Freshman linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa has been named to the preseason watch list for the seventh-annual Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award, presented to the outstanding freshman player in college football. Viliamu-Asa is one of 37 freshmen on the list.
Viliamu-Asa was a finalist for the 2023 high school Butkus Award, honoring the nation’s top linebacker. A highly-touted high school player from Inland Empire, Calif., he was the 2023 LA Times Player of the Year and the Trinity League Co-Defensive Player of the Year, earning invitations to the All-American Bowl and the Polynesian Bowl.
In Notre Dame’s spring Blue-Gold game, Viliamu-Asa posted four tackles (three solo) and a pass breakup. On his high school career, he totaled 253 tackles, 110 solo, 22.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, two interceptions (returning both for touchdowns) and five catches for 44 yards and five touchdowns. In his senior year alone, he led St. John Bosco to a Trinity League Championship, finishing his campaign with 114 tackles, 56 solo, 13 tackles for loss, two sacks, three pass breakups, one interception; added three catches for 37 yards and three touchdowns on the offensive side of the ball.
As a junior, Viliamu-Asa was named California Interscholastic Federation Defensive Player of the Year and first team All-Trinity League. He led the Braves to a CIF Division I Championship, Division I California State Championship and a MaxPreps National Championship.
The Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award has been presented to the College Freshman Player of the Year since 2018 and is named in honor of Shaun Alexander, a former standout at the University of Alabama and the 2005 NFL MVP with the Seattle Seahawks. Past winners include; Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) – 2018, Kenneth Gainwell (Memphis)-2019 and Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) – 2020, Brock Bowers (Georgia) – 2021, Drake Maye (North Carolina) 2022 and Caleb Downs (Alabama) 2023.