Vavae_Malepeai
Vavae Malepeai
American football player (born 1998)
Vavae Malepeai (born January 28, 1998) is a former American football running back. Malepeai played for the USC Trojans.
| USC Trojans – No. 29 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Running back |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | (1998-01-28) January 28, 1998 (age 26) Aiea, Hawaii |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College |
|
| High school | Mililani HS (HI) |
| |
Malepeai was born in 1998 in Aiea, Hawaii. He played football at Mililani High School where he became one of the best running backs in Hawaii high school football history.[1] He concluded his high school career with more rushing yards than any other player in state history.[2]
Malepeai enrolled at the University of Southern California in 2017. He was redshirted as a true freshman after suffering a broken shoulder blade in training camp. Despite having his season shortened due to injury, he led the 2019 USC Trojans football team with 503 rushing yards in eight games.[3] His 2019 season was cut short by a knee injury.[4] Malepeai later revealed that he had injured the knee in before the season began and played hurt, hoping he could fight through it.[5]
A native of Hawaii, his three uncles, Silila, Tasi and Pulou Malepeai, all played college football for the Oregon Ducks.[7]
In April of 2024 he became engaged to Anna Smith a former USC women’s soccer team goalkeeper. They plan to wed in 2025.
- "Super Soph: Mililanis Vavae Malepeai on pace to threaten the all-time best backs". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. November 19, 2013. p. C4 – via Newspapers.com.
- Billy Hull (September 1, 2021). "Talents Taing Flight". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. p. C1, C2 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Vavae Malepeai". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
- "USC's Vavae Malepeai to undergo knee surgery". Los Angeles Times. October 13, 2019.
- "USC's Vavae Malepeai: 'My Fault' For Not Disclosing Injury". Sports Illustrated. November 12, 2019.
- "No. 13 USC RB Malepeai unlikely to play in Pac-12 title game". Santa Maria Times. December 17, 2020. p. B2 – via Newspapers.com.
- "'Tailback U' called to USC's Malepeai, who chose not to follow family footsteps to Oregon". Los Angeles Times. September 25, 2018.
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