LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV football program on Thursday saw three of its players earn spots on the 2021 Academic All‐District® Football Team, marking the first time more than two Rebels have made the team in the same season.  
 
Running back Charles Williams, a Super Senior from Fresno, California, became the first UNLV football player to earn the honor three times in a career. The Chuck Wagon last season also became the first from his program to go on to be voted CoSIDA Academic All-America.
 
The top rusher in school history, Williams heads into his final home game Friday leading the Mountain West in rushing this fall with 1,089 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns. He also has the most career yards gained on the FBS level among all active players with 4,029. The four-time Academic All-MW honoree already earned his bachelor's degree in journalism & media studies and is pursuing his master's.
 
Another graduate student, two-year starting defensive lineman Eliel Ehimare (L-e-L EH-him-R-ay) made his first appearance on the prestigious list. A native of Nigeria and graduate of high school in Texas transferred to UNLV from Cabrillo College in 2019. The pass rusher is a two-time member of the UNLV Dean's Honor List, a 2020 Academic All-MW honoree and a 2019 and'21 MW Scholar-Athlete. After earning his bachelor's in accounting, he is pursuing a master's in cybersecurity.
 
Senior linebacker Austin Ajiake (AH-g-K) is also a first-time honoree. Currently ranked 22nd in the nation with 9.2 tackles per game, the Fremont, California, native is a three-time member of the Dean's Honor List, a three-time Academic All-MW honoree and a 2021 MW Scholar-Athlete. He currently boasts a 3.60 cumulative GPA in urban studies.
 
The Rebels close out their home schedule Friday vs. San Diego State at Allegiant Stadium starting at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are available by visiting unlvtickets.com or calling (702) 739-FANS.
 
The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) selects Academic All-America teams throughout the year. Players who are starters or important reserves on their teams and are at least in their second year at a school and hold at least a 3.30 career GPA are eligible for the academic awards, which are voted on by sports information directors from across the nation. First-team Academic All-District honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Team ballot, where first-, and second-team All-America honorees will be announced in December.   
 
UNLV's district includes four-year institutions from the states of Texas, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada and Oklahoma.
 
2021 CoSIDA All-District Football Teams
District 7 – (CO, ID, KS, NE, NM, NV, OK, TX) University Division I
 
POS    PLAYER                SCHOOL                       YR     GPA         MAJOR
QB      Hank Bachmeier      Boise State                 Jr.       3.57          Business
RB      Deuce Vaughn         Kansas State              So.      3.65          Business Administration
RB      Charles Williams    UNLV                          Gr.      3.41/3.45 Journalism & Media Studies/General
WR     Drew Estrada            Baylor                         Gr.      3.71          Sociology Modified Economics/MBA
WR     Khalil Shakir              Boise State                 Sr.       3.37          Communication
WR     Landry Weber           Kansas State              Gr.      3.97/3.80  Accounting
TE       Cade Brewer             Texas                         Gr.      3.31          Sport Management
TE       Ben Sims                   Baylor                       Jr.       3.34           Environmental Studies/Natural Resource
OL       Dawson Deaton       Texas Tech                 Gr.      3.54/4.00   Marketing/Master Science
OL       Donte Harrington     Boise State                  Gr.      3.95/3.95  Public Administration
OL       Justin Mader             Texas                           Sr.       3.72         Mechanical Engineering
OL       Ahofitu Maka             UTSA                           Sr.       3.74          Cyber Security
OL       Kyle Stapley              New Mexico                Gr.      3.91/4.00 Business Administration/MBA
OL       Hunter Woodard       Oklahoma State         So.      3.51          Nutritional Sciences / Allied Health
K         Hunter Duplessis     UTSA                           Gr.      3.80/4.00  Information Systems & Cybersecurity/MBA
DL       Eliel Ehimare           UNLV                          Gr.      3.89          Accounting/Cybersecurity
DL       Ikenna Enechukwu Rice                              Sr.       3.51          Kinesiology
DL       Trey Schuman          Rice                             Gr.      3.78          Economics & Managerial Studies/ MBA
DL       Ben Stille                   Nebraska                    Gr.      3.41/3.40 Nutrition & Health Sciences
LB       Austin Ajiake           UNLV                          Sr.       3.60         Urban Studies
LB       Patrick Curley           Texas Tech                 Jr.       4.00          Mechanical Engineering
LB       Dillon Doyle              Baylor                          Gr.      3.68          MBA
LB       Bryan Mead              Oklahoma                   Gr.      3.98          Business Administration
LB       Riley Whimpey         Boise State                  Sr.       3.82          Business
DB      Patrick Fields            Oklahoma                   Sr.       3.82          Accounting/Accountancy
DB      Kekaula Kaniho        Boise State                  Gr.      3.96          Health Science
DB      Jalen Pitre                 Baylor                          Gr.      3.30/3.76 Marketing & Real Estate/Psychology
DB      Bryson Powers         Tulsa                            Gr.      3.72          Mechanical Engineering/MBA
P         Lucas Dean               UTSA                           Jr.       3.90          Economics
ST       Marcus Jones          Houston                      Gr.          3.30        Sociology