Famous Hustlin' Rebels include Marty Cordova, Cecil Fielder, Toby Hall, Ryan Ludwick, Todd Stottlemyre and Matt Williams.

The Thomas & Mack Center opened in 1983 and received a major interior and exterior renovation prior to the start of the 1999–2000 season.

NCAA executive director Walter Byers famously disliked Tarkanian, and said "Tark’s black players play a fast city-lot basketball without much style.

Grab ball and run like hell, not lots of passing to set up the shots.”[7] Byers described UNLV’s style as “ghetto run-and-shoot basketball” with little concern for defense.

In a list compiled by Forbes in 2010, UNLV earned mention among the nation's most valuable college basketball teams.

The Runnin' Rebels have made at least one three-point goal in each game since the rule was adopted universally for the 1986-87 season.

Famous Runnin' Rebels include Greg Anthony, Stacey Augmon, Marcus Banks, Larry Johnson, Shawn Marion and Reggie Theus.

The Mendenhall Center broke ground in October 2010, will be attached to the south side of the COX Pavilion, and will have a total of 38,000 square feet (3,500 m2) of space on three levels.

Famous Lady Rebels include Pauline Jordan, Linda Fröhlich, Constance Jinks, and Sequoia Holmes who have all played in the WNBA.

UNLV's football rivals include the University of Nevada, Reno, with whom UNLV plays in the annual "Battle for Nevada" in which the winner is awarded the Fremont Cannon; Hawaii (9th island pineapple trophy); and BYU, because of the large Mormon population in the Las Vegas metropolitan area.

Famous players include Randall Cunningham, Suge Knight, Kenny Mayne, Keenan McCardell, Adam Seward and Ickey Woods.

In July 2010, John Robinson became the first UNLV player or head coach enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.

The Rebels men's golf team is a perennial powerhouse in the NCAA, routinely making the top 25 every season.

The golf team has won one team national title (1998) and has produced two individual national champions (Warren Schutte in 1991 and Ryan Moore in 2004), as well as nine conference championships (Big West: 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996; Mountain West: 2000, 2002, 2016, 2017, 2018), 21 consecutive NCAA berths, four NCAA West Regional titles, six conference individual titles, 21 All-Americans (39 times), three NCAA Regional medalists, two National Coach of the Year awards, one Ben Hogan Award winner, one Jack Nicklaus Award winner, one Haskins Award winner, one Golfstat Award winner, one National Freshman of the Year, 10 Conference MVPs and two Conference Freshman of the Year winners.

The golf program has turned out numerous PGA Tour pros, including Ryan Moore, Chad Campbell,[9] Chris Riley, Adam Scott,[10] Charley Hoffman, Derek Ernst, Bill Lunde, Skip Kendall, and Andres Gonzales.

Dating back to 1975, the men's soccer team has had the support of Las Vegas businessman, Ken Johann and his wife Alice.

The Peter Johann Memorial Scholarship assists one student-athlete who demonstrates excellence in six areas: academic performance, techniques and tactics of soccer, team loyalty, cooperation, leadership and endurance.

The Rebel softball team plays at Eller Media Stadium at Jim Rogers Field which seats 770 and is on the UNLV campus.

The men's swimming and diving team train at the Buchanan Natatorium, which seats approximately 1,200 people.

Head Coach Jim Reitz retained his position for 36 years, since starting the program, before retiring in 2015.

Both groups appeared together with members of the Star Of Nevada Marching Band during a taping of Live with Regis and Kelly while the show was in Las Vegas.

UNLV signed two five-year contracts and one three-year deal with the shoemaker to handle its athletic apparel and shoe needs that is valued at $3 million over the course of the agreements.

Previous to the new contract, UNLV used a combination of Nike, Russell Athletic, and Adidas for its shoes and apparel.

Three elements make up the royalty from ISP to UNLV: annual guaranteed rights fees, signage stipends, and revenue sharing of totals in excess of defined thresholds.

In 2010, the UNLV Athletics Department and Justice Entertainment Group (JEG) agreed to form a relationship to book and market special events hosted in the Thomas & Mack Center, Cox Pavilion and Sam Boyd Stadium.

The total number of medals won by UNLV athletes is five, including three gold (all in women's softball) and two bronze (both in men's basketball).

The Rebels reached the ACHA Men’s Division I National Championship Final during the 2023–24 season, but lost to Adrian College.

[13] On December 28, 2024, the Rebels defeated the University of Denver, the defending NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament champions, in an exhibition game, 7–6, via shootout.