Southern Utah University Athletics

Sitiveni Tuivai returned to the Thunderbirds last spring when he joined the staff as a student assistant with the defensive line.

A first-team I-AA all-Independent and all-Great West Football Conference defensive end at Southern Utah (in 2003 and 2004), Tuivai led the Thunderbirds in sacks in 2003 and was tied for third in 2004 when the SUU defense ranked sixth in the nation overall and seventh against the run.

Prior to his two seasons at SUU, Coach Tuivai lettered two years at Snow College, where he earned all-Western States Football Conference honors as well as pre-season JC all-American recognition his sophomore year when he was tabbed as one of the top 100 JuCo players in the nation.

From Southern Utah Coach Tuivai went on to play in the Arena Football League for the Nashville Kats.

Coach Tuivai hails from Tatakamotonga, Tonga. He and his wife Katie Rae are the parents of a son, `Apolosi Owen.