Iolani's Mateaki says he'll go to Washington

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Iolani School defensive lineman Donny Mateaki, one of Hawai'i's top college football prospects, has made a verbal commitment to play for the University of Washington next fall.

Mateaki phoned Washington linebackers coach Tom Williams yesterday afternoon and agreed to accept the Huskies' scholarship offer. But Mateaki said he still plans on taking an official visit to the University of Hawai'i next week. The first day prospects are allowed to sign national letters of intent is Feb. 6.

"I still want to hear (UH) out," Mateaki said. "I told Washington and they said it was all right."

Mateaki also made visits to Colorado, Nebraska and Oregon and canceled a trip to Arizona. He turned down additional scholarship offers from Wisconsin and Southern California, among others.

Mateaki cited Washington's strong Hawai'i connections as a main factor in his decision. His former Iolani teammate, William Kava, is on the Huskies' roster, as is former St. Louis standout Joseph Lobendahn. Offensive coordinator Keith Gilbertson played for Hawai'i, and Williams is a former UH coach.

Former Kamehameha athlete Ikaika Malloe also is on Washington's staff, and former Iolani trainer Craig Moriwaki is now a trainer at UW.

"I think I can fit in there," Mateaki said.

Mateaki, a chiseled 6-feet-6 and 265 pounds, has bench-pressed 405 pounds, can do five squats of 450 and runs the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds.

"He can easily put on another 20 pounds and not be fat," Iolani coach Wendell Look said. "And with his work ethic, he'll get a lot better."

Mateaki has a 2.6 grade point average and scored 1,050 on his SAT, easily meeting NCAA qualifications for incoming freshmen.