Honolulu, Hawaii----- Frank Manumaleuga, a San Jose State University football two-time All-America linebacker, is one of four named to the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Class of 2020.
Manumaleuga was known as the "Mowin' Samoan" during his days as a Spartan during the 1977 and 1978 seasons. He was an honorable mention All-America pick in 1977 and an Associated Press third-team choice his senior season in 1978.
The Spartan great is the first San Jose State player named to the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame, established in 2013 to honor Polynesia's greatest players, coaches and contributors to the game of football.
"Congratulations to Frank Manumaleuga on being named to the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame. This is a tremendous honor for he and his family and for San Jose State football, especially as the first Spartan to be honored in this manner," said Spartans head coach Brent Brennan.
"For many years, we've been blessed to have players from Polynesian backgrounds play football and pursue a college education at San Jose State. They definitely enriched campus life for all here at our school."
The three-sport, 245-pound athlete also was a member of the Spartan basketball and track and field teams.
He began his college career at UCLA. According to then head coach and San Jose State legend Dick Vermeil, "… (he) had more instinctive ability than any linebacker I've ever evaluated."
Manumaleuga still holds the San Jose State single-game record for most tackles in a game with 27 against Colorado in 1978.
He was the Kansas City Chiefs' fourth-round draft choice in 1979, the 85th overall selection in that year's draft. Manumaleuga played three seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs, and three seasons in the United States Football League (USFL) for the Oakland Invaders and Portland Breakers.
Manumaleuga is joined by offensive lineman David Dixon of Maori ancestry, Haloti Ngata of Tongan ancestry, and Dominic Raiola of Hawaiian ancestry as the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Class of 2020. More than 100 candidates were nominated for the Class of 2020. Manumaleuga was among 10 finalists.
"On behalf of our Board of Directors, we congratulate the Class of 2020," said Jesse Sapolu, Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Chairman, Co-Founder and Inductee. "Their accomplishments on and off the field make each of them truly worthy of this recognition."
The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Class of 2020 will be enshrined the weekend of January 18 & 19 in Honolulu.
