Men's Sports
Baseball
Hooked Horns -- In one of the most shocking weekends in UNLV baseball history, the Rebels took two-of-three from national power Texas in March 2006. In the opener, the No. 8 Longhorns jumped out to a 10-0 lead, but the Rebels chipped away, going ahead 13-10 on a Keith Smith pinch-hit grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning. They held on for a 13-12 victory. In the second game the Rebels trailed 8-7 in the bottom of the ninth before Smith singled in the tying run and Braden Walker hit a bases-loaded single for a 9-8 victory.
That's a No No -- Herb Pryor pitched the school's first no-hitter and only perfect game on March 16, 1971, against Colorado. Pryor's 2.54 career earned run average is still the best ever. On May 5, 1990, Brian Boehringer threw the second no-hitter against University of the Pacific, and on March 28, 2003, freshman right-hander Matt Luca threw a no-hitter in a 5-0 victory over San Diego State.
Basketball
Crazy Comeback -- Playing at San Diego State on Feb. 12, 2005, UNLV trailed 81-71 with less than 30 seconds to play. In a remarkable comeback, the Runnin' Rebels erased the deficit and forced overtime when freshman Curtis Terry hit an off-balance 3-pointer as the horn sounded. UNLV went on to win 93-91. It is the most improbable comeback in program history. The team connected on five 3-pointers in the final minute of regulation and outscored SDSU 20-9.
From Downtown -- UNLV holds the NCAA record for most consecutive games scoring a 3-pointer. The Runnin' Rebels have converted at least one 3-pointer in 772 consecutive games and counting. The team last failed to make a 3-pointer on Jan. 25, 1986.
Football
Undefeated -- On Oct. 23, 1974, UNLV climbed to No. 2 in the Associated Press and United Press International Division II (then known as small college) rankings. Led by quarterback Glenn Carano, the Rebels completed their one and only undefeated regular season. UNLV fell to Delaware in the Grantland Rice Bowl, just one win away from playing for the national championship.
Shuffling to a Record -- On Nov. 28, 1987, running back Elbert "Ickey" Woods needed 184 yards against Northern Illinois to win college football's rushing title. Playing on national television at Sam Boyd Stadium, the senior rushed for 186 yards to become the first UNLV and Big West Conference player to lead Division I in rushing yards, finishing with 1,658.
Miracle in Waco -- On Sept. 11, 1999, UNLV became the first team to win a college football game on the last play while trailing and without the ball. Host Baylor was leading 24-21 with eight seconds left when it ran a rushing play to attempt to score instead of downing the ball to end the game. Linebacker Tyler Brickell forced a fumble that defensive back Kevin Thomas picked up in the end zone and, with no time on the clock, raced the length of the field to score the winning touchdown.
Golf
Hole In Won -- On May 30, 1998, under Hall of Fame coach Dwaine Knight, UNLV won the NCAA men's golf title. Junior Chris Berry finished in a tie for second, overcoming the memories of a nightmare of a tournament two years prior, when he finished dead last. As a reward for winning the title, team members joined President Bill Clinton for a round of golf at the Army Navy Country Club. Knight says standing in the Oval Office was a highlight of his career.
Simply the Best -- Ryan Moore won the 2004 NCAA Championship by six strokes. The junior was the first player since 1983 to win the title while playing as an individual without his team. As a senior, Moore finished fifth, but was rewarded by winning every major player of the year honor - the Ben Hogan Award, the Nicklaus Award, and the Haskins Award.
Making History -- South African Warren Schutte made NCAA history in 1991 by becoming the first foreign-born player to win the NCAA Golf Championships. The sophomore was also UNLV's first men's individual champion in any sport.
Soccer
All-American Season -- UNLV, who would finish the 1985 season 18-2-2 and ranked eighth in the nation, saw the Ryerson brothers (Robbie and Rich) each score once in a 2-1 victory over Fresno State to send the Rebels to the NCAA West Regional finals for the second time in school history. Robbie Ryerson became the only Rebel to earn 1st-team all-America honors following the season.
Playing with Heart -- A year after having a heart transplant, Simon Keith transferred to UNLV in 1987. His older brother, Adam, played midfield on the soccer team. Simon became a Rebel after UNLV was released from liability and went on to be named All-Big West in both his years here. After his senior season, he was selected as the conference's student-athlete of the year.
Swimming & Diving
Piping Hot -- Bart Pippenger finished second in the nation in the 200-yard butterfly at both the 1989 and 1990 NCAA Championships, the highest finish ever by a UNLV swimmer. His time of 1:43.54 at the 1990 championships is the longest-standing mark on the UNLV swimming record books.
Quite a Streak -- UNLV won its first MWC swimming and diving title in 2005, ending BYU's five-year reign. It was the first-ever conference championship for the men. The Rebels have continued their dominance, winning six straight conference titles from 2005-10.
Tennis
Amazing Aussie -- Rebel Luke Smith stunned the college tennis world in 1997 when, unseeded and ranked 65th nationally, the Australian blew through the competition in Los Angeles to win the NCAA singles championship and then the doubles national title with partner Tim Blenkiron on the same day.
High Praise -- In 2005, USA Today invited tennis legend Billie Jean King to present a list of the nation's top 10 public tennis facilities. In the Aug. 26, 2005, edition of the newspaper's travel section, King included UNLV's own Frank & Vicki Fertitta Tennis Complex on that list. Wrote King: "An excellent place to play or watch tennis is right here at UNLV ... A well-run facility, with 12 courts and a great stadium setup."
Women's Sports
Basketball
Call it a Comeback -- UNLV owns two of the top-five comebacks in NCAA history. On Nov. 30, 2007, the Lady Rebels trailed No. 16 George Washington by 25 points with 19 minutes left before rallying for a 62-61 victory. Sequoia Holmes alone outscored the entire GW team in the second half (22-21). On March 4, 2009, UNLV trailed Air Force by 22 points with 10 minutes to play. The Lady Rebels went on a 30-7 run, fueled by Shannon Oberg's six three-pointers. Dominique Harris scored the game-winning layup with one second remaining for a 64-63 victory.
Beating the Best -- On back-to-back days in 1976, the Lady Rebels knocked off two of the top three teams in the nation. In front of a home crowd, UNLV topped No. 3 Immaculate 92-85 on Dec. 3, and followed that with an 82-76 win over top-ranked Delta State.
Cross Country
Running Away -- Katie Barto earned the highest finish ever for a Rebel runner at the 2000 NCAA Cross Country Championships, placing 74th.
Golf
Back-to-Back-to-Back -- UNLV never trailed in winning its third straight Mountain West Conference Tournament in 2006. During the streak, three different Rebels won medalist honors, beginning with Sunny Oh in 2004, followed by Elena Kurokawa in 2005, and Da Sol Chung in 2006. The program's success is especially remarkable considering it was launched in 2001, just three years prior to its first title.
Teeing It Up -- Da Sol Chung, who finished third at the 2006 NCAA Championships for the highest finish by a female MWC golfer at the national meet, qualifies for the 61st U.S. Women's Open. She becomes the first Rebel to play in an LPGA Tour event, finishing 134th.
Soccer
No Goal for You -- Freshman goalkeeper Alicia Lugo came off the bench 20 minutes into the 2006 first round MWC Tournament game after the starting keeper was injured. Lugo did not allow a goal over the next 290 minutes of the tournament. UNLV defeated Wyoming 1-0 on a last-minute goal and both No. 19 BYU and No. 10 Utah on penalty kick shootouts. UNLV is the only team in NCAA history to win a three-game conference tournament while scoring just one goal.
Golden Goal -- Senior Katie Carney, who would be named MWC Offensive Player of the Year a week later, scored a golden goal to give UNLV a 1-0 win over 25th-ranked BYU on UNLV's Senior Day, Nov. 2, 2007. It was UNLV's first-ever win over the Cougars, and gave the Rebels the regular season championship for the second time in school history.
Softball
Lefty's Legacy -- Future Olympic gold medalist Lori Harrigan hurled six no-hitters, including the school's only perfect game (over Missouri in 1992). From 1989-92, Harrigan compiled an 83-53 record and a 0.77 earned run average. Her UNLV records include career strikeouts (725), innings pitched (1,034.7), shutouts (53), and complete games (123). The southpaw led her teams to three NCAA Tournament appearances and two trips to the College World Series.
Comeback Kid -- In 2009, junior Marissa Nichols returned to the diamond after being sidelined for two and a half years because of medical issues, including chronic headaches, a broken arm, and a torn ACL. As a freshman in 2005, Nichols rewrote the UNLV softball record book and was named to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-America First Team. She batted .426 with 46 RBIs and set single-season school records with 18 home runs, 89 hits, 66 runs scored, and 35 stolen bases. She earned first team all-conference honors last year in her comeback.
Swimming & Diving
Relay Success -- With its 14th place finish at the NCAA Championships, the 1986 women's 4x100 medley relay squad (Wendy Hoffman-Meyers, Joanne Beck, Sally Fleisher, and Tessie Grimmett) still stands as UNLV's only all-American relay team. UNLV scored 34 total points to finish in 24th place, the women's best finish ever.
Making a Mark -- Sally Fleischer, the 1986 and 1987 Big West Swimmer of the Year, was a seven-time all-American. The 20-time conference champion took third place in the 50 freestyle at the 1986 NCAA Championships.
Tennis
Serving an Ace -- In 2000, MWC Player of the Year Katarina Malec's season included an upset of defending NCAA champion Zuzana Lesenorova of the University of San Diego. She then teamed with Marianne Bakken to stun Lesenorova and Katarina Valkyova, the nation's top-ranked doubles team. Malec's winning streak reached a school-record 19 matches as she reeled off four singles wins to crash the Final Four of women's tennis. She would fall in the NCAA semifinals to the event's top seed.
Dual Threat -- Former Lady Rebel great Marianne Vallin stands as her alma mater's only three-time All-American in tennis. She also brought UNLV its most prestigious academic award in 1997 when she traveled to Dallas to accept the Gladys Heldman Award, which is awarded to the senior who best balances athletics and education.
Track & Field
Her Memory Lives On -- Sheila Tarr-Smith was UNLV's first-ever national champion, capturing the 1984 NCAA heptathlon crown. She won back-to-back Pacific Coast Athletic Association Athlete of the Year awards. After graduating, the Las Vegas native went on to be a firefighter in town. She died in 1998, at 34, from a rare neurological disorder. In the spring of 1999, UNLV named the field at its new track and field facility after her.
Still Stands -- Trena Hull won the 1,000 meters at the 1987 NCAA Indoor Championships in a NCAA-record time of 2:41.08, a mark that still stands today.
Four Times -- Lisa Thompson was the first four-time all-American in UNLV athletics history. The sprinter was runner-up in the 100 meters at the 1979 NCAA Championships.
Volleyball
All-American Season -- Following a memorable 2007 season, which included the program's first NCAA tournament appearance, Lauren Miramontes became the program's first All-American. She was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association's Division I Honorable Mention All-America team. Miramontes led the team in kills, kills-per-game, hitting, total blocks, solo blocks, and assisted blocks.
Setting Records -- The 1998 Rebels were one of the most successful teams in the program's history, as they set 16 single-season records. The team still owns or is tied for six single-season records, including most home wins and longest winning streak.
