UNLV cheerleader recognized nationally

By Jared Harmon

Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008 | 12:49 p.m.

Silverado graduate Lindsay Myhre was named Sports Illustrated's Cheerleader of the Week at the end of September. The UNLV sophomore was selected by the magazine during UNLV's upset victory at Arizona State on Sept. 13.

Myhre said a photographer from the magazine approached her during the game and said he would submitting her for consideration for the honor. A few days later, she received a call saying she was the first Rebel to be selected for the feature.

"I was ecstatic when I found out," Myhre said. "To be selected for something like that is just crazy. "

Outside of her teammates, friends and family, Myhre assumed no one would notice her picture and short interview posted on the Sports Illustrated Web site. She was surprised to find that was not the case.

"It was kind of overwhelming because I didn't think anyone would really know about it," she said. "But, I got recognized a lot more than I thought I would. I would walk through campus and people would stop and say, 'Congratulations.' Everyone was so nice."

UNLV cheerleading coach Nakia Jackson-Hale said Myhre is a big part of the squad.

"Lindsay has a great personality and has fit in really well with her teammates," Jackson-Hale said. "She's brought a lot of great exposure for the school and the team. We're real proud of her."

Myhre got her start in cheerleading as a freshman at Silverado where she was looking for a way to stay involved in school activities and meet new friends. A Henderson native and long-time UNLV fan, she knew early on that she wanted to be a cheerleader for the Rebels and said Silverado gave her all the tools to make it in college cheer.

Despite the long hours, she said achieving her dream has been well worth the effort.

"The time commitment is incredible at the college level," Myhre said. "We practice 15 hours per week plus games and events around town. It's like having a full-time job plus school. I would never give it up though. If I can make one fan smile during a game, it makes my whole day."

Jared Harmon can be reached at 990-8922 or [email protected].