Polynesian Football Player of the Year Award

Last updated

Polynesian Football Player of the Year Award
Awarded forGiven to the outstanding Polynesian football player at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of football that epitomize great ability and integrity.
Location Honolulu, Hawaii
CountryUnited States
Presented by Polynesian Football Hall of Fame
History
First award2014
Most recent
Website https://www.polynesianfootballhof.org

The Polynesian Football Player of the Year Award is given annually by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame to the most outstanding player of Polynesian descent at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of American football. The award was first established in 2014 [1] and initially only recognized the best Polynesian college football player. The award was expanded in 2015 to recognize Polynesian professional football players [2] and was expanded yet again in 2017 to recognize Polynesian high school football players. [3]

Contents

Recipients

High school winners

Display at the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame for 2023 high school award winners Dylan Raiola and Isaac Wilson Dylan Raiola Isaac Wilson Polynesian Football Hall of Fame display.jpg
Display at the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame for 2023 high school award winners Dylan Raiola and Isaac Wilson
YearPlayerPositionSchoolRef
2017 Talanoa Hufanga Safety Crescent Valley (Oregon) [4]
2018 Puka Nacua Wide receiver Orem (Utah) [5]
Taulia Tagovailoa Quarterback Thompson (Alabama)
2019 DJ Uiagalelei St. John Bosco (California) [6]
2020 JT Tuimoloau Defensive end Eastside Catholic (Washington) [7]
2021 Tetairoa McMillan Wide receiver Servite (California) [8]
2022 Nico Iamaleava Quarterback Warren (California) [9]
2023 Dylan Raiola Buford (Georgia) [10]
Isaac Wilson Corner Canyon (Utah)
2024 Iose Epenesa Defensive end Edwardsville (Illinois) [11]
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele Quarterback James Campbell (Hawaii)

Collegiate winners

Polynesian Football Hall of Fame display for 2023 collegiate recipients Taulia Tagovailoa and Laiatu Latu Taulia Tagovailoa Laiatu Latu Polynesian Football Hall of Fame 2023 Polynesian College Football Players of the Year.jpg
Polynesian Football Hall of Fame display for 2023 collegiate recipients Taulia Tagovailoa and Laiatu Latu
YearPlayerPositionSchoolRef
2014 Marcus Mariota Quarterback Oregon [12]
2015 Ronnie Stanley Offensive tackle Notre Dame [13]
2016 Sefo Liufau Quarterback Colorado [14]
2017 Hercules Mata'afa Defensive tackle Washington State [15]
2018 Tua Tagovailoa Quarterback Alabama [16]
2019 Penei Sewell Offensive tackleOregon [17]
Tua TagovailoaQuarterbackAlabama
2020 Talanoa Hufanga Safety USC [18]
Zach Wilson Quarterback BYU
2021 Haskell Garrett Defensive tackle Ohio State [19]
2022 Tuli Tuipulotu Defensive endUSC [20]
2023 Laiatu Latu (DPOY) UCLA [21]
Taulia Tagovailoa (OPOY)Quarterback Maryland
2024 Tetairoa McMillan Wide receiver Arizona [22]

Professional winners

YearPlayerPositionTeamRef
2015 Mike Iupati Offensive guard Arizona Cardinals [23]
2016 Marcus Mariota Quarterback Tennessee Titans [24]
2017 JuJu Smith-Schuster Wide receiver Pittsburgh Steelers [25]
2018 [26]
2019 Ronnie Stanley Offensive tackle Baltimore Ravens [27]
2020 DeForest Buckner Defensive tackle Indianapolis Colts [28]
2021No award given
2022 Tua Tagovailoa (OPOY)Quarterback Miami Dolphins [29]
Talanoa Hufanga (DPOY)Safety San Francisco 49ers
2023Tua TagovailoaQuarterbackMiami Dolphins [30]
2024 Penei Sewell Offensive tackle Detroit Lions [31]

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References

  1. ↑ "Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Announces the Establishment of the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award". Polynesian Football HOF. July 23, 2014. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Polynesian Pro Football Player of the Year Watch List Announced". Polynesian Football HOF. September 15, 2015. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Polynesian Hall of Fame Announces New Polynesian High School Player of the Year Award and Watch List". Polynesian Football HOF. August 1, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Talonoa Hufanga named Polynesian High School Football Player of the Year". High School Football America. January 21, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Nacua, Tagovailoa named Polynesian HS FB Co-Players of the Year". 247sports. January 18, 2019. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  6. ↑ "DJ UIAGALELEI NAMED POLYNESIAN HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER OF THE YEAR". Polynesian Football HOF. January 17, 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  7. ↑ "J.T. TUIMOLOAU NAMED THE 2020–21 POLYNESIAN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR". Polynesian Football HOF. May 26, 2021. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  8. ↑ "TETAIROA MCMILLAN NAMED 2021 POLYNESIAN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR". Polynesian Football HOF. December 6, 2021. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  9. ↑ "QB Nico Iamaleava Named 2022 Polynesian Football High School Player of the Year". 247sports. January 21, 2023. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Dylan Raiola, Isaac Wilson named 2023 Polynesian High School Football Players of the Year". 247Sports. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  11. ↑ Kamp, Matt (January 19, 2025). "Edwardsville's Iose Epenesa earns Player of the Year football honor". The Edwardsville Intelligencer. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  12. ↑ "University of Oregon Quarterback Marcus Mariota Named Polynesian College Football Player of the Year". Polynesian Football HOF. December 9, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  13. ↑ "NOTRE DAME OFFENSIVE LINEMAN RONNIE STANLEY NAMED POLYNESIAN COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR". Polynesian Football HOF. December 8, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  14. ↑ "University of Colorado Quarterback Sefo Liufau Named Polynesian College Football Player of the Year". Polynesian Football HOF. December 7, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Washington State Defensive Lineman Hercules Mata'afa Named Polynesian College Football Player of the Year". Polynesian Football HOF. December 12, 2017. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  16. ↑ "University of Alabama Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa Named Polynesian College Player of the Year". Polynesian Football HOF. December 13, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  17. ↑ "TUA TAGOVAILOA AND PENEI SEWELL NAMED POLYNESIAN COLLEGE FOOTBALL CO-PLAYERS OF THE YEAR". Polynesian Football HOF. December 17, 2019. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  18. ↑ "USC SAFETY TALANOA HUFANGA AND BYU QUARTERBACK ZACH KAPONO WILSON NAMED 2020 POLYNESIAN COLLEGE FOOTBALL CO-PLAYERS OF THE YEAR". Polynesian Football HOF. January 12, 2021. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  19. ↑ "ANNOUNCING THE 2021 POLYNESIAN COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR". Polynesian Football HOF. December 22, 2021. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  20. ↑ "ANNOUNCING THE 2022 POLYNESIAN COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR". Polynesian Football HOF. December 13, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Maryland's Taulia Tagovailoa, UCLA's Laiatu Latu named 2023 Polynesian College Football Players of the Year". 247Sports. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Tetairoa McMillan Earns Polynesian College Football Player of the Year". University of Arizona Athletics. December 19, 2024. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  23. ↑ "ARIZONA CARDINALS OFFENSIVE LINEMAN MIKE IUPATI NAMED POLYNESIAN PRO FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR". Polynesian Football HOF. January 5, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Tennessee Titans Quarterback Marcus Mariota Named Polynesian Pro Football Player of the Year". Polynesian Football HOF. January 5, 2017. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Pittsburgh Steelers Wide Receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster Named Polynesian Pro Football Player of the Year". Polynesian Football HOF. January 4, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  26. ↑ "JuJu Smith-Schuster Named Polynesian Pro Football Player of the Year; Ka'imi Fairbairn to Receive Kūpono Award for Excellence". Polynesian Football HOF. January 3, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Former Notre Dame standout Ronnie Stanley named Polynesian Player of the Year". South Bend Tribune. January 7, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  28. ↑ "INDIANAPOLIS COLTS DEFENSIVE LINEMAN DEFOREST BUCKNER NAMED POLYNESIAN PRO FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR". Polynesian Football HOF. January 21, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  29. ↑ "SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS SAFETY TALANOA HUFANGA AND MIAMI DOLPHINS QUARTERBACK TUA TAGOVAILOA NAMED POLYNESIAN PRO FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY HAWAIIAN AIRLINES". Polynesian Football HOF. January 12, 2023. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  30. ↑ "MIAMI DOLPHINS QUARTERBACK TUA TAGOVAILOA NAMED POLYNESIAN PRO FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY HAWAIIAN AIRLINES". Polynesian Football HOF. January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  31. ↑ Samuels, Kyron (January 9, 2025). "Detroit Lions' Penei Sewell Named Polynesian Pro Football Player Of The Year". Oregon Ducks On SI. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
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