Football
Mata'ava Ta'ase celebrates with quarterback Jake Retzlaff at Oklahoma State (2023)

Mata'ava Ta'ase Season 2023

#99
PositionTight End
Weight255 lbs
Height6-3
ClassJunior
HometownMesa, Arizona
Previous SchoolSouthern Utah
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Personal

  • Parents are Laurie & Tunufa'i
  • Married to Ellie Thornton, they have a daughter named Elli'ana
  • Major: Communications
  • Missionary Service: served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Tokyo, Japan
  • Mother, Laurie, played volleyball at Utah
  • Father, Tunufa'i, played football at Utah
  • Loves sushi
  • Speaks Japanese

Before BYU

  • Southern Utah transfer (2020-22)
  • Tallied 217 receiving yards on 22 catches
  • In 2022, recorded 214 receiving yards on 19 grabs with two touchdowns
  • 2022 Bluebloods First Team All-Conference
  • In fall 2021, he played in six games for the Thunderbirds
  • Appeared in one game in the spring 2021 season
  • Prepped at Mountainview High School in Mesa, Arizona
Cougars move to 8-0 with 37-24 win at UCF
Football

Cougars move to 8-0 with 37-24 win at UCF

No. 11 BYU goes up 17-0, controls time of possession and holds on for another victory

Jovesa Damuni as a missionary in Santiago, Chile
Football

2024 Fall Camp: Missionary Update

Missionary service has been a staple within the BYU football program since its inception. Nearly half of all current BYU football players have served missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That is routinely the case. While those within the Church understand the details of what a mission entails, they can be foreign to those not of the faith.

2023 BYU Football Fall Camp Wraps Up
Football

2023 BYU Football Fall Camp Wraps Up

BYU football will practice Tuesday night before an off day Wednesday and will then turn its attention to Sam Houston and the season opener on Sept. 2. Read comments below from head coach Kalani Sitake, defensive coordinator Jay Hill and offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick.

2023 Fall Camp: Practice 14—Steve Clark and Tight Ends Preview
Football

2023 Fall Camp: Practice 14—Steve Clark and Tight Ends Preview

BYU is closing in on the end of its third week of fall camp after its 14th practice on Friday morning. Today BYU previews coach Steve Clark and the tight ends.

BYU Athletics and Missions
Football

BYU Athletics and Missions

Missionary service has been a staple within BYU Athletics since its inception. More than half of all BYU students serve missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While those within the Church understand the details of what a mission entails, they can be foreign to those not of the faith.

2023 Fall Camp: Practice 11—BYU Football and Missions
Football

2023 Fall Camp: Practice 11—BYU Football and Missions

Missionary service has been a staple within the BYU football program since its inception. Nearly half of all current BYU football players have served missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That is routinely the case. While those within the Church understand the details of what a mission entails, they can be foreign to those not of the faith.

BYU tight end Mata'ava Ta'ase

Senior
2024

Tight End
6-3 / 255 lbs