Transfer Eric Wright was ranked the No. 11 player overall in the MWC.
	Football Home HEADLINES Trio Earns MWC's Highest Honor Former Rebel Greats Back At Camp Single-Game Tickets On Sale Now RELATED LINKS • Follow all of the college football action at CollegeSports.com • Email this story to a friend

Trio of defenders listed among top 16 players in Mountain West.

July 12, 2006

LAS VEGAS - Three UNLV defenders were ranked among the top 16 overall players in the Mountain West Conference by College Football News (CFN) as the Rebels continue to pull in more preseason football honors.

Former USC transfer Eric Wright (San Francisco), who will make his UNLV debut this season at cornerback, was ranked the No. 11 player in the league regardless of position. Just behind at No. 13 was senior nose guard Howie Fuimaono (Bonita Vista, CA), while junior linebacker Beau Bell (Tustin, CA) came in at No. 16.

Wright, who will be a junior after sitting out last season per NCAA transfer guidelines, also earned a preseason first team All-MWC nod from CFN as did Fuimaono and Bell. Another newcomer, junior-college transfer wide receiver Aaron Straiten (San Francisco), was tabbed second team All-MWC.

In Phil Steele's 2006 College Football Preview, junior place-kicker Sergio Aguayo (San Jacinto, CA) was named first team all-league and ranked the No. 13 booter in the nation. Bell, Wright and another cornerback, senior John Guice (Atlanta, GA) were named to the second team. Bell was listed as the No. 30 linebacker in the country while Guice was ranked No. 29 corner and Wright came in at No. 48 at cornerback.

Two more newcomers were ranked nationally by Phil Steele's before ever suiting up for the Rebels: junior defensive back Tony Cade (Lewisville, TX), who originally played at Oklahoma, was listed as the No. 19 free safety in college football while former USC transfer Rocky Hinds (Los Angeles) was ranked the No. 39 quarterback. Also, Hinds was listed as the MWC's top newcomer according to CBS Sportsline preview magazine after having previously been announced as the top offensive newcomer by Sporting News.

The official All-MWC team will be announced at next week's annual media gathering in San Diego. The Rebels open their season by hosting Idaho State on Sept. 2 starting at 7 p.m. PDT. Season tickets are on sale now by calling (702) 739-FANS or logging on to unlvrebels.com.

Following is a complete list of UNLV's preseason honors compiled from all major preview publications.

Sergio Aguayo, Jr., PK
First Team All-MWC, Blue Ribbon
First Team All-MWC, Phil Steele's
First Team All-MWC, Sporting News
Second Team All-MWC, Athlon
Second Team All-MWC, Lindy's
No. 9 PK in nation, Sporting News
No. 13 PK in nation, Phil Steele's

Beau Bell, Jr., LB
First Team All-MWC, Athlon
First Team All-MWC, Blue Ribbon
First Team All-MWC, CBS Sportsline
First Team All-MWC, College Football News
First Team All-MWC, Lindy's
First Team All-MWC, Sporting News
First Team All-MWC, Street & Smith's
Second Team All-MWC, Phil Steele's
No. 16 MWC player, College Football News
No. 16 OLB in nation, Sporting News
No. 30 OLB in nation, Phil Steele's

Tony Cade, Jr., DB
Third Team All-MWC, Phil Steele's
No. 19 FS in nation, Phil Steele's

Kip Facer, Sr., P
Third Team All-MWC, Athlon
Third Team All-MWC, Phil Steele's

Howie Fuimaono, Sr., DL
First Team All-MWC, College Football News
First Team All-MWC, Sporting News
First Team All-MWC, Street & Smith's
Second Team All-MWC, Athlon
Second Team All-MWC, Lindy's
Third Team All-MWC, Phil Steele's
No. 13 MWC player, College Football News
No. 20 DT in nation, Sporting News

Tim Goins, Jr., OL
Second Team All-MWC, Lindy's

Brandon Gray, Sr., OL
Third Team All-MWC, Phil Steele's

Marco Guerra, Sr., OL
Third Team All-MWC, Athlon
Fourth Team All-MWC, Phil Steele's

John Guice, Sr., DB
Second Team All-MWC, Phil Steele's
Third Team All-MWC, Athlon
No. 29 cornerback in nation, Phil Steele's

Rocky Hinds, Soph., QB
MWC Top Newcomer, CBS Sportsline
MWC Offensive Newcomer of the Year, Sporting News
Fourth Team All-MWC, Phil Steele's
No. 39 quarterback in nation, Phil Steele's

Erick Jackson, Sr., KR
Third Team All-MWC, Phil Steele's

Aaron Mueller, Sr., C
Third Team All-MWC, Phil Steele's

Aaron Straiten, Jr., WR
Second Team All-MWC, College Football News
Third Team All-MWC, Phil Steele's

Eric Wright, Jr., DB
Preseason MWC Newcomer of the Year, Blue Ribbon
First Team All-MWC, College Football News
Second Team All-MWC, Athlon
Second Team All-MWC, Lindy's
Second Team All-MWC, Phil Steele's
No. 11 MWC player, College Football News