HONOLULU – The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame announced Tuesday that California football wide receiver/returner Jacob De Jesus and inside linebacker Cade Uluave have been selected as finalists for the 2025 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award. The award is presented annually to the most outstanding college football player of Polynesian ancestry who epitomizes great ability and integrity.

"On behalf of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame, we proudly congratulate this year's finalists for the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award," said Jesse Sapolu, Chairman and Co-Founder. "Each of these young men have shown outstanding ability and commitment, exemplifying the impact Polynesian student-athletes continue to make in college football."

The winner of the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award will be announced on Dec. 16, 2025. The formal presentation of the award will be held at the 2026 Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Celebration Dinner on Jan. 17, 2026. The winner will also be recognized the day prior during the 2026 Polynesian Bowl.

De Jesus leads the ACC and ranks third nationally with career highs of 99 receptions and 8.25 receptions per game, while his receptions are second on Cal's all-time single-season reception list to school-record holder Dameane Douglas (100, 1998) by only a single reception. De Jesus is also the ACC's leader in kickoff return average (20.6 ypr) and third in punt return average (11.3 ypr).

Uluave has team and career highs of 90 tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss (-35 yards) in 2025, as well as career highs of 3.0 sacks (-22 yards) and six pass breakups, and four quarterback hurries.

De Jesus and Uluave are both scheduled to play for Cal (7-5, 4-4 ACC) against Hawai'i (8-4, 5-3 Mountain West) in the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex in Honolulu on December 24 at 5 p.m. PT. The game will be televised live by ESPN.

Below are extended 2025 notes on De Jesus and Uluave.

Jacob De Jesus
WR/RET – 5-7 – 170 – Sr. – 4th – Manteca, CA (UNLV/Manteca HS)

• First-team All-ACC all-purpose and specialist selection, while he was a second-team All-ACC receiver
• Leads the ACC and ranks third nationally with career highs of 99 receptions and 8.25 receptions per game
• Ranks second on Cal's all-time single-season reception list with 99, trailing school-record holder Dameane Douglas (100, 1998) by only a single reception
• Has 42 receptions over his last three games, including a school-record-tying and career-high 16 receptions for a career-high 158 yards receiving and the game-winning touchdown on the final play to earn ACC Receiver of the Week honors on Nov. 8 in a 29-26 overtime win at No. 15 Louisville, 14 receptions for 96 yards on Nov. 22 at Stanford, and 12 receptions for 97 yards and one touchdown Nov. 29 vs. SMU
• Sixth in the ACC and 31st nationally with a career-high 892 yards receiving
• Leads the ACC and ranks 12th in the country with his 1,436 total all-purpose yards, while his 119.67 all-purpose yards per game also lead the ACC and rank 13th nationally
• Leads the team with five touchdown receptions
• Has 555 combined kick return yards (330 kickoff, 225 punt) to rank second in the ACC and 11th nationally
• Leads the ACC in kickoff return average (16-330, 20.6 ypr), while he is third in the ACC in punt return average (20-225, 11.3)
• Has played in all 12 games with nine starts

• Earned first-team All-ACC honors as an inside linebacker
• Career and team highs of 90 tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss (-35 yards), 3.0 sacks (-22 yards), a career-high six pass breakups, and four quarterback hurries despite missing at least half of three games, including one full contest
• Fourth in the ACC with 8.2 tackles per game
• Earned ACC Linebacker of the Week honors for the first time when he recorded a career-high 19 tackles that are the most by an ACC player and tied for the third most in the nation in a game in a 42-34 double overtime loss at West Virginia on Oct. 24