Feb. 7, 2008

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - A junior college transfer believed to be the biggest player ever recruited by Western Washington University has signed a National Letter of Intent. Making that announcement was Viking head coach Robin Ross.

Offensive tackle Chris Awambu, who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 335 pounds, was a first-team all-Mid-Empire Conference pick at Laney College in Oakland, Calif., last fall. He helped the Eagles to a 10-1 record, a league championship and a Graffiti Bowl victory.

"We're very excited to get a player of his stature," said Ross. "Our goal was to get two junior college offensive linemen who could compete to start for us and with Chris and Travis Pierce (6-2, 295, from Reedley JC) we've done that."

As a freshman at Laney, Awambu played on a 9-2 squad that also took a post-season bowl victory. He graduated from Tennyson High School in Hayward, Calif.

Two other Thursday signees for Western, bringing its total to 19, were wide receiver Kirt Terry-Springs and defensive lineman Lepon Mamea.

Terry-Springs is a senior at Evergreen High School where he earned first-team all-Seamount League honors. He caught 31 passes for 507 yards and 11 touchdowns as the Wolverines finished 9-2, won a league title and reached the first round of the Class 3A state playoffs.

Mamea is a senior at Lincoln High School in Tacoma. The 290-pounder was a second-team Tacoma News Tribune all-area choice and a first-team all-Narrows League Bridge Division pick on both defense as a tackle and offense as a guard. He helped the Abes to three straight first-round Class 4A state playoff appearances.

CHRIS AWAMBU (pronounced Ah-wam-boo), Offensive Tackle, Junior, 6-6, 335, 20, 9/6/87, Hayward, CA

COLLEGE: First-team all-Mid-Empire Conference choice as sophomore at Laney Junior College (Oakland, CA) ... Helped Eagles to 10-1 record, league title and Graffiti Bowl victory ... As freshman, played on 9-2 team that took bowl victory ... Started one year and lettered two.

HIGH SCHOOL: Starter as senior at Tennyson High School ... Lettered two years.

PERSONAL: Major is engineering.

LEPON MAMEA (pronounced Lah-pawn Ma-me-ah), Defensive Lineman, Freshman, 6-0, 290, 18, 10/9/89, Tacoma, WA

HIGH SCHOOL: Second-team Tacoma News Tribune all-Area choice as senior at Lincoln High School ... First-team all-Narrows League Bridge Division on defense (tackle) and offense (guard) ... Missed three games with knee strain ... Team co-captain three years ... Helped Abes to three straight first-round Class 4A state playoff appearances prior to senior season, earning second-team all-league honors as sophomore ... Started and lettered four years ... Also earned three letters in track.

PERSONAL: Plans to major in education.

KIRT TERRY-SPRINGS, Wide Receiver, Freshman, 5-8, 165, 18, 4/10/90, White Center, WA

HIGH SCHOOL: First-team all-Seamount League selection as senior at Evergreen High School ... Helped Wolverines to 9-2 record, league title and first round of Class 3A state playoffs ... Caught 31 passes for 507 yards and 11 touchdowns ... Honorable mention all-league as junior on 8-2 squad ... Started two years and lettered four ... Also earned four letters in track, going to state in triple jump as junior, and one in basketball.

PERSONAL: Plans to major in sports medicine.

2008 WWU football NLI signees

Dustin Adams, DB, 5-10, 180, Fr., Lake Stevens, WA (Lake Stevens)
Tyrone Alualu, DT, 6-1, 280, Jr., Honolulu, HI (St. Louis HS/Laney JC)
Chris Awambu, OT, 6-6, 335, Jr., Hayward, CA (Tennyson HS/Laney JC)
Erick Cheadle, LB, 6-1, 205, Fr., Spokane, WA (Ferris HS)
Donovan Cunningham, FB/LB, 5-10, 210, Fr., Vancouver, WA (Heritage HS)
Domenique Hill, RB, 5-11, 220, Fr., Portland, OR (Mountain View)
Sean Hurlbut, RB/DB, 5-10, 180, Fr., Bellingham, WA (Meridian)
Johnny Jackson, DB, 6-0, 180, Fr., Seattle, WA (Evergreen)
Kelly Kurisu, OL, 6-3, 260, Fr., Lake Stevens, WA (Lake Stevens)
Marcus Law, LB, 5-11, 205, Fr., Sylmar, CA (Birmingham)
Lepon Mamea, DL, 6-0, 290, Fr., Tacoma, WA (Lincoln)
Adrian Milsap, LB, 5-11, 190, Fr., Spokane, WA (Ferris)
Sean McDonald, DL, 6-2, 270, Fr., Kalama, WA (Kalama)
Travis Pierce, OL, 6-2, 295, Jr., Redmond, WA (Redmond/Reedley JC)
David Slingwine, OL, 6-4, 280, Fr., Duvall, WA (Interlake HS)
Jordy Spriggs, WR/DB, 5-11, 155, Fr., Renton, WA (Kentridge)
Kirt Terry-Springs, WR, 5-8, 165, Fr., White Center, WA (Evergreen)
Kyle Tunney, RB, 5-7, 175, Fr., Seattle, WA (Evergreen)
Nick Wallace, FB/DL, 6-1, 255, Fr., Bellingham, WA (Squalicum)