1/27/2025 4:18:00 PM | Football
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The record-smashing 2024 season turned in by UNLV football was capped in a historic way on Tuesday with the announcement of three players being named First Team Academic All-America® by College Sports Communicators (CSC, formerly CoSIDA): linebacker Jackson Woodard, wide receiver Ricky White III and safety Jalen Catalon.
All three earlier earned All-America honors on the field after the 11-3 Rebels finished ranked nationally for the first time ever at No. 23 and the talented trio made sure the program dominated academically as well.
Woodard, who boasts a 3.80 cumulative grade point average, is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas, and already has a bachelor's degree from the school in kinesiology. A two-time team captain, he was named an All-American by four different outlets and voted the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year after ranking fourth in the nation with 135 total tackles, which is the third-most in UNLV single-season history. His four interceptions ranked 19th in the country while the Art of Sport LA Bowl Defensive MVP totaled 16 passes defended, 17.5 tackles-for-loss, 3.5 quarterback sacks and two forced fumbles in his final season. The most-decorated UNLV football player in history for his work in the classroom and in the community, he was one of 16 finalists for the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy (known as the academic Heisman) and recipient of an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2024 National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete Class. Woodard was also a semifinalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award and the Burlsworth Trophy as well as being his program's nominee for the Wuerffel Award and AFCA Good Works Team. He is one of nine members of this year's CSC 25-player squad to be a repeat first team honoree.
White, who posted a 3.58 GPA with a degree in human services, is from Marietta, Georgia, and just completed the greatest two-year run by a Rebel receiver in history. A repeat All-American, he was voted Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year after leading the nation with four blocked punts. Offensively, he became the first Rebel in history to post more than one 1,000-yard receiving season, finishing with 1,041 on 79 catches and ranking seventh in the nation with 11 touchdowns through the air. After just three seasons at UNLV, the former Michigan State transfer finished second in school history in career receptions (218) and 100-yard games (13) and third in both receiving yards (3,143) and receiving TDs (23). Both White and Woodard are preparing to play in Thursday's East-West Shrine Bowl in Arlington, Texas.
Catalon, who earned a 3.52 GPA with a major of sociology, made the most of his one season in Las Vegas after transferring in from the University of Texas. The Mansfield, Texas, native ranked fourth in the nation with five interceptions en route to becoming a Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalist and All-American.
After never previously having an Academic All-American, UNLV football has earned six in the last five years under David Wedley, Associate Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Academic Services. Following the 2020 season, all-time leading rusher Charles Williams became the first UNLV football player in history voted Academic All-America by the CSC, making the second team. Just one season later, lineman Eliel Ehimare became the first defensive player from the Rebels to make the list, also on the second team. Woodard became the first First Team honoree from the program just last year.
With Woodard now a repeat honoree, White and Catalon become the 14th and 15th UNLV student-athletes from any sport to earn a spot on the national first team. There have now been 36 UNLV student-athletes overall who earned CSC Academic All-America dating back to the Rebels' first winner, baseball pitcher Dan Fischer in 1978.
Ever since 1952, CSC selects Academic All-America teams throughout the year. Players who are starters or important reserves on their teams and hold at least a 3.50 career grade point average 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 CSC Academic All-America Team ballot, which was announced today for the sport of football on the Division I level.
ALL-TIME UNLV FOOTBALL CSC (CoSIDA) ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA®
2024Â Â Â Â Jackson Woodard, LB First Team
           Ricky White III, WR     First Team
           Jalen Catalon, S         First Team
2023    Jackson Woodard, LB  First Team      Â
2021Â Â Â Â Eliel Ehimare, DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Second Team
2020Â Â Â Â Charles Williams, RBÂ Â Â Â Second Team
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2024 FIRST TEAM
Pos. Name                          School                Yr.    GPA    Major
QB   Tommy Mellott           Montana State   Sr.    4.00     Financial Engineering
WR  Elic Ayomanor          Stanford             So.   3.96     Computer Science
WR Â Ricky White IIIÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â UNLV Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Sr. Â Â Â 3.58 Â Â Â Â Human Services
RB   Tahj Brooks               Texas Tech        Sr.    3.56     Sports Management
RB   Raheim Sanders       South Carolina  Sr.    3.88     Non-Degree Seeking
TE    Anthony Torres          Toledo                 Sr.    3.83     Business Administration
OL    Seth McLaughlin      Ohio State          Gr.   4.00     Human Development
OL    Riley Adcock              Mercer                Gr.   3.94     Civil Engineering
OL    Jake Majors               Texas                  Sr.    3.64     Management
OL    Donovan Jackson     Ohio State          Sr.    3.68     Sport Industry
OL    Easton Kilty                Kansas State     Sr.    4.00     Communication Studies
DB   Travis Hunter             Colorado            Jr.    3.79     Anthropology
DB   Beau Freyler              Iowa State          Sr.    3.90     Kinesiology
DB   Tanner Wall               BYU                     Jr.    3.89     Finance
DB   Jalen Catalon           UNLV                  Sr.    3.52     Sociology
DL    Brody Grebe              Montana State   Sr.    3.93     Mechanical Engineering
DL    Ejike Adele                 Dartmouth          Sr.    3.74     Biology
DL    Kyle Kennard            South Carolina  Sr.    3.64     Services Management
DL    Patrick Passalacqua Columbia            Sr.    3.83     Industrial Engineering
LB    Jack Kiser                  Notre Dame       Gr.   3.82     Business Analytics
LB    Andon Thomas          Army                    Jr.    3.98     Chemical Engineering
LB    Jackson Woodard   UNLV                  Sr.    3.81     Kinesiology
K      Bert Auburn               Texas                  Sr.    3.57     Finance
P      Riley Riethman         Navy                    Sr.    3.93     Aerospace Engineering
ST    Julian Ashby              Vanderbilt          Gr.   3.96     Mechanical Engineering
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All three earlier earned All-America honors on the field after the 11-3 Rebels finished ranked nationally for the first time ever at No. 23 and the talented trio made sure the program dominated academically as well.
Woodard, who boasts a 3.80 cumulative grade point average, is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas, and already has a bachelor's degree from the school in kinesiology. A two-time team captain, he was named an All-American by four different outlets and voted the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year after ranking fourth in the nation with 135 total tackles, which is the third-most in UNLV single-season history. His four interceptions ranked 19th in the country while the Art of Sport LA Bowl Defensive MVP totaled 16 passes defended, 17.5 tackles-for-loss, 3.5 quarterback sacks and two forced fumbles in his final season. The most-decorated UNLV football player in history for his work in the classroom and in the community, he was one of 16 finalists for the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy (known as the academic Heisman) and recipient of an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2024 National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete Class. Woodard was also a semifinalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award and the Burlsworth Trophy as well as being his program's nominee for the Wuerffel Award and AFCA Good Works Team. He is one of nine members of this year's CSC 25-player squad to be a repeat first team honoree.
White, who posted a 3.58 GPA with a degree in human services, is from Marietta, Georgia, and just completed the greatest two-year run by a Rebel receiver in history. A repeat All-American, he was voted Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year after leading the nation with four blocked punts. Offensively, he became the first Rebel in history to post more than one 1,000-yard receiving season, finishing with 1,041 on 79 catches and ranking seventh in the nation with 11 touchdowns through the air. After just three seasons at UNLV, the former Michigan State transfer finished second in school history in career receptions (218) and 100-yard games (13) and third in both receiving yards (3,143) and receiving TDs (23). Both White and Woodard are preparing to play in Thursday's East-West Shrine Bowl in Arlington, Texas.
Catalon, who earned a 3.52 GPA with a major of sociology, made the most of his one season in Las Vegas after transferring in from the University of Texas. The Mansfield, Texas, native ranked fourth in the nation with five interceptions en route to becoming a Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalist and All-American.
After never previously having an Academic All-American, UNLV football has earned six in the last five years under David Wedley, Associate Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Academic Services. Following the 2020 season, all-time leading rusher Charles Williams became the first UNLV football player in history voted Academic All-America by the CSC, making the second team. Just one season later, lineman Eliel Ehimare became the first defensive player from the Rebels to make the list, also on the second team. Woodard became the first First Team honoree from the program just last year.
With Woodard now a repeat honoree, White and Catalon become the 14th and 15th UNLV student-athletes from any sport to earn a spot on the national first team. There have now been 36 UNLV student-athletes overall who earned CSC Academic All-America dating back to the Rebels' first winner, baseball pitcher Dan Fischer in 1978.
Ever since 1952, CSC selects Academic All-America teams throughout the year. Players who are starters or important reserves on their teams and hold at least a 3.50 career grade point average 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 CSC Academic All-America Team ballot, which was announced today for the sport of football on the Division I level.
ALL-TIME UNLV FOOTBALL CSC (CoSIDA) ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA®
2024Â Â Â Â Jackson Woodard, LB First Team
           Ricky White III, WR     First Team
           Jalen Catalon, S         First Team
2023    Jackson Woodard, LB  First Team      Â
2021Â Â Â Â Eliel Ehimare, DLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Second Team
2020Â Â Â Â Charles Williams, RBÂ Â Â Â Second Team
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2024 FIRST TEAM
Pos. Name                          School                Yr.    GPA    Major
QB   Tommy Mellott           Montana State   Sr.    4.00     Financial Engineering
WR  Elic Ayomanor          Stanford             So.   3.96     Computer Science
WR Â Ricky White IIIÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â UNLV Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Sr. Â Â Â 3.58 Â Â Â Â Human Services
RB   Tahj Brooks               Texas Tech        Sr.    3.56     Sports Management
RB   Raheim Sanders       South Carolina  Sr.    3.88     Non-Degree Seeking
TE    Anthony Torres          Toledo                 Sr.    3.83     Business Administration
OL    Seth McLaughlin      Ohio State          Gr.   4.00     Human Development
OL    Riley Adcock              Mercer                Gr.   3.94     Civil Engineering
OL    Jake Majors               Texas                  Sr.    3.64     Management
OL    Donovan Jackson     Ohio State          Sr.    3.68     Sport Industry
OL    Easton Kilty                Kansas State     Sr.    4.00     Communication Studies
DB   Travis Hunter             Colorado            Jr.    3.79     Anthropology
DB   Beau Freyler              Iowa State          Sr.    3.90     Kinesiology
DB   Tanner Wall               BYU                     Jr.    3.89     Finance
DB   Jalen Catalon           UNLV                  Sr.    3.52     Sociology
DL    Brody Grebe              Montana State   Sr.    3.93     Mechanical Engineering
DL    Ejike Adele                 Dartmouth          Sr.    3.74     Biology
DL    Kyle Kennard            South Carolina  Sr.    3.64     Services Management
DL    Patrick Passalacqua Columbia            Sr.    3.83     Industrial Engineering
LB    Jack Kiser                  Notre Dame       Gr.   3.82     Business Analytics
LB    Andon Thomas          Army                    Jr.    3.98     Chemical Engineering
LB    Jackson Woodard   UNLV                  Sr.    3.81     Kinesiology
K      Bert Auburn               Texas                  Sr.    3.57     Finance
P      Riley Riethman         Navy                    Sr.    3.93     Aerospace Engineering
ST    Julian Ashby              Vanderbilt          Gr.   3.96     Mechanical Engineering
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Players Mentioned
Monday, October 26
Saturday, October 24
Friday, October 23
Tuesday, October 20
