The Elevator: UNLV edition

By Brian Hilderbrand

Saturday, May 17, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Who’s going to the penthouse in local sports and beyond and who’s getting the shaft in a special UNLV edition of the Elevator:

GOING UP

UNLV women’s golf

After missing the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships last year, the Rebels qualified for the finals by finishing third at last week’s NCAA West Regional. It will be the Rebels’ third NCAA finals appearance in six seasons under head coach Missy Ringler. UNLV will tee it up Tuesday through Friday on the University of New Mexico Championship Course in Albuquerque — the site of the men’s golf team’s NCAA championship in 1998.

Therese Koelbaek

UNLV’s freshman sensation helped the Rebels to a berth in the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships by tying for medalist honors at the West Regional. Koelbaek’s 6-under-par total of 210 in the 54-hole tournament is a program record for low tournament to par and her 210 total is the lowest by a Rebels player at an NCAA Regional.

Dynamic Duo

Senior Elena Gantcheva and sophomore Kristina Nedeltcheva will represent the UNLV women’s tennis team at the NCAA Division I Doubles Championship next week in Tulsa, Okla. Ranked 35th in the nation, Gantcheva and Nedeltcheva, both natives of Sofia, Bulgaria, are 23-9 overall and have won 10 of their past 11 matches. Gantcheva also will compete in the NCAA Singles Championship, which will be held in conjunction with the Doubles Championship.

GOING DOWN

UNLV baseball

The Rebels are assured of their second consecutive losing season under fifth-year head coach Buddy Gouldsmith. Considering what happened a couple of months ago to women’s basketball coach Regina Miller after back-to-back losing seasons, Gouldsmith better have a headhunter on retainer.

Mike Sanford

UNLV’s football coach has moved up — to No. 7 — on coacheshotseat.com’s list of college football coaches most likely to be fired by the end of the season. Going into the 2007 campaign, Sanford was ranked No. 17 by the Web site.

Brian Hilderbrand can be reached at 259-4089 or at bh@lasvegassun.com.