HONOLULU – For the second straight year, University of Hawai'i junior Hekili Keliiliki has been named to the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List. The award is known as "College Football's Premier Award for Community Service."
 
Keliiliki, a running back/linebacker, is the fourth Rainbow Warrior to make a preseason award watch list this year, joining defensive back Cortez Davis, linebacker Darius Muasau and running back/wide receiver Calvin Turner Jr.
 
A double major in biology and Chinese, Keliiliki committed at an early age to serve his community and continues to do so, mainly to those in need. The Bentonville, Ark., native earned his Eagle Scout Honor by being an active leader in his community and church. He served a two-year church mission in Brisbane, Australia where he learned to speak Chinese.
 
While a member of the Rainbow Warrior football team, Keliiliki, who is native Hawaiian, serves on the school's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee; is a youth development intern for the Lili'uokalani Trust, whose mission is to care for and ensure the well-being of the most vulnerable Native Hawaiian children; and volunteers for reading days and campus beautification projects. 
 
Keliiliki is among a select group of 93 student-athletes on the watch list, which includes 2019 finalists Isaiah Sanders of Stanford and three 2020 semifinalists. Former UH long snapper Noah Borden was a semifinalist for the 2018 award.
 
The award is named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel from the University of Florida. The Wuerffel Trophy honors college football players who serve others, celebrate their positive impact on society, and inspire greater service in the world.
 
Semifinalists will be announced on November 2 and finalists will be announced on November 22. The formal announcement of the 2021 recipient will be made on December 9 and the presentation of the 2021 Wuerffel Trophy will occur in February 2022 in Fort Walton Beach, Fla..