Rougeau to walk proudly
Being a student-athlete at UNLV is something senior Rene Rougeau took seriously from the beginning. He put emphasis on both sides of the hyphenated term.
Rougeau has been invaluable to the Rebels' basketball team, and he gets to celebrate his performance in the classroom by walking in commencement ceremonies at 4 p.m. today at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Rougeau, who redshirted in the 2004-05 season, earned his degree in his fifth year. A major in criminal justice with a minor in sociology, he said his grade-point average is about 3.0.
"Playing basketball is important, but of course school is the most important thing," he said. "It's definitely a big accomplishment. I'm sure I made a lot of people happy. It's a family goal also, because not too many Rougeaus have graduated.
"I've put in a lot of study time for sure. It's basically about doing the right things at the end of the day."
UNLV coach Lon Kruger said the team's other three seniors -- Wink Adams, Joe Darger and Mareceo Rutledge -- are on schedule to graduate in May.
"From Day One, Rene has done a terrific job off the court as well as on," Kruger said. "He's very self-motivated, and he knows the significance of that degree."
In the past two years, four of the Rebels' six seniors graduated. Joel Anthony, Gaston Essengue and Michael Umeh earned degrees in 2007, and Curtis Terry graduated in the spring. Kruger said Wendell White and Corey Bailey are close to earning degrees.
Rougeau, from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., said his mom, dad, stepmom, three sisters and an uncle will be in attendance at his graduation.
"Some people think we get everything handed to us, and that's not the case at all," said Rougeau, who will continue to take classes in the spring. "If they could see a day in our life, they would realize that all these guys do go to class.
"Coach likes us to be active in class and be participating. We're getting checked, and we have to earn those grades."
Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907.
