Stanford Leti to attend UH

AIGA Foundation 1st Team QB Stanford Leti expects to join UH in the fall as a partial qualifier.

Posted on: Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Moanalua's Leti could be future Warrior
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Stanford Leti, an All-State football player from Moanalua High School, said he expects to join the University of Hawai'i football team as a partial-academic qualifier.

As a partial-qualifier, Leti will be allowed to enroll at UH in the fall, but not practice or play in games for a full academic year.

After that, he will have three years to play three seasons. He could earn a fourth season if, by the end of his third academic year, he has earned 80 percent of the credits needed for a bachelor's degree.

"The first year will kill me, just watching the team," Leti said. "But the more I talk to the (UH) coaches, the more I realize that's the best thing for me to do."

NCAA eligibility rules require an incoming freshman to earn both a qualifying SAT score and passing grades in core classes. A partial-qualifier is a student who meets only one of the two requirements.

Pisa Tinoisamoa, now a starting linebacker for the St. Louis Rams, and Melila Purcell III, the Warriors' starting defensive right end, also enrolled at UH initially as partial-qualifiers.

At Moanalua, Leti played quarterback, running back, slotback, safety and returner. He was named as an all-purpose player on The Advertiser's 2005 All-State football team.

At the Nike combine in 2005, Leti ran 40 yards in 4.62 seconds and bench-pressed 185 pounds 23 times.

Leti verbally committed to UH in December, but did not sign a letter of intent during the spring period while awaiting academic results.

Leti's teammate, linebacker Quinton Tang, will enroll at Palomar College in California, according to Moanalua coach Arnold Martinez. Tang also had verbally committed to UH in December.