CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS WWW.UNLVREBELS.COM 47 THE MOUNTAIN WEST THIS IS THE MOUNTAIN WEST M W Q F From its inception in 1999, the Mountain West has been OUNTAIN EST UICK ACTS committed to excellence in intercollegiate athletics, while Founded: July 1, 1999 promoting the academic missions of its member institutions. Progressive in its approach, the MW continues to cultivate Members: Air Force, Boise State, opportunities for student-athletes to compete at the highest level, Colorado State, New Mexico, while fostering academic achievement and sportsmanship. Now San Diego State, TCU, UNLV, Wyoming in its 13th year, the MW has been assertive in its involvement with the NCAA governance structure and has taken a leadership Team NCAA Championships: 3 role in the overall administration of intercollegiate athletics. Individual NCAA Championships: 27 The Mountain West is noted for its geographic diversity. Some of the most beautiful terrain and landscapes in the nation NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Winners: 35 can be found within Mountain West boundaries, including the Academic All-America Selections: 118 majestic Rocky Mountain range, which borders three MW All-America Selections: 708 institutions (Air Force, newest member Boise State and Colorado State). The high plains of Wyoming (elevation 7,220 feet – the highest Division I campus in the nation) contrast with the desert YEAR IN REVIEW city of Las Vegas (the fastest growing metropolitan area in the From the gridiron to the diamond, Mountain West West) and the Pacifi c Ocean locale of San Diego State. The teams enjoyed an outstanding year in 2010-11. For the third southwestern fl avor of New Mexico complements the western consecutive year, the MW sent a record fi ve football teams to heritage and culture of Fort Worth, Texas, home of TCU. bowl games and fi nished with a 4-1 (.800) mark in postseason play and claimed the 2010-11 Bowl Challenge Cup, becoming ACHIEVEMENTS the only conference to win the trophy four times since the The MW has produced 708 All-America selections among award’s inception in 2002-03. Two MW teams were ranked in its 19 sports in the last 12 years, including a league-record 80 the fi nal BCS Standings and USA Today/ESPN Coaches polls All-America honorees in 2010-11. A total of 118 MW student- for the third straight year. TCU’s No. 3 BCS ranking marked athletes have also earned Academic All-America accolades. The the highest fi nish by a non-automatic-qualifying team in the MW has sent at least 30 teams to NCAA postseason events each fi nal BCS Standings, Three men’s basketball teams (San Diego of the past 12 years. Mountain West teams have captured three State, BYU, UNLV) represented the Mountain West in the NCAA team championship. Additionally, the MW has produced 2011 NCAA Tournament, marking the 11th time in the last 12 27 NCAA individual national champions in the sports of men’s years the Conference has sent multiple teams to the Big Dance. golf, men’s cross country, and men’s and women’s indoor track SDSU and BYU advanced to the Sweet Sixteen, the fi rst time & fi eld and outdoor track & fi eld. the league had multiple teams make the round. In women’s Mountain West members have participated in 46 bowl basketball, BYU won the MW regular-season title, while Utah games under the league umbrella, including four appearances captured the MW Tournament crown and earned the league’s in BCS games. The MW has earned 55 postseason bids in men’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. In women’s soccer, basketball, including 29 NCAA Tournament appearances and BYU and New Mexico earned bids to the NCAA Tournament. two NIT Final Four berths. MW women’s basketball has tallied The Cougars earned the league’s automatic bid after clinching 55 postseason slots, including 30 NCAA bids, fi ve Sweet 16 their sixth MW Tournament title, while the MW regular-season appearances and one Elite Eight berth since 2000. In women’s champion Lobos made their fi rst NCAA appearance by virtue volleyball, the MW has had 33 NCAA bids with eight Sweet of an at-large invitation. 16 berths and one Elite Eight appearance. Women’s soccer has earned 25 NCAA bids since 1999, with BYU advancing to the UNLV MW CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 2010-11 Sweet 16 in 2000 and the Elite Eight in 2003. • Men’s Swimming & Diving Regular Season/Tournament • Women’s Tennis Regular Season COMMISSIONER CRAIG THOMPSON Craig Thompson was the Mountain West’s fi rst employee when he was named Commissioner on Oct. 15, 1998. Ever since, Thompson has navigated the newest NCAA Division I conference through the ever-changing landscape of intercollegiate athletics. As the league enters its 13th season of competition in 2011-12, Thompson continues to create and improve the opportunities for Mountain West institutions and student-athletes to be successful both academically and athletically. He has been instrumental in negotiating nearly $230 million in television revenue and has been an innovator in the postseason bowl structure as MW teams have participated in fi ve inaugural bowl games. Thompson also has positioned the Mountain West for the future with the additions of Boise State University on July 1, 2011, and California State University, Fresno and the University of Nevada, Reno on July 1, 2012. His leadership and vision have helped the conference enhance its television revenue and exposure through revolutionary agreements with CBS Sports Network and Comcast to become the fi rst major collegiate athletic conference to launch a dedicated sports channel featuring exclusive programming around its athletic programs. Prior to his current role, Thompson served as the commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference for nearly eight years and as the only commissioner of the American South Conference before a merger of the two leagues in 1991. Thompson graduated from the University of Minnesota with an undergraduate degree in journalism. He and his wife, Carla, have a son (Ted) and a daughter (Emma). 48 2011 UNLV WOMEN’S SOCCER MEDIA GUIDE 2010 MW YEAR IN REVIEW 2010 MOUNTAIN WEST FINAL STANDINGS Conference Overall Team W L T Pct. Pts GF GA W L T Pct. GF GA New Mexico*# 5 0 2 .857 17 13 3 12 3 5 .725 32 11 BYU*% 5 1 1 .786 16 11 5 16 4 2 .773 40 12 San Diego State 5 2 0 .714 15 9 4 8 10 3 .452 23 22 Utah 3 3 1 .500 10 9 9 5 15 1 .262 17 39 UNLV 2 4 1 .357 7 8 15 11 8 1 .575 38 28 Wyoming 1 3 3 .357 6 7 11 7 10 3 .447 23 32 Air Force 1 5 1 .214 4 3 9 8 9 2 .474 21 18 TCU 1 5 1 .214 4 6 10 7 10 2 .421 37 30 * NCAA Participant # Regular Season Champion / % Tournament Champion ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST 2010 MW TOURNAMENT 2010 FINAL STATS First Team SDSU SportsDeck • San Diego, Calif. Points Jennifer Williams F New Mexico November 3-6, 2010 1. Ashleigh Shoughro (UNLV) ..............................31 2. Jennifer Williams (New Mexico) ........................23 Kelli Cornell GK New Mexico 3. Carlee Payne (BYU) ...........................................19 Lindsi Lisonbee D BYU First Round • November 3 4. Lauren Hair (Utah) ..............................................17 Lauren Hair F Utah No. 5 UNLV 4, No. 4 Utah 1 Kassidy Shumway (BYU) ...................................17 Carlee Payne F/MF BYU No. 3 San Diego State 4, No. 6 Wyoming 0 Megan McQueeny D San Diego State Goals 1. Ashleigh Shoughro (UNLV) ..............................14 Ashleigh Shoughro F UNLV Semifi nals • November 4 2. Jennifer Williams (New Mexico) ..........................8 Amanda Collins MF New Mexico No. 1 New Mexico 2, No. 1 UNLV 1 (2ot) 3. Rachel Fields (New Mexico) ................................7 Michaela DeJesus F/MF San Diego State No. 2 BYU 2, No. 3 San Diego State 0 Jennie Marshall (BYU) .........................................7 Jordan Calhoun F TCU 5. seven tied at ...........................................................6 Kassidy Shumway F/MF BYU Championship • November 6 Assists No. 2 BYU 1, No. 1 New Mexico 0 1. Liz Oreilly (Wyoming) .........................................8 Second Team 2. Jennifer Williams (New Mexico) ..........................7 McKinzie Olson GK BYU Carlee Payne (BYU) .............................................7 4. Michaela DeJesus (San Diego State) ....................6 Lauren Porter D Utah Lauren Anderson (BYU) .......................................6 Amanda Forrester MF UNLV Rachel Fields MF New Mexico Game-Winning Goals Liz O’Reilly MF Wyoming 1. Ashley Shoughro (UNLV) ...................................5 Bridgett Murphy F Air Force 2. Kassidy Shumway (BYU) .....................................4 Carlee Payne (BYU) .............................................4 Soledad Gomez MF San Diego State 4. Kate Wyrick (New Mexico) ..................................3 Aubree Southwick GK San Diego State All-Tournament Team Jessica Ringwood (BYU) ......................................3 Haley Palmer D San Diego State Lindsi Lisonbee, D BYU Rachel Manning MF BYU Goals Against Average McKinzie Olson GK BYU Jenny Johnson D Wyoming 1. McKinzie Olson (BYU) .................................. 0.49 Carlee Payne MF/F BYU 2. Kelli Cornell (New Mexico) ........................... 0.52 Jessica Ringwood MF/F BYU 3. Kelly Stambaugh (Air Force) .......................... 0.98 Offensive Player of the Year Amanda Collins MF New Mexico Jennifer Williams, New Mexico Kelli Cornell GK New Mexico Saves 1. Hannah Turpen (Utah) ........................................94 Defensive Player of the Year Zaneta Wyne MF New Mexico 2. Kelly Stambaugh (Air Force) ..............................89 Kelli Cornell, New Mexico Michaela DeJesus MF/F San Diego St. 3. Courtney Merkle (Wyoming) ..............................86