The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
No. 1/1 Football’s Lefau named to Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award watch list
08.14.2025 | Football
The junior linebacker is also on the preseason watch list for the Dick Butkus Award.
AUSTIN, Texas – No. 1 Texas Football junior linebacker Liona Lefau was named to the preseason watch list for the 2025 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award, the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame announced Thursday.
In addition to earning recognition on the preseason watch list for the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award, Lefau was also selected to the preseason watch list for the Dick Butkus Award.
Lefau is a third-year player with 30 appearances and 10 starts. Hailing form Laie, Hawaii, Lefau saw action in all 16 games with 10 starts during the 2024 season. He totaled the fifth-most tackles on the team last season with 63 (38 solo) to go along with five tackles for a loss of 18 yards, two sacks for a loss of 12 yards, an interception, a forced fumble and three passes defended. He put together a stellar performance vs. ULM on Sept. 21, tallying seven tackles (four solo), 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack and a defensive safety. On the road vs. Vanderbilt on Oct. 26, he snared his first career interception for a six-yard return while logging three solo stops. In UT's regular season finale at Texas A&M on Nov. 30, he posted six tackles (four solo), a forced fumble and a pass break-up. In the CFP Quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl vs. Arizona State on Jan. 1, he registered a career-high eight tackles (four solo).
Finalists for the 2025 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award will be unveiled on Dec. 9, and the winner will be announced on Dec. 16. The presentation of the Award will be held during the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Celebration Dinner (Jan. 17, 2026), and the recipient will also be recognized during the Polynesian Bowl (Jan. 16, 2026).
Lefau and the Longhorns open the 2025 season on the road at No. 2 Ohio State at 11 a.m. CT Saturday, Aug. 30, inside Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The game will broadcast as part of FOX's Big Noon Kickoff, and ESPN's College GameDay will broadcast live from the Ohio State University campus. College GameDay will air for three hours from 8-11 a.m. CT, hosted by Rece Davis, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard, Pat McAffee, Nick Saban, Kirk Herbstreit and other ESPN personalities. It will be the final show for longtime ESPN personality Lee Corso as he is set to retire following Week 1 of the 2025 season.
