Vai Taua Nominated LLR Athlete of the Year

ALL-WAC TOO



Nevada running back VAI TAUA, named today to the WAC all-league first team, has also been nominated Lompoc Locker Room's Male Athlete of the Year for 2008. Photo here is by David B. Parker.





In his 12-game season Taua carried the ball 213 times for 1420 net yards and a 6.7 yard per carry average. He posted 14 touchdowns and made one run for 79 yards. He averaged 118.3 yards per game.

He also hauled in 29 passes for 226 yards for a 7.8 yard average per catch. He scored two TD's on passes. His longest reception was a 54-yarder

One of his biggest games came against Fresno State. He rushed 28 times for 263 yards (longest was 57, his average 9.4) and a touchdown. It was his first 200-yard performance of the season and the sixth-highest rushing total in school history. Taua started the season as the third-stringer yet after 10 games had topped the 100-yard mark seven times.

In his finale against Louisiana Tech the 2006 Cabrillo graduate scored the Wolfpack's winning touchdown with 3:15 to play on a 22- yard ramble. Nevada won 35-31.

Taua is one of only two underclassmen named to the WAC all-league first team.

Taua joins MASSON BLOW on the Lompoc Locker Room Male Athlete list of nominees. If YOU have a nominee for male, female, coach or team of the year, e-mail them quickly to pressboxprod@verizon.net. Nominations close December 10. Last year's male athlete of 2007 was pro baseball's DANNY DUFFY. Like last year the winner and the other top finishers will be named by a Blue Ribbon Panel of Lompoc sports observers beginning on December 20.