Sioeli Nau, Joel Halahuni, and Walker Vave to Oregon State

Snow College defensive lineman Sioeli Nau (pictured left) will join Oregon State next semester. In addition Joe Halahuni a greyshirt will enroll as well. Halahuni was on the 2006 AIGA Foundation Poster. In addition, Kahuku graduate Walker Vave has returned from an LDS mission and was the 2003 Hawaii State Defensive Player of the Year as selected by the Honolulu Star Bulletin.


Recruits will join after bowl

OSU FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK

By Cliff Kirkpatrick
Corvallis Gazette-Times

One midyear junior college transfer signed his letter of intent Wednesday to join the Oregon State football team in January, and two greyshirts were admitted to school for the winter term.

Defensive tackle Sioeli Nau is a 6-foot-2, 292-pound defensive tackle from Snow College in Ephraim, Utah. He has three years to play two seasons.

Tight end Joe Halahuni signed with the Beavers in February, but didn’t enroll while he finished up his academics. He’s from Orting High in Graham, Wash. He has five years to play four seasons.

Linebacker Walker Vave singed in 2004, but went on a two-year Mormon mission. He’s a former teammate of OSU offensive guard Jeremy Perry, when they played at Kahuku in Hawaii. Vave has five years to play four seasons.

“It’s always good to get those guys in at this time,” coach Mike Riley said. “It gets them started in school and gets their feet wet. They can start taking classes and start working out with the guys. That’s a real benefit to becoming comfortable once the season rolls around.”

Nau helped Snow to an 11-1 record in the recently completed season. He attended Spanish Fork High in Spanish Fork, Utah.

“This is a quality player and good character guy,” Riley said. “I’m really glad to have him for the spring.”

Halahuni was the Washington 2A Player of the Year and the Nisqually League’s Offensive MVP as a senior in 2005. He had 38 receptions for 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns. Rivals.com rated the 6-2, 220-pounder as a three-star athlete.

“He’s very athletic, and a very versatile guy,” Riley said. “He was a wide receiver, safety in high school. He may be an H-back for the Beavers.”

Vave was the 2003 Honolulu Advertiser Defensive Player of the Year. He helped Kahuku go undefeated and win the state title. He was 6-2, 205 when he signed.

Midyear junior college players can sign their letters of intent until Jan. 15, but the Beavers don’t expect any more. They are recruiting for the Feb. 7 singing period for high school and JC players who’ll join the program in the summer.

There are 13 known commitments to the program, and Riley has said he’s looking to sign about 20 players.