SI, Sporting News, ESPN, the Associated Press, the Walter Camp Foundation and the Football Writers Association of America have all honored Hercules Mata’afa this offseason by putting him on their All-America teams. But Tuesday, the defensive lineman got what might be the most special award yet.
Mata’afa, a native of Lahaina, Hawaii, has been named the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year by the Polynesian Hall of Fame. According to WSU’s release, the award recognizes the “most outstanding Polynesian college football player that epitomizes great ability and integrity.”
Mata’afa is just the fourth player to ever win the award, following Marcus Mariota in 2014, Ronnie Stanley in 2015 and Sefo Liufau in 2016.