University of Hawai'i at Manoa Athletics

2023:

• A team captain.
• Named to the Wuerffel Award watch list for the second straight year, honoring college football’s most impactful leaders in community service.
• Started in all 12 games he appeared in at defensive end.
• Finished the season with 24 tackles including five for loss.
• Posted sacks against San Diego State and San Jose State.
• Recorded a career-high five tackles in UH’s home opener vs. Stanford.
• Earned academic All-Mountain West honors.

• Appeared in all 13 games with 10 starts at defensive end.
• Led the team with tackles-for-loss (7.5) and quarterback hurries (6). 
• Recorded sacks versus Wyoming and UNLV. 
• Finished the year with 26 tackles. 
• Had a career-high four tackles with two for loss and one sack in home win over UNLV.
• Earned academic all-Mountain West honors.
• A Mountain West Scholar-Athlete.

• Appeared in one game, seeing time in UH’s win over nationally-ranked Fresno State.
• Missed the majority of the season due to injury.

2020:

• Sidelined for much of the season and did not appear in any games.
• Earned academic all-MW honors.

2019 (Freshman):

• Played in nine games on the season, mainly on special teams.
• Notched three tackles.
• Had a tackles-for-loss in homecoming win over Central Arkansas. 
• Earned academic all-MW honors.
• Earned UH Scholar-Athlete Award.

2018 (Redshirt):

• Appeared briefly in two games.
• Redshirted.

Prep: 

• A 2018 graduate of Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama in Honolulu.
• Rated three stars by 247Sports.
• Rated the top weakside defensive end in the state by 247Sports.
• Named defensive line MVP at the 2017 All-Poly Camp.
• Earned all-state honors from USA Today, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, and ScoringLive.
• Finalist for the Cover2 Manti Teo Award as state defensive player of the year.
• Recorded two sacks and a forced fumble versus two-time state champion Saint Louis.
• Played in the 2018 Polynesian Bowl.
• Lettered twice in track and field and was a state qualifier in the discus. 

Personal: 

• Born in Kailua, O‘ahu.
• Graduated with a degree in interdisciplinary studies.
• Has one brother and two sisters.
• Related to former Rainbow Warrior Gerald Welch.
• Parents are David Welch and Joy Kahahawai-Welch of Kailua, O‘ahu.