Vaingamalie Tafuna

Position:
Fullback
Height:
6-1
Weight:
240
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Mesa, Arizona
High School:
Mesa

2010: .... Was a unanimous selection to the Big Sky All-Conference First Team, one of seven players in the league to be a unanimous selection...Earned Second Team All-American honors from The Sports Network and Phil Steele...Finished tenth in the Big Sky in rushing with 551 yards for an average of 50.1 yards per game...Recorded 10 touchdowns during the season, ninth best in the Big Sky...Had 86 carries for 416 yards and nine touchdowns in the final five games of the season...Rushed for over 100 yards twice, including a career-high 153 yards against Portland State...The following week he had 124 yards and four touchdowns in WSU's win over Montana.

2009: ... Played in eight of WSU's 12 games. ... Carried five times for 42 yards with a long run of 15 yards vs. Idaho State. ... Had a career high two carries for a career high 29 yards in that game as well. ... Caught four passes for 24 yards. ... Best game was two catches for 12 yards @Eastern Washington... Named to the 2009 Big Sky Conference football All-Academic Team with a 3.50 gpa in Philosophy

JUNIOR COLLEGE: ... Played his freshman year (2007) for Coach Dan Dunn and sophomore year for Coach Mike Jacobs. ... Team posted a 9-2 record, were ranked 8th in the final NJCAA poll and were the Valley of the Sun Bowl champions his freshman year.

HIGH SCHOOL: ... Played under Coach Bill McKane at Mesa High where he earned First Team All-Mesa East Valley honors his senior season.

PERSONAL: ... FULL NAME: Fabian Vaingamalie Tafuna...First name is pronounced: VIE-n-ga-ma-lay ... BORN: November 1, 1984, he is the oldest player on the 2010 WSU roster. ... MAJOR: Sociology. ... Married, wife's name is Carrisa.... Did not attend college right after high school, but left instead to serve a two-year LDS Church mission to Australia. ... Older brother, David, was recruited by Coach McBride at Utah...His mother runs a Polynesian dance company and he knows many of the different island dances. ... Likes purple because it was his high school color and wedding color.