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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 1:18 p.m., Monday, March 13, 2006

Warrior DE Purcell gets another year of eligibility

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Defensive end Melila Purcell III has met the academic requirements to play as a fifth-year senior this fall.

The 6-foot-5, 266-pound Purcell, who was raised in American Samoa, did not earn enough credits in core classes to play as a college freshman.

Under terms of the NCAA's ruling regarding partial qualifiers, Purcell was not allowed to redshirt that season and was left with three years to play three seasons.

But partial qualifiers can earn a fourth season if they earn 80 percent of the credits to graduate by their eighth semester in school.

Purcell will be reunited with his brother, Amani Purcell, who transferred from Penn State last summer. Amani also plays defensive end.

Amani is enrolled at a community college in Hawai'i and will be eligible to join the Warriors for training camp in August.