Three Terps Selected to Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award Watch List
8/18/2022 12:32:00 PM | Football
COLLEGE PARK, MD – Three members of the Maryland football team were selected to the 2022 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award Watch List, the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame announced Thursday.
Defensive linemen Ami Finau and Mosiah Nasili-Kite and quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa all earned a spot on the watch list. The Award is presented annually to the most outstanding college football player of Polynesian ancestry that epitomizes great ability and integrity. The Watch List is composed of 85 players from 43 different FBS schools.
Tagovailoa was one of seven finalists for the award in 2021.
Finau, a 2021 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection hailing from Kahuku, Hawaii, totaled 40 tackles (27 solo), stood fourth on the team with five tackles for loss for 11 yards, tallied one sack and had a forced fumble last season. In two years as a Terp. Finau has started in 17 of 18 games and tallied 58 tackles and three sacks.
Nasili-Kite, a 2020 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection hailing from Pittsburg, CA, totaled 37 tackles (25 solo) and stood second on the team with seven tackles for loss for 35 yards and third on the team with four sacks for 28 yards while also breaking up two passes in 2021. The 2020 Big Ten leader in sacks per game was named to the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 earlier this summer.
Tagovailoa, a 2020 & 2021 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection hailing from Ewa Beach, HI, set seven single-season program records during a prolific 2021 season. The redshirt junior owns Maryland single-season records for passing yards (3,860), completions (328), completion percentage (69.2%), passing touchdowns (26) and 300-yard passing games (7) last season. Tagovailoa is also on the Maxwell Award and Davey O'Brien Award Watch List.
Finau, Nasili-Kite, Tagovailoa and the Terps open their 2022 campaign on September 3 at home against Buffalo. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
Defensive linemen Ami Finau and Mosiah Nasili-Kite and quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa all earned a spot on the watch list. The Award is presented annually to the most outstanding college football player of Polynesian ancestry that epitomizes great ability and integrity. The Watch List is composed of 85 players from 43 different FBS schools.
Tagovailoa was one of seven finalists for the award in 2021.
Finau, a 2021 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection hailing from Kahuku, Hawaii, totaled 40 tackles (27 solo), stood fourth on the team with five tackles for loss for 11 yards, tallied one sack and had a forced fumble last season. In two years as a Terp. Finau has started in 17 of 18 games and tallied 58 tackles and three sacks.
Nasili-Kite, a 2020 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection hailing from Pittsburg, CA, totaled 37 tackles (25 solo) and stood second on the team with seven tackles for loss for 35 yards and third on the team with four sacks for 28 yards while also breaking up two passes in 2021. The 2020 Big Ten leader in sacks per game was named to the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 earlier this summer.
Tagovailoa, a 2020 & 2021 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection hailing from Ewa Beach, HI, set seven single-season program records during a prolific 2021 season. The redshirt junior owns Maryland single-season records for passing yards (3,860), completions (328), completion percentage (69.2%), passing touchdowns (26) and 300-yard passing games (7) last season. Tagovailoa is also on the Maxwell Award and Davey O'Brien Award Watch List.
Finau, Nasili-Kite, Tagovailoa and the Terps open their 2022 campaign on September 3 at home against Buffalo. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
Players Mentioned
Friday, May 01
Thursday, April 30
Tuesday, March 24
Monday, March 09
