COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Hawai'i football team placed a record 11 members on the Mountain West's All-Conference teams including Special Teams Player of the Year placekicker Kansei Matsuzawa and Freshman of the Year quarterback Micah Alejado.
 
The 11 honorees tied the 2019 squad for most in Mountain West history.
 
UH placed three on the first team – Matsuzawa, receiver Jackson Harris, and defensive lineman Jackie Johnson III – and three on the second team – receiver Pofele Ashlock, defensive lineman De'Jon Benton, and kick returner Cam Barfield.
 
Five others were honorable mention – Alejado, defensive back Peter Manuma, linebacker Jamih Otis, defensive back Elijah Palmer, and offensive lineman Zhen Sotelo.
 
Alejado, a Las Vegas, Nev., native, is UH's first MW Freshman of the Year honoree. Former Rainbow Warriors Davone Bess, Timmy Chang, Charles Tharp, and Jamal Farmer were recipients of the Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year. Alejado has earned six MW Freshman of the Week honors this season and is a semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Year award.
 
Matsuzawa, a senior from Tokyo, Japan, is the second Rainbow Warrior to be named MW Special Teams Player of the Year along with Mike Edwards in 2012 and the third all-time conference honoree (Jason Elam, 1992 WAC). Matsuzawa is 25-of-26 in field goal attempts this season and has set numerous school, conference, and FBS records along the way.
 
Kansei Matsuzawa, PK – Special Teams Player of the Year, All-MW First Team

• Tied for the FBS lead with 25 field goals made and ranks No. 7 with 112 total points scored.
• Tied a 43-year old FBS record for consecutive field goals made to start a season (25).
• Tied a Mountain West record for consecutive field goals made (26).
• Has five games with 3+ field goals, which is one shy of the FBS record.
• 11-for-11 in field goal attempts of 40+ yards, which is tied for third in FBS.
• His 25 field goals this season is a UH single-season record.
• Has kicked at least one field goal in all 12 games this season.
• Named to seven different Midseason All-America teams.
• Four-time Special Teams Player of the Week.

 
Micah Alejado, QB – Freshman of the Year, All-MW Honorable Mention

• Leads the MW in passing yards per game (283.2) and completions per game (25.3) and is No. 2 in passing touchdowns (21) and total offense (290.4).
• Averaging 320.9 passing yards per game with 18 touchdowns over his last seven games.
• Set a new program single-season freshman record with 21 touchdowns and needs one more to tie the Mountain West mark.
• In conference games, leads all MW quarterbacks in passing yards per game (308.1), attempts (314), completions (208), touchdowns (19), and total offense (314.6) and ranks No. 2 in passing efficiency (147.1).
• Through nine games this season has thrown for 2,543 yards, completing 65.6 percent of his passes (236-of-360), 19 TDs and eight INTs.
• Two-time MW Offensive Player of the Week and six-time MW Freshman of the Week

 
Jackson Harris, WR – All-MW First Team

• Leads the team with 963 receiving yards and 12 receiving TDs, the latter of which leads the Mountain West and is two shy of the FBS lead.
• Tied for the FBS lead with five 60+-yard catches on the year, all of which went for scores.
• Emerged as one of the nation's best receivers over the last half of the season averaging 123.7 yards per game with 11 touchdowns over his last seven games.
• In conference games, leads all MW receivers in receiving yards per game (110.38) and receiving touchdowns (11) and ranks No. 3 in scoring (8.25) and No. 4 in receptions per game (5.13).
• Leads the Mountain West in yards per reception (19.65), which ranks No. 8 in FBS.

 
Jackie Johnson III, DL – All-MW First Team

• Leads the team with 7.5 sacks and ranks No. 2 in the Mountain West with 0.63 sacks per game.
• Tied for No. 4 in the MW with 40 total pressures and ranks No. 3 in hurries (28) according to Pro Football Focus.

• Fifth-highest graded pass-rushing grade among Mountain West edge players (82.1).
• Has recorded a pressure on 11.1 percent of his snaps played, the highest percentage among Mountain West edge defenders.
• Has 29 total tackles, including 8.5 for loss.

 
Pofele Ashlock, WR – All-MW Second Team

• Team-high 62 receptions for 704 yards and six TDs.
• In conference games, ranks No. 6 among MW receivers in receptions per game (4.5), No. 7 in receiving touchdowns (3) and No. 8 in receiving yards per game (58.6).
• Had eight catches for 113 yards and a career-high three TDs against Utah State.
• Season-high 125 receiving yards (7 catches) and two TDs against Sam Houston.
• Eighth on the UH career receptions list with 206 and is the 18^th player to surpass 2,000 career receiving yards (2,165).

 
Cam Barfield, KR – All-MW Second Team

• Averaging 29.7 yards per kickoff return, which ranks No. 2 in the Mountain West.
• His average would rank No. 3 in FBS with enough qualifying attempts.
• Returned a kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown against San Diego State.
• Has nine returns for 267 yards.
• In conference play, leads all MW returners with a 34.00 average on six returns.

 
De'Jon Benton, DL – All-MW Second Team

• Third-highest graded interior lineman in the Mountain West by PFF with a grade of 75.8 (min. 50% of snaps played).
• Leads all Mountain West interior linemen with 40 pressures and 28 hurries according to PFF.
• Leads the team with 9.5 tackles for loss and ranks second with 5.5 sacks.
• Has 31 total tackles (19 solo), one forced fumble and one safety.

 
Peter Manuma, DB – All-MW Honorable Mention

• Started all 12 games at safety.
• Leads the team with 72 total tackles (37 solo), including 2.5 for loss.
• Has six pass breakups, one sack, and one quarterback hurry.
• Has five games with 7+ tackles, including season-high 11 versus Wyoming.

 
 Jamih Otis, LB – All-MW Honorable Mention

• Started 11 games at linebacker.
• Ranks second on the team with 59 total tackles (27 solo), including 3.5 for loss.
• Has one interception, one fumble recovery, two forced fumbles, and four quarterback hurries.

• Fifth in the conference with a coverage grade of 72.1, according to PFF.

• Named MW Defensive Player of the Week once.

 
Elijah Palmer, DB – All-MW Honorable Mention

• Made 10 starts at nickelback.
• Ranks fourth on the team with 49 total tackles (26 solo), including 5.5 for loss.
• Tied for the team lead with two interceptions.
• Team-high 10 pass breakups.

• Ranks sixth among Mountain West cornerbacks with a 77.1 coverage grade (min. 50% of snaps played), according to PFF.

 
Zhen Sotelo, OL – All-MW Honorable Mention

• Has not allowed a sack in 861 snaps, according to PFF.
• Ranks third among Mountain West offensive linemen with 861 snaps played.
• Has started all 12 games this year and 21 total over the last two seasons.
• His 39 career games played is fourth among offensive players on the team.