Warriors loading up on defense as signing day nears

With signing day approaching, the University of Hawaii football team made three defensive moves.

The Rainbow Warriors will sign cornerback Deliyon Freeman and hybrid end Domata Peko on Wednesday, the first day football prospects may ink letters of intent this semester. They also have secured a 2024 commitment from edge defender Tristan Waiamau-Galindo.

Freeman, who is 5 feet 11 and 170 pounds, is a senior at East Coweta High in Sharpsburg, Ga. He played basketball through his sophomore year before joining the football team as a cornerback as a junior. As a senior, he played both receiver and corner. He projects to play cornerback for the Warriors.

Freeman reached out to UH cornerbacks coach Abraham Elimimian in December. After reviewing Freeman’s videos and talking with his coaches, the Warriors offered a recruiting trip last weekend. “It already felt like home the first day I came out there,” Freeman said. “It was really a no-brainer I was going to sign. I liked everything — the program, the nature, the vibes.”

Freeman was timed at 4.5 seconds over 40 yards as a junior. He will compete in track in the 100- and 200-meter sprints this spring.

Freeman has started a clothing line — FG — that offers hoodies and T-shirts. “Growing up, I liked shoes, clothes, designing things,” he said. “I wanted to start my own brand.”

Peko, whose namesake father played 11 NFL seasons, is a 6-5, 215-pound senior at Calabasas (Calif.) High. Peko announced an oral pledge to UH in December, but did not sign the letter then because he wanted to visit the Manoa campus.

“I wanted to make sure I could feel the atmosphere and see where I’ll be spending the next years of my life,” Peko said.

Peko said he reaffirmed his commitment during last weekend’s visit and after meeting face-to-face with head coach Timmy Chang. “I got a feeling of how it is out there,” Peko said. “It meant a lot to me. That helped me pull the trigger on my commitment.”

Peko, who initially was set to delay enrolling until January 2024, now will join the Warriors this summer.

Waiamau-Galindo is a 6-foot-3, 220-pound junior from Kamehameha Schools. He said he will graduate early, in December, and enroll at UH in January 2024. “I believe in the vision for the future, and the way Coach Chang is running things,” Waiamau-Galindo said.

Waiamau-Galindo said he trains under three former UH defensive linemen — Michael Lafaele, Beau Yap and Lance Samuseva. “Coach Mike trains me every single day,” Waiamau-Galindo said. “His knowledge really helps me succeed.”

He said he models his game after Kayvon Thibodeaux, an Oregon alumnus who plays linebacker for the New York Giants.

Of his early commitment, Waiamau-Galindo said: “I want to help Coach Chang build up my class. And I want to help Hawaii show we’re still great, and we can always be great, and encourage players to stay home.”