At the end of Tuesday’s practice, the members of the Hawaii football team gathered in a circle — a family circle — and honored one of their own.
With the surprise announcement and ensuing unabashed cheers, nose tackle Azia Se‘ei was the recipient of a football scholarship.
“I had no clue, actually,” Se‘ei said several minutes after the presentation. “It hasn’t hit me yet.”
Coach Nick Rolovich said the award was an easy selection.
“I had the opportunity to help a young man who’s sacrificed probably more than anybody knows to be here,” Rolovich said. “And he contributed to our season last year. He’s in the rotation this year.”
During Tuesday’s practice, the ninth of spring training, Se‘ei was at nose tackle with the No. 1 defense. In a position that routinely absorbs double shots, Se‘ei already has earned his scholarship check. “I was getting beat up today,” Se‘ei said, smiling. “I have to hit the training room after this.”
The scholarship comes at a key time for Se‘ei. He said his tuition and living expenses have been covered by the GI Bill, financial aid and his part-time job working the concession stands at UH sporting events. But the GI Bill payments, which he received through his father’s time in the Navy, were set to end this summer. Se‘ei, who is on track to earn a bachelor’s degree in May 2020, said he probably would have needed to take out student loans to cover the next academic year’s expenses.
“I’m blessed,” Se‘ei said of the scholarship. “It’s a huge savings. I had no idea it was coming.”
Se‘ei was born in Honolulu and grew up mostly in the Salt Lake area. But his grandmother, who lived in Utah, became ill during his sophomore year. He moved to Utah to help. Se‘ei attended West High in Salt Lake City, Utah. “I go up there, and people asked, ‘Where are you from?’” Se‘ei recalled. “I said, ‘Salt Lake.’ And they’re like, ‘Salt Lake?’ I had to tell them we had a Salt Lake in Hawaii, too.”
He then went to William Penn University, where he played fullback (his uncle is former UH running back Keith “Junior” Lopati) and defensive tackle. At 5 feet 11 and 275 pounds, Se‘ei used his strength and leverage to maneuver past grasping offensive linemen.
He joined UH as a walk-on in 2017, spending that redshirt year on the scout team. In 2018, Se‘ei played in nine games, including the final seven in a row. “I made the practice squad (in 2017), giving good looks (to the offense), and slowly worked into the rotation,” said Se‘ei, who can squat lift more than 575 pounds.
Rolovich said: “You don’t have to be the biggest guy. You have to be the best version of you that you can be. And he does that every day.”
