Mao Tosi
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| No. 78 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Defensive tackle | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Date of birth: | December 12, 1976 | ||||||||
| Place of birth: | Manu'a, American Samoa | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| College: | University of Idaho | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2000 / Round: 5 / Pick: 136 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Mao Tosi (born December 12, 1976 in Maun'a, American Samoa) is one of Alaska’s Top 40 Under 40 and is the only Samoan ever to be named Alaska’s Basketball Player of the Year.
Tosi received a basketball scholarship to Butler Community College in 1995–1997. The school was ranked #1 in the country, during the 1996/97 season, and finished third in the NJCAA Tourney during the 1995/96 season.
Tosi then received a scholarship to play basketball at the University of Idaho, where he excelled as a dual sport athlete, playing basketball and football for the Vandals.
After two years of football for the Vandals, Tosi received many accolades, including East West Shrine Bowl and College Senior Bowl.
Tosi was drafted in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL draft to the Arizona Cardinals, where he started 10 of 16 games and led the defensive line in tackles, as a rookie.
Tosi was injured in his third season and moved back to Alaska to raise his young family. In 2006, Tosi found his calling and began to work with at-risk youth in his hometown of Anchorage. He created the non-profit organization AK P.R.I.D.E. (Alaskan People Representing Integrity and Diverse Experiences) Youth Programs.