Luke Felix-Fualalo is the name everyone’s talking about right now, and it will be buzzing on the internet for a while. His Hawaii Rainbow Warriors team is gearing up to face Delaware State in less than 24 hours, and with predictions favoring Hawaii, things are looking good for Luke.

While the SEC and Big 12 conferences usually dominate the spotlight, the Mountain West Conference is also getting some attention this time. Well, thanks in part to this big guy—Luke Felix-Fualalo. And if the name rings a bell, welcome a notable Star Wars fan! His mom, Denise, is a huge Star Wars fan, so she named him after Luke Skywalker. But there’s a lot more to the story than just that.

Luke Felix-Fualalo’s mixed roots: his ethnicity

His massive presence is hard to miss for anyone who’s seen Luke Felix-Fualalo in action. Wearing No. 72, he stands at a towering 6-foot-8 and can be spotted anywhere on the field. His athletic skills also make sense when you learn about his background. Born in Brisbane, Australia, Luke was raised by Denise, a professional netball player, and his dad, Daniel Fualalo, a former rugby player for the Tonga national team. Luke grew up playing rugby in Brisbane but ended up settling in Hawaii and becoming an international citizen.

Interestingly, it wasn’t until his junior year at Utah that Luke got his first chance to play football. In 2022, he transferred to the Rainbow Warriors after playing 11 games for the University of Hawaii. As a third-culture kid growing up in a culture different from his parents, Luke has fully embraced life in Hawaii. Speaking to the Hawaiian Athletics website, he said, “The Polynesian culture is embedded in this area, and it has definitely transferred over. That’s why I love being here.”

With just a few hours until Luke takes the field, his stats and story are gaining traction. It seems like this giant O-line star is set to make a significant impact.

Luke is ready for some action

Luke Felix-Fualalo is quickly becoming a standout at the University of Hawaii. Already holding a BA in psychology, he’s now majoring in philosophy, showing that he’s not just a beast on the field but also a smart mind. Although he began his college sports career only at Utah, in his second year with the Rainbow Warriors, Felix-Fualalo truly made his mark. 

Last season, he was a starter for his team and allowed just 1 sack in 491 pass-blocking snaps. Well, that was quite a performance! It even earned him the honors in PFF’s All-Mountain West first team that year. Reflecting on this recognition, Felix-Fualalo humorously admitted, “I didn’t even know what PFF was until I saw a Twitter post. … Like what does that even mean? It’s confirming that I can actually play football because before that I didn’t play, I just practiced.” looks like despite his rising stardom, he remains grounded for good.

Now, his Rainbow Warriors are starting to gain attention, especially with upcoming games against UCLA and Fresno State. With Felix-Fualalo bringing his share of the spotlight, the team seems all set to improve on last year’s mediocre 5-8 record. As they prepare for their season opener against Delaware State, there’s growing excitement and plenty of “GoBows” cheers. Let’s see if Luke is leading to a better season this time!