The culmination of one journey marks the start of another.

For both the University of Hawaii coaching staff and the recruits who submitted their national letters of intent to the Rainbow Warriors on Wednesday, signing day represents a pay off for their efforts up to this point.

Now comes the work of preparing for the season to come, and beyond.

“It feels like a thousand pounds was lifted off my shoulders but another thousand more was added on,” Mililani senior Kalakaua Timoteo said after signing with UH. “Although it was nice signing, it’s a start of what’s about to happen. All the work I’m about to put in and all the hard work and dedication that it’s going to take to turn this place around.”

Nick Rolovich announced his first recruiting class as Rainbow Warriors head coach early Wednesday afternoon, an 18-player group heavy on freshmen with one junior-college transfer.

“We’d like to win right now, but we also want to build a solid foundation and I think we’ve done that with freshmen who are going to get that opportunity to play,” Rolovich said. “They’ve got to show that they can, but they’re going to get the opportunity.”

Timoteo, an All-State wide receiver, ‘Iolani offensive lineman Josh Hauani’o and Leilehua defensive lineman Netane Muti inked their letters at the Pacific Islands Athletic Alliance signing day ceremony at the Sheraton Waikiki Wednesday morning. Kahuku safety Keala Santiago, the All-State Defensive Player of the Year, made his UH commitment official in an on-campus ceremony on the North Shore.

“With Coach Rolo and (defensive coordinator Kevin) Lempa coming in, they want me to play and I felt comfortable over there at my visit,” Santiago said. “I (previously) always wanted to go off-island and explore different options, but after my visit, it really opened my eyes that this is the place where I need to be.”

Timoteo stuck with the commitment he made last year, although his place card on stage had a University of Arizona logo on it.

“I don’t know what happened,” said Timoteo, sporting a gray UH cap. “I scratched the ‘A’ out and I put ‘Hawaii’ on it, because I’m too island for the mainland.”

Muti also committed early to the Warriors, but was torn between UH and Fresno State as late as Tuesday night. When it came time to sign, he decided to stay close to home.

“It came down to all the players and the coaches and how they respect each other,” Muti said. “I just felt it was a more comfortable environment for me.”

Hauani’o also cited the opportunity to play for the UH coaches as the base for his decision, “and I thought the proximity to home was really important to me. I wanted to stay close to the rock.”

Ah yes, the rock. More specifically, “Pride Rock” became a rallying point for UH recruits locally and on the mainland since Rolovich made a reference to “The Lion King” in his introductory press conference on Nov. 30.

“You saw it on Twitter and you saw the movement become real and it really brought a hype to this class overall,” Hauani’o said.

The UH signing class reached into Australia for 6-foot-4, 245-pound prospect Max Hendrie, who has a rugby background, and includes two signees from American Samoa in defensive lineman Viane Moana and defensive back Scheyenne Sanitoa. Linebacker Jeremiah Pritchard grew up in Samoa, attended Farrington for a year and is now a senior at Silverado High School in Las Vegas.

Former Saint Louis All-State offensive lineman Fred Ulu-Perry is technically part of this signing class as a transfer from UCLA. Ulu-Perry, a sophomore, will sit out this season and the Warriors signed two freshman offensive linemen and two defensive linemen. Rolovich said Hendrie could start his career as a defensive end as well.

“If we don’t have those (line) positions in good health, you’re going to have issues no matter what kind of schemes you run on offense and defense,” Rolovich said.

Despite the departure of offensive coordinator Zak Hill to Boise State last month, the Warriors added Cole McDonald to a quarterback group that returns senior Ikaika Woolsey, sophomore Beau Reilly and redshirt freshman Aaron Zwahlen. McDonald threw for 2,313 yards and 19 touchdowns and rushed for 1,091 yards and a score as a senior.

“I see a kid who wants to be here. A kid who can do a lot of things from the position running and throwing the ball and I think he can be a dynamic playmaker,” Rolovich said.

Freddie Holly of Norte Vista (Calif.) High School is the lone running back in the class following a prolific prep career.

“He’s an incredible talent and a guy that we had to really keep after. He had a lot of (recruiting) action,” Rolovich said. “I think he sees the fresh start as the opportunity to be a part of something special.”

Rolovich said he felt “90 percent” secure in the commitments the Warriors had received Tuesday night and will likely rest a bit easier after putting the arduous process to bed … at least for the moment.

“As a fundraiser I think we should sell tickets to the last two weeks of recruiting,” Rolovich said, “because the ups and downs and the turns, it’s better than any roller coaster you can imagine.”