Larry “Tui” Tuileta, who was once the state’s best high school football and volleyball player, is now officially a University of Hawaii student-athlete.

After a year attending Kapiolani Community College, Tuileta met the requirements to complete his transfer from USC to UH.

Tuileta joined the UH volleyball team in opening training camp Wednesday at Camp Erdman. The Rainbow Warriors will practice at Waialua High’s newly renovated gym.

“It feels pretty good, especially when the first thing I have officially with the team is this camp,” Tuileta said. “It’ll be nice to get to know everyone a little better than I already do, and just to touch up on skills volleyball-wise. I’m pretty excited.”

Tuileta, who was a two-sport standout at Punahou School, said he will focus solely on volleyball this coming semester. But he left open the possibility of joining the UH football team this summer. Tuileta was the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Offensive Player of the Year as a quarterback in 2013.

“I actually ran into Rolo,” Tuileta said of football coach Nick Rolovich, “and he gave me the option if I wanted to or not. I think we’ll cross the path when we get there. … Why wouldn’t I double check myself, especially with the program developing pretty well under Rolo? We’ll see. Definitely an interest, for sure.”

Three UH quarterbacks recently departed. Ikaika Woolsey graduated. Beau Reilly and Aaron Zwahlen transferred.

Because Tuileta was a walk-on at USC and is not receiving financial aid from the UH volleyball team, he can join the football team without being awarded a scholarship. If he had received any aid for volleyball, he would have to be placed on full scholarship if he played football.

In 2014, Tuileta was set to sign a letter of intent with the UH football team, an agreement that also would allow him to play for the volleyball team. But Tuileta said “at the last minute, things didn’t go right,” and he decided to join USC as a walk-on in football and volleyball.

He redshirted during the 2014 football season, then played volleyball for the Trojans during the 2015 spring semester. After that, he opted not to play football in 2015.

“I came to the decision it’s hard to be the best I can be in two sports,” Tuileta said. “I was kind of curious where my career would go if I decided to put 100 percent effort into one sport.”

But in 2015, USC released its football and volleyball head coaches. At the end of 2015 fall semester, Tuileta requested — and received — a release to transfer to UH. Tuileta and volleyball coach Charlie Wade remained on good terms, even after Tuileta spurned UH in 2014.

“Always finish second with a smile,” Wade said. “These kids are making tough decisions, and they’re making them for what they feel is good information at the time. You don’t have to take it personal” if they choose another school.

Tuileta said: “It’s a business when you make a decision like that. You’re not going to make everybody happy, but you want to. At the same time, you have to do what’s best for yourself at the time. As life goes on, people transfer. I’m not the only person who’s done this. Thankfully, I have an opportunity to be back with these guys and have an opportunity to play in front of the (Hawaii) crowd.”

Wade said Tuileta, who will compete at outside hitter or libero, has value beyond the Taraflex.

“He’s certainly, like, a mythical volleyball player in this country,” Wade said. “He won all those age-group national championships in a row, and was MVP. He’s a good volleyball player, and a better dude. He’s respectful. He’s humble. He’s hard-working. He’s going to make us better by walking in the door.”