Satele says he’s headed
to UH

In the end, Brashton Satele followed his heart to Manoa.

Satele, a 2003 Star-Bulletin All-State selection from Pac-Five, verbally committed last night to play for the University of Hawaii. He's known since childhood that he wanted to play for the Warriors.

The 6-foot-2, 240-pound linebacker is projected to play defensive end at UH, but has the mobility to continue playing linebacker.

The Word of Life Academy student-athlete also played running back for the Wolfpack, rushing for 141 yards in a game late in the season. That included a 71-yard touchdown jaunt.

"I'm very excited about having a chance to play with my cousins," Satele said of defensive end Mel Purcell and offensive linemen Samson Satele and Hercules Satele. "I just wanted to stay and play at home. The coaches have treated me really well."

Satele's parents, former UH linebacker Alvis Satele and Wahine volleyball standout Leeann (Pestana) Satele, had hoped Brashton would choose UH. It wasn't clear-cut, however. Oregon State was the first school to contact Satele.

"They were so good to us," Leeann said of OSU. "Their defensive coordinator was here just two days ago. We still weren't sure."

He was slated for a visit to the Corvallis campus, but made up his mind about Hawaii.

Oregon was among several Pac-10 schools that expressed interest in Satele, but as a running back. Even Notre Dame, with former UH assistant Buzzy Preston examining Brashton's video, began to show interest three weeks ago. The Sateles, who were stunned by the interest, decided to at least hear out the Irish.

However, with the firing of Notre Dame coach Ty Willingham, that possibility went out the door.