Albert Tuakalau Named to 2026 Polynesian Player of the Year Watch List

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. --- Defensive end Albert Tuakalau, a junior college transfer from the College of San Mateo, has been named to the 2026 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award Watch List.

Last year with the College of San Mateo, Tuakalau recorded 20 tackles over nine games, including five tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and a pass breakup. CSM won a JC national title in 2025.

Tuakalau is officially a third-year player for the Lobos, and he joins a host of Lobos with preseason Watch List honors, including Jaxton Eck (five watch lists), Austin Brawley, Cade Keith, and Brian Booker.

New Mexico opens the season with a pair of home games, hosting Central Michigan on FS1 at 8 pm on Saturday, September 5, before hosting Mercyhurst at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 12.

Season tickets are still on sale, and single-game tickets and mini plans are now available as Lobo season ticket numbers continue to rise in advance of the season.

For fans who can't make it to the Mercyhurst game, it will be the first Lobo Football game to be broadcast exclusively on MW+.

MW+ is the Mountain West's new direct-to-consumer digital subscription platform, powered by Kiswe, a leading streaming technology and services company. The platform marks a significant step forward in the Conference’s digital evolution, delivering expanded access to live and on-demand content, while creating new opportunities for fan engagement and revenue generation for member institutions. Most of each subscription purchased through a member school’s dedicated page will directly support that institution, creating a scalable and sustainable revenue opportunity aligned with fan engagement.

Along with live events such as football, soccer, volleyball, men's and women's basketball, baseball, and softball, MW+ will get you exclusive access to live press conferences, podcasts, and coaches' shows.

Lobo fans can register for their MW+ accounts right here. By registering through that link, UNM will reap the subscription benefits. Fans who purchase by August 31 using the code EXCLUSIVE20 will get 20% off their annual subscription.