March 7, 2001
LAS VEGAS -
The UNLV Athletics Department has announced the 2001 UNLV Rebel Academic Top 30. This year's group, which includes the 31 UNLV student-athletes (31 and not 30 because of a tie) with the highest grade point averages for the spring 2000 and/or fall 2000 semesters, was honored during halftime of Saturday's men's basketball game against Wyoming.
All students were enrolled in and completed a minimum of 12 credits and achieved a semester GPA of 3.90 or higher for one or both semesters. An impressive 18 student-athletes achieved a remarkable 4.0 GPA.
The Rebel Academic Top 30 was started in 1996 to recognize the very best student-athletes and this year's 3.90 minimum GPA is the highest in the history of the program. Other years, qualifying GPAs were: 2000 - 3.77, 1999 - 3.72, 1998 - 3.67, 1997 - 3.74, 1996 - 3.60.
Men's soccer and softball led the way this year each with five of the 31 honorees. Baseball, men's swimming and women's soccer each had four, track & field/cross country and men's tennis each had three, while women's basketball and golf had one member each.
The Rebel Academic Top 30 will also be honored at the Student-Athlete Honors Luncheon at the Tam Alumni Center on April 5.
There are many other highlights from the fall 2000 semester for the athletics department in academics. Eight of UNLV's athletic teams recorded cumulative GPA's in excess of 3.0, which is the highest number of teams since records were kept beginning in 1994. The previous high was five teams, which has happened four times.
The respective team GPA's of 3.0 or higher were: softball (3.3), women's tennis (3.2), men's swimming (3.2), women's soccer (3.1), men's tennis (3.1), baseball (3.0), women's swimming (3.0) and women's basketball (3.0). Softball's 3.3 GPA is its highest-ever semester total and marks the first time that softball has been No. 1 in the department.
Also, a total of 80 student-athletes (23 percent of the athletic department) earned Dean's List honors. That is highest total of student-athletes to make the Dean's List in athletic department history. In addition, almost one-half (46.8 percent) of all UNLV student-athletes achieved in excess of 3.0.
Lastly, 25 student-athletes were nominated and selected for Mountain West Conference All-Academic teams, including 10 from women's soccer, nine from football and three each from volleyball and cross country.
2001 UNLV Rebel Academic Top 30 Team
Name Sport
Charelle Ainslie Softball
Clayton Belding Baseball
Danielle Ferreira Softball
Jonathan Fiene Swimming (men's)
Shannon Frederickson Soccer (women's)
Andrew Hooker Soccer (men's)
Kellie Krueger Soccer (women's)
Scott Lander Golf
Kevin Lunkwitz Soccer (men's)
Charlotte McGee Track & Field
Megan Merchant Swimming (women's)
Christopher Milka Soccer (men's)
Heidi Plummer Basketball (women's)
Marni Polakow Soccer (women's)
Kristin Puhl Soccer (women's)
Benjamin Scheinbaum Baseball
Garett Shitanishi Baseball
Tuomas Talvio Soccer (men's)
Doug Wake Swimming (men's)
Nicole Truax Softball
Will Pulgarin Swimming (men's)
Robert Parlade Tennis (men's)
CJ Schalyo Soccer (men's)
Adam Thurgood Tennis (men's)
Jessica Zarndt Track & Field/Cross Country
Donna Escobar Softball
Paula Lechner Track & Field
Carrie Bayless Softball
Daniel Erez Tennis (men's)
Jacint Simon Swimming (men's)
Joseph Wickman Baseball
