Thomas garners top defensive honor

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Dec. 6, 2001 | 10:32 a.m.

So much for win-loss records.

A year ago UNLV's football team went 8-5 and upset Arkansas in the Las Vegas Bowl. Despite the successful season, the Rebels managed just four players on the Mountain West Conference's first and second teams.

This year the Rebels sputtered to a 4-7 record ... and had five all-conference picks, not to mention the MWC's Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year.

Senior cornerback Kevin Thomas, who is third in the nation with a school and conference-record seven interceptions this season, was named the Mountain West's Defensive Player of the Year while explosive tailback/kick returner Dominique Dorsey garnered Freshman of the Year honors despite seeing very limited action the final half of the season.

All eight conference head coaches as well as select members of the media from conference cities selected the teams.

Thomas became the first three-time all-conference player in UNLV history. He leads the MWC with 17 passes defended and set seven school records this past season, including returning three interceptions for touchdowns. He leads the NCAA with 213 interception return yards.

The 5-foot-6, 153-pound Dorsey finished third on the Rebels in rushing with 379 yards and four touchdowns and averaged 6.6 yards per carry. He set the MWC freshman record for yards in a game when he gained 180 yards on 18 carries in UNLV's victory at Nevada-Reno. He led the nation in kickoff returns for much of the season with a 34.6 average but was two attempts shy of qualifying for final NCAA stats in that category.

Dorsey is only the third UNLV freshman to earn conference Freshman of the Year honors, joining former quarterback Jon Denton (1996) and linebacker James Sunia (1998).

Senior free safety Sam Brandon, who led UNLV in tackles each of the last two seasons, joined Thomas on the first team defense while junior running back Joe Haro, senior center Peter Tramontanas and senior defensive end Anton Palepoi earned second team honors.

BYU running back Luke Staley was named the conference's Offensive Player of the Year while first-year Cougar head coach Gary Crowton took home Coach of the Year honors.

Eight Rebels earned honorable mention recognition: senior offensive tackle Brandon Bair, junior defensive end Ahmad Briggs, sophomore linebacker Ryan Claridge, junior tight end DeJhown Mandley, junior punt returner Troy Mason, senior defensive lineman Ahmad Miller, senior linebacker Shanga Wilson and Dorsey as a kick returner.

UNLV will hold its annual awards banquet on Friday at the Four Seasons Hotel at 7 p.m.