Mountain West suspends more players after massive brawl between UNLV and Nevada
Four UNLV football players have been suspended in the wake of a massive brawl at the end of their game against Nevada last month, the Mountain West announced on Monday.
Defensive back Evan Austrie, tight ends Noah Bean and Giovanni Fauolo Sr. and offensive lineman Justin Polu were each hit with suspensions ranging from half a game to two games for their role in the fight. Wide receiver Steve Jenkins was also issued an official reprimand.
However Polu and Austrie are both seniors. As UNLV finished the season with a 4-8 record and didn’t qualify for a bowl game, the suspension will not impact them.
“For their roles in the UNLV-Nevada football postgame altercation on November 30, Fauolo will serve a two-game suspension, Austrie and Bean will serve a one-game suspension and Polu is suspended for one-half game,” the Mountain West said in a statement.
“Fauolo is suspended for the first two games of the 2020 season, while Bean will miss UNLV’s 2020 season opener. Since Austrie and Polu have exhausted their college eligibility, the Mountain West will defer to UNLV for appropriate disciplinary action.”
The conference issued similar suspensions to four Nevada players last week: defensive lineman Hausia Sekona; defensive backs Austin Arnold and Daniel Brown; and linebacker Gabriel Sewell. The Wolfpack are set to play in the Idaho Potato Bowl next month, and will be without Sekona, Arnold and Brown due to the suspensions. Sewell will miss just the first half of that game.
The Rebels beat Nevada 33-30 in overtime after Jenkins caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Kenyon Oblad. As they started celebrating, however, Oblad was shoved — sparking the wild brawl that included several fans at the stadium, too.
Best video I’ve seen of the fight. Appears Nevada’s Austin Arnold threw the first punch (a punch from behind on UNLV’s quarterback). Kenyon Obland might have said something to spark it, but that punch led to the brawl.
pic.twitter.com/U88JMYIabH— Chris Murray (@MurrayNSN) December 1, 2019
“The events that occurred following today’s football game have no place in college athletics and we are deeply disappointed by this incident which detracts from what was a hard-fought and emotional football game between our state’s only two NCAA programs,” athletic directors from both Nevada and UNLV said in part in a joint statement after the game.
“Rivalry games are at the heart of what should be great about intercollegiate athletics. We will continue to prioritize sportsmanship at all of our events, especially those between our two great institutions.”
More from Yahoo Sports
