University of Hawai'i at Manoa Athletics

2021:

• Played in all 13 games at defensive tackle with 10 starts.
• Finished the season with 34 tackles, five tackles-for-loss, and a sack
• Led the team with two fumbles recovered and recorded a pass deflection. 
• Had a team-high six tackles, including 1.5 tackles-for-loss in home opener vs. Portland State.
• Recorded a career-high seven tackles against San Diego State.
• Registered his lone sack of the year in a win over Colorado State while also adding a fumble recovery.

2020:

• Enjoyed a breakout junior campaign.
• Played all nine games with seven starts at defensive end.
• Led all UH defensive linemen with 35 tackles, including 18 solo.
• Recorded 4.0 tackles-for-loss, 2.0 sacks and two pass break-ups.
• Had multiple tackles in all but one game, including a season-high six tackles on four different occasions.
• Forced a fumble against Boise State and had a fumble recovery versus UNLV.

2019 (Sophomore):

• Appeared briefly in three games as a reserve lineman.
• Tallied two tackles, including his first career sack in road win at Nevada.
• 2019 Game-by-Game Statistics

2018:

• Redshirted.

Prior To UH: 

• Played one season at El Camino College in Torrance, Calif.
• Played all 11 games and earned second-team all-conference honors.
• Third on the team with 41 total tackles (26 solo).
• Also added 2.5 sacks and one forced fumble. 
• Helped ECC to a win over Palomar in the Beach Bowl.  

Prep: 

• A 2017 graduate of Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, Calif.
• Played three seasons of varsity football
• As a senior, amassed 83 total tackles, 10.0 tackles-for-loss and 5.0 sacks.
• Tallied 72 tackles and two sacks in eight games during his junior season.
• Also a standout rugby player, helping Mira Costa to a pair of league titles and a spot in the 2016 national championships in Charlotte, N.C.
• Member of the 2015 USA Varsity rugby team that competed in France and Belgium.

Personal:  

• Born in Inglewood, Calif.
• Major is human development and family studies.
• Has five brothers and one sister.
• Older brother Jahlani is a former Warrior and current Detroit Lion linebacker.
• Two other older brothers have played Division I football: Jordan was a defensive lineman at Kansas, while J.R. was a linebacker at USC and the Tennessee Titans.
• Parents are William and Nafuana Tavai of Inglewood, Calif.