As No. 20 Tennessee pushes forward this season, with its College Football Playoff hopes all bust dashed, the Vols could prioritize getting highly touted freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava valuable reps.
Iamaleava, whether in a late-game cleanup role or in a critical juncture, would have to replace senior quarterback Joe Milton III to see the field. In a segment of “Vol Calls” on Sept. 6 after Iamaleava’s debut against Virginia, coach Josh Heupel praised the quarterback’s dynamic feel for the game and said there were no plans to redshirt the former five-star prospect this season.
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As Iamaleava’s stock continues to rise, it’s fair to wonder hoe to correctly pronounce Iamaleava’s last name. The California native hails from Samoan descent and will be a name Vols fans soon become familiar with, as Iamaleava is in line to take over at QB for the Vols in the 2024 season.
So how is Nico Iamaleava’s last name pronounced?
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How to pronounce Nico Iamaleava
According to the freshman quarterback’s Tennessee player bio, his last name is pronounced phonetcially as, “ee-ah-MAH-LAY-ah-va.”
For those who are better auditory learners, here’s how the signal-caller himself pronounces it:
Nico Iamaleava name origin
The Tennessee quarterback is of Samoan descent. He was born to Nicholaus Iamaleava Sr. and Marleinna Iamaleava and grew up in Long, Beach California.
As a five-star recruit and No. 2 prospect nationally in the 247Sports Composite class of 2023, Iamaleava elected to play in the Polynesian Bowl, as the game was held in Hawai’i. Tennessee’s quarterback put on an MVP performance in the game, throwing for 186 yards and leading his team to a 22-17 win.
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What is Nico Iamaleava’s full name?
Nico Iamaleava’s full name is Nicholaus Iamaleava Jr., taking the name on from his father. However, the 6-foot-5 quarterback’s first name is routinely shortened to Nico, even by Iamaleava himself.
