Former KU football player Isi Holani dies at age 24. Teammates reflect on his impact
Isi Holani, who played defensive tackle for the Kansas football team from 2016-18, died Saturday at age 24, KU Athletics confirmed. No cause of death was given.
Holani, originally from Kaumana, Hawaii, joined the Jayhawks in 2016 after one season at Riverside (Calif.) Community College. Holani played in 25 total games for KU over three seasons — including a medical redshirt year in 2017 — while contributing two sacks and 11 tackles during his redshirt senior campaign in 2018.
Former KU coach David Beaty said one of the things he’d remember most about Holani was his smile.
“One of the kindest souls on earth,” Beaty said Sunday. “His family has a one-of-a-kind spirit that Isi embodied daily.”
Former KU quarterback Carter Stanley said Holani was one of the best guys to be around in the locker room.
“Always was fun and joking around,” Stanley said, “but when it came to football he was locked in and always working to not only better himself but others on our team as well.”
Holani also was well known for his cookout skills — “That guy knew how to work a grill,” Stanley said — with other KU teammates and coaches taking to social media to remember him Sunday.
“I’m truly lost for words, just ... doesn’t seem real,” former KU defensive lineman Daniel Wise tweeted. “My great friend Isi Holani was called home early yesterday. He was a true warrior, a great man, friend and brother. Always in good spirits, and full of life! Love you bro.”
Wise also shared on Twitter a video of Holani at Booth Memorial Stadium on his graduation day in 2018; Holani graduated from KU with a Bachelor of General Studies in Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Former KU defensive coordinator Clint Bowen — now at North Texas — posted that Holani “will be missed. [Too] difficult to believe he is gone. The type of person that made everyone around him better. So thankful that our paths crossed.”
Kameron McQueen, a former KU receiver, said that Holani was one of the first people to introduce himself when McQueen arrived as a freshman.
“I’ll never forget that! Always the brightest light in the room, and somebody you could always have a good time with,” McQueen wrote on Twitter. “You will be missed 6. Rest Easy Brudda.”
KU offensive lineman Hakeem Adeniji — now with the Cincinnati Bengals — posted, “Fly High bro, can’t count how many laughs we’ve shared over the years, no matter what this man would always put a smile on your face. Love you dawg.”
Coach Les Miles, though he never coached Holani, also shared a message on social media: “Myself and the Kansas Football family are saddened by the loss of one of our very own. He was a great member of our program and will always be remembered for his dedication to the Jayhawks. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family. May you Rest In Peace, Isi Holani.”
This story was originally published August 23, 2020 at 2:19 PM with the headline "Former KU football player Isi Holani dies at age 24. Teammates reflect on his impact."
