Corey Nielsen commits to the Warriors!

About how his desire to go to UH has motivated him in the classroom, Corey said:
"My Auntie Pat (Chang) said if I get a 4.0 every year, she's going to send me to Hawai'i on her dime. That's been my motivation." (HA)

HA Note: "The newest future University of Hawai'i football player led all California high school quarterbacks in passing yards last season. A more significant achievement is Corey Nielsen's 4.0 cumulative grade-point average. He ranks No. 1 in his class at Gahr High in Cerritos."

About accepting a scholarship offer from UH, Corey said:
"It feels great. This feels like home already." (HA)

About making his decision on Tuesday, Corey said:
"I told my friends and family I was going to commit. They told me: 'Congratulations. I'm so excited for you. This is what you've always wanted. It finally comes true. I'm happy for you.' " (HA)

About calling Mack yesterday to tell him about his acceptance of UH's offer, Corey said:
"He was ecstatic. I was even happier. It was crazy. It all happened so fast. But it feels right." (HA)

HA Note: "Nielsen said he has followed the Warriors for several years. His mother, Cheryl, is a Punahou School graduate."

About how Corey has followed the Warriors for a long time, his father Don Nakaya Nielsen (former world kick-boxing champion) said:
"We go to Hawai'i a lot. He's been exposed to UH football for a long time." (HA)

About how Nielsen's grandmother videotapes all of the Warriors' games that past few seasons and Chang delivers the videos during frequent visits to California, Don said:
"We've been doing that for years. We have a system." (HA)

HA Note: "In March, Nielsen accompanied his uncle, Jon Nielsen, to UH's Pro Day in Carson, Calif. Nielsen met his idol, Colt Brennan, and slotbacks Davone Bess and Ryan Grice-Mullins."

About meeting Colt, Bess, and RGM at UH's Pro Day, Corey said:
"Colt's a cool dude. I got to hang out with Ryan and Davone. It was all good." (HA)

About how Chang sent him UH T-shirts, Corey said:
"I'd wear them at school. Everybody would say, 'Where'd you get that?' Nobody wears it back home. It was good to wear." (HA)

HA Note: "Last season, Nielsen passed for 4,363 yards and 35 touchdowns. He was named to the All-California Interscholastic Federation's first team. Nielsen has received scholarship offers from Arizona, Nevada-Las Vegas and Idaho. He chose: None of the Above."

About how he wanted to be a Warrior, Corey said:
"Hawai'i was always No. 1. I liked Hawai'i since I was a little kid. I always said: 'I want to be a Warrior.' Now, to finally be a Warrior, it feels great. No words can explain it." (HA)

"It was always a goal to come to UH, they've been my number one school for a long time. So when they offered I couldn't pass it up." (HSB)

"I've been a big fan ever since Timmy Chang was here and I'm excited to be a part of the Coach Mack era. I was watching every game. I had my grandma tape the games for me and send them back so I knew what was going on." (HSB)

The 5'11", 185-pound Corey said that he hopes to:
"grow a little bit this year." (HA)

About attending UH's camp, Corey said:
"It always an audition when you're in front of coaches, when they see you in person and see what you can do." (HSB)

HSB Note: "Nielsen, a 4.0 student, was named most valuable player of the San Gabriel League and said Gahr runs a similar passing attack to UH's run-and-shoot system. He completed 65 percent of his passes and went 21-for-23 with six scores in a season-opening win over Valley Christian last September."

About meeting Billy Ray at the camp, Corey said:
"He was real cool. I'm happy he committed so we'll be going to school together." (HSB)