By Jim Gemma
UNLV SID
The hometown hero. The local athlete that decides to stay at home and
attend his local college. Nothing is better for the student-athlete,
who starred in its own backyard as a prepster, to go on and try to do
the same at their hometown college.
Through the years, UNLV athletics has had its fair share of local high
school talent that has decided to stay home and make a name for
themselves playing for the scarlet & gray. Two former prep standouts
that immediately come to mind are former Runnin' Rebel great Freddie
Banks (1984-87), who enjoyed an outstanding high school career at Valley, and former Rebel football wide receiver Henry Vereen (1975-78), who also enjoyed an outstanding prep career at Clark.
Overall, the city of Las Vegas has been known world wide for its local
talent. Look no further than local standouts such as Greg Maddux of the Atlanta Braves and tennis star Andre Agassi.
Las Vegas has become a hot bed for talented athletes in many sports
due to the population growth in Clark County and the growth of the
number of high schools over the past two decades.
Las Vegas, as well as the entire state of Nevada, has produced top
quality athletes throughout the years.
The 1998-99 UNLV athletic season was well represented by local talents
in many of its 16 sports and the 1999-2000 season looks very promising
as well.
UNLV Director of Soccer and Men's Head Coach Barry Barto has had many
local players over his 17 seasons. Barto has the distinction of
having three children who will be playing at UNLV during the 1999-2000
season, UNLV's inaugural year in the Mountain West Conference.
Daughters Katie, who will be a junior in cross country/track & field, Jamie, who will be a freshman and a member of the 1999 soccer team, and son, Geoff, a four-year player on the soccer team.
"I've been very proud of all of them," Barto said. "Everything that they were looking for in the areas of scholastics, athletics and socially, it was offered here at UNLV. The quality of education at UNLV is as good as anywhere. That speaks well for UNLV.
"They all had opportunities to go other places, however, everything they needed was offered here. It has worked out quite well. It might have been easier for them (to make a decision) in a sense because they had a father who was in the business. I could give them the direction of what is offered here and what is offered at other places. I feel to some degree that was an advantage."
The advantage for the coaches of UNLV's 16 sports is to recruit locally if indeed the talent is there for them to reach their goals for their respective programs. The coaches will tell you why go other places to recruit if the talent pool is right there in your own backyard.
Baseball is another sport that has traditionally recruited heavily in the state of Nevada both in the north and south. With the sport of baseball becoming a reality at the Community College of Southern Nevada in 2000, theoretically it should improve the talent pool for local players for both teams.
The 1999 baseball roster included 11 local players led by junior All-American outfielder Ryan Ludwick from Durango High School. Ludwick was the 60th player drafted in Major League Baseball's June draft. He was selected in the second round by the Oakland A's. Right-hander Andy McCulloch will return for his senior season. He enjoyed an outstanding high school career at Western High School and was named to the 1998 GTE Academic All-American District VIII first-team. First baseman Tony DeMarco, from Cimarron-Memorial, is UNLV's all-time leading hitter with a two-year average of .381. Second baseman Matt Stoner, from Chaparral, enjoyed a solid junior season.
The Runnin' Rebels have three local products for coach Bill Bayno's squad. Redshirt sophomore Vince Booker, from Cheyenne, redshirt junior Ra'oof Sadat from Durango and incoming freshman Marcus Banks from Cimarron-Memorial.
The Lady Rebels basketball team under the direction of coach Regina Miller has one local player. Freshman redshirt Kieva Smith from Chaparral. Smith is no stranger to the UNLV athletics family. Her father, Tony, was a star with the Runnin' Rebels from 1976-79 and is the 17th all-time leading scorer with 1,204 points. Her older brother, Damian, also a Chaparral graduate, played four seasons with the Runnin' Rebels from 1992-97.
Head coach of cross country/track & field Karen Dennis, who will coach the women's national team at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, had eight local athletes.
With the hiring of coaching legend John Robinson and the renovation of Sam Boyd Stadium, UNLV has made a solid case to keep its local talent at home.
UNLV had 12 local products last season, led by punter Joe Kristosik from Bishop Gorman. He led the nation in punting average and became the school's first-ever unanimous first-team All-American in football. Junior Randy Black, from Clark, provides the secondary with leadership, experience and is a solid defensive back.
"Las Vegas is attractive to people from all over the United States," Robinson said. "In our recruiting, we need to one, start in Las Vegas, two, go to Southern California, and three, any other spots across the country."
UNLV landed five local players in its 1999 football recruiting class which includes defensive lineman Kawika Sagapolu from Cimarron-Memorial. Sagapolu is ranked as the Mountain West Conference's third top overall recruit.
The nationally prominent golf program under head coach Dwaine Knight, who captured the 1998 national championship, has one promising local player in freshman Tyler Mays. He enjoyed a stellar career at Bishop Gorman and was the 1997 MVP for the Southern Nevada Junior Golf Association.
The men's and women's soccer programs had 13 players from local high schools. Head coach Staci Hendershott had a strong local flavor in the programs inaugural 1999 campaign with eight players. Sophomore Shannon Wilson from Bishop Gorman was the team's starting goalkeeper. Senior midfielder Joeleen Palmeri (Western), Sophomore midfielder Amy Scala (Valley) and senior midfielder Jennifer Wintermute (Clark) appeared in all 19 games. Other players included Jessica Chavez (Chaparral), Lora Crammer (Bishop Gorman) and Kristin Puhl (Chaparral).
Barto had five locals on his men's squad led by his son, Geoff, at the midfielder slot and goalkeeper Ryan Bledsoe from Eldorado.
Two local players saw action for softball under coach Shan McDonald. Clark graduate Stephanee Italiano played in the infield and Green Valley's Nicole Truax was one of the aces of the pitching staff.
Jim Reitz, longtime head coach of the men's and women's swimming and diving teams, will begin his 20th season at UNLV during the 1999-2000 campaign. Five local swimmers were represented on the women's squad. Four-year swimmer Andrea Sacks led the way from Bonanza.
Head volleyball coach Deitre Collins has done an outstanding job in her three seasons at UNLV. Local standout Angie Sylvas, from Cimarron-Memorial, was one of the main reasons that UNLV compiled an overall record of 23-8. She was named second-team All-WAC for her accomplishments at outside hitter. Four total local players participated on the squad. Basic graduate Christel Eves played in her third season for UNLV at outside hitter/middle blocker.
All in all, UNLV secured many talented athletes from the Silver State
and the millennium will hopefully continue to deliver top
student-athletes that will have the opportunity to excel in front of
familly and friends.
