Nov. 26, 1997
UNLV Earns Five All-Wac Selections
First-Teamers Williams and Sawyer Lead Rebels
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The UNLV football program received five 1997 All-Western Athletic Conference selections, including the school's first-ever first-team picks, the league announced Tuesday.
Two Rebel juniors - wide receiver Damon Williams and defensive end Talance Sawyer - were tabbed First-Team All-WAC while senior linebacker Scott Patton, junior tight end Sam Mineo and junior offensive lineman Mike Reily were named to the second team.
Last year -- the school's first season in the WAC -- the Rebels earned only three second-team selections.
"When you have more success as a team, that translates into more success in personal awards," Head Coach Jeff Horton said. "Even more significant is that four of the five (selections) are juniors and those players will now come back and help us as leaders next season."
Williams (6-3, 225, Culver City, CA), who this year tied the UNLV record for the most career receptions with 156, led the Rebels with 61 catches and had 770 yards and five touchdowns. His 5.5 receptions-per-game average was third in the WAC and currently stands 26th in the nation.
Sawyer (6-2, 260, Bastrop, LA) led the WAC in tackles-for-loss with 18 for a loss of 96 yards. His seven quarterback sacks were the most on the Rebels and eighth in the league while his 85 total tackles ranked third on the squad.
Patton (6-1, 225, Mission Viejo, CA) earned his second-consecutive second-team nod. The former junior college All-American broke the UNLV record for most tackles in one season with 147 this fall. He also scored two defensive touchdowns, including a school-record 67-yard fumble return for a touchdown at Wyoming.
Mineo (6-3, 245, Redlands, CA) was a standout blocker while catching 15 balls for 116 yards. He also was fourth on the team with four touchdowns.
Reily (6-3, 290, Burbank, CA) rounded out the UNLV contingent. The Rebels' top blocker while lining up at right guard, he allowed just 1.5 sacks this fall and has started 32 of 34 career games on the offensive line.
