Jackson Woodard Named Hal K. Rothman Sportsmanship Award Winner

Former UNLV Rebel Jackson Woodard named Hal K. Rothman Sportsmanship Award winner.

UNLV Rebels linebacker Jackson Woodard (7) holds his defensive player of the game trophy as wide receiver Jacob De Jesus (21) was named offensive player of the game after defeating the California Golden Bears in the LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Former UNLV Rebels linebacker Jackson Woodard is currently the reigning Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He added another Mountain West award to his trophy case this week despite now being in training camp with the Houston Texans. Woodard has been named the Mountain West's Hal K. Rothman Sportsmanship Award winner. This is the first time that a Rebel has won the award, and the first time any football player from any of the Mountain West schools has won this award. New Mexico Lobos swimmer Katy Carter was also named a recipient of this award this season.

This is the first time the award has been won by multiple student-athletes. What makes this honor is that it's not awarded annually but only when the committee believes it has been earned. Prior to 2023 - 2024, it had not been given out since 2013 - 2014. According to the UNLV Rebels official website, "It is presented to a student-athlete in a MW-sponsored sport who has distinguished himself or herself through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. The student-athlete also must demonstrate good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting and be in good academic standing."

UNLV Athletic Director Erick Harper On The Award Winners

"Jackson Woodard was known for his tremendous leadership both on and off the field for the Rebels. His character, drive and talent combined to allow him and his team to accomplish great things. As he now sets out to make his mark in the NFL, we continue to appreciate his contributions to our program and the first-class way he handled all aspects of his collegiate career. This honor is even more special considering that it's named after a beloved former UNLV faculty member. Congratulations to both Jackson and Katy."

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Woodard now takes his leadership skills to the NFL, where he will look to contribute to the Texans' locker room. He is expected to make his NFL debut this Saturday when Houston takes the field for their first preseason game of the year against the Minnesota Vikings at 4 PM EST on the NFL Network. The undrafted free agent will be competing for a spot on the team's 53-man roster and could also end up being a candidate for the team's practice squad. Even if he doesn't end up in Houston, we do expect him to land somewhere by the time we reach Week 1.

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