Aug. 28, 2000

Colorado Springs, Colo. - UNLV's Katarzyna Malec was named the Mountain West Conference Female Student-Athlete of the Year, and New Mexico's Matthieu Amgwerd received the Mountain West Conference Male Student-Athlete of the Year award, it was announced today.

Established by the Mountain West Conference Joint Council in 1999, the Student-Athlete of the Year award is the highest honor presented to a student-athlete by the conference. The award is bestowed annually to the man and woman who best exemplify the term "student-athlete" by achieving excellence in academics, community involvement and athletics.

Malec, a native of Warsaw, Poland, achieved national prominence after becoming just the second UNLV tennis student-athlete to earn International Tennis Association (ITA) All-America honors. Also named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year, Malec led the Rebels to the school's first conference title and advanced to the NCAA Final Four in singles play last May. She posted a 17-3 record vs. ranked opponents and won a school-record 19 straight matches (Feb. 26 to May 25) last season before falling to the nation's No. 1-ranked player in the NCAA Championships. She also garnered All-MWC honors in doubles play, and was named UNLV's Most Valuable Player after shattering the school records for single season victories (39), and single season and career NCAA victories (5).

Malec's list of honors extends beyond the tennis court. She maintained a 3.68 grade point average while majoring in hotel administration and finance, earning Dean's List status three times. Malec also found time to volunteer at the Nevada Tennis Association and the Las Vegas Community Association.

Amgwerd, a native of Dura, Switzerland, earned first team All-Mountain West Conference honors in singles and doubles competition en route to NCAA Tournament berths in both categories last season. Amgwerd won the Rolex Region VII singles and doubles titles in 1999, and was the first men's tennis player in school history to earn a NCAA singles top 10 ranking. He was also nationally ranked in the top 25 in Switzerland. Amgwerd was a NAIA All-America selection while at William Carey College in 1997, and a two-time award recipient at the World University Games for fifth-place doubles finishes in Spain (1999) and Italy (1997).

A Golden Key National Honor Society member, Amgwerd posted a 3.51 grade point average with a major in economics and a minor in business management. He earned academic all-conference accolades the past three years, and served as the treasurer of the New Mexico Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) for two years. He also devoted time to several community youth service activities, including the Lobo Olympics Organization, the "Reading with the Lobos" program and the Lobos' Partnership with San Felipe Pueblo.

Criteria for the Student-Athlete of the Year award requires that nominees demonstrate leadership, character and conduct on and off the playing field. In addition to superior athletic achievement, candidates must have a minimum 3.5 grade point average.