Nevada's Moch WAC defensive player of year

RENO, Nev. (AP) - Nevada defensive end Dontay Moch has been named the Western Athletic Conference defensive player of the year and Wolf Pack wide receiver Brandon Wimberly the freshman of the year.

In addition to Moch, Nevada running back Vai Taua and offensive lineman Alonzo Durham were first-team all-conference picks, WAC officials announced on Monday.

Wimberly was named to the second team with quarterback Colin Kaepernick, tight end Virgil Green, center Kenneth Ackerman, defensive end Kevin Basped, linebacker James-Michael Jackson and defensive back Jonathon Amaya.

The best news for Nevada is that most of those players are back for at least another season. Only Ackerman, Durham and Amaya are seniors. Michael-Johnson is a sophomore and the rest juniors.

Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore was named the WAC offensive player of the year and his coach, Chris Peterson, the coach of the year.

Nevada (8-4, 7-1 WAC) closes out the season against SMU of Conference USA in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl on Dec. 24 (5 p.m. PDT).

Moch, a junior from Chandler, Ariz., will enter the game leading the WAC and at eighth in the nation in tackles for loss with 19.5. He has a total of 57 tackles (35 solo), including 6.5 sacks.

"I am very proud of Dontay," Nevada coach Chris Ault said Monday. "He has been outstanding all year long and he is very deserving of this award."

"Wimberly has been one of our big playmakers this year and I am excited for his future," Ault said.

Wimberly, a redshirt-freshman from Los Angeles, leads Nevada and is 10th in the WAC in both receptions per game (3.8) and receiving yards per game (54.4). He has caught 46 passes for 653 yards and five touchdowns.