USA Today — the nation's most-read newspaper with an average of 2.25 million copies distributed across the country every weekday — has named Punahou senior linebacker Manti Te'o as its Defensive Player of the Year on its All-USA first team published in the Dec. 24 editions.

Te'o, 6-feet-2 and 225 pounds, is one of 24 players named to the first team, and the third player from Hawai'i (after Farrington's Patrick Kesi in 1990 and Punahou's Jason Ching in 1995) to earn such an honor in USA Today's 26-year history.

On Dec. 5, Te'o was announced as the first high school winner of the Butkus Award going to the top linebacker in the nation, and on Dec. 17 he was named High School Athlete of the Year by The Sporting News, the country's oldest national sports weekly.

"Every recognition like this is definitely an honor and each one comes with its own spark," Te'o told The Advertiser Tuesday night. "I'm just happy to help put Hawai'i on the map. More than me, it's about representing my family, my culture and my state. I'm humbled. ..."

Te'o said he does not plan on attending Wednesday's Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl between Notre Dame and Hawai'i, though Notre Dame is one of five schools he is considering for college.