $34 (plus fees). Other 2017 home games are San Diego State, San Jose State and Homecoming vs. Utah State.