Rebels’ Lotulelei, Kohorst named first team to all-Mountain West

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012 | 1:17 p.m.

The UNLV football team had a pair of first-team All-Mountain West selections for the first time since 2006, it was announced Tuesday.

Senior linebacker John Lotulelei and junior kicker Nolan Kohorst received first team honors, while running back Tim Cornett and center Robert Waterman were honorable-mention selections.

Lotulelei, who was also picked as UNLV’s Defensive Player of the Year, ranked third in the league and 39th nationally with 9.2 tackles per game. His 120 total tackles, including 19 in the Fremont Cannon game against UNR, ranked 10th in UNLV single-season history.

Kohorst, a Green Valley High product, is the first UNLV kicker to earn first team all-conference honors since Nick Garritano was picked in 1994 by the Big West Conference in helping the Rebels win the Las Vegas Bowl.

Kohorst drilled 12 of 14 field goal attempts this fall and made 32 of 33 extra points to lead the Rebels in scoring with 68 points. He ranked 15th nationally in field goal percentage (85.7-percent).

Cornett, who became just the third UNLV back to rush for at least eight 100 yard games in a season, finished with 1,232 yards and seven rushing touchdowns. Waterman was part of the Rimington Award watch list for the nation’s best center and graded out highest among UNLV linemen for the season at 92 percent.

Fresno State had a league-best seven players on the first-team, followed by Boise State’s seven and UNR with five players.

The league’s Offensive Player of the Year award went to Fresno State junior quarterback Derek Carr. The Bulldogs’ also had the Defensive Player of the Year winner in defensive back Phillip Thomas and the Freshman of the Year in wide receiver Davante Adams. Hawaii kickoff returner Mike Edwards was the Special Teams Player of the Year.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21.