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Maiava departure from Buffaloes personal

By B.G. Brooks, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published April 24, 2008 at 9:03 a.m.
Updated April 24, 2008 at 9:03 a.m.

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Kai Maiava's move from guard to fullback left him unsettled, but the University of Colorado freshman said Wednesday the position switch was not the primary reason he will transfer.

"My motivation is doing whatever I need to do to help my family," Maiava said. "My family has problems lately, and as a son, I have to do what I have to do."

After entertaining the idea before spring drills ended Saturday, Maiava said he submitted his transfer request Monday.

"Hopefully, the road takes me where I want to go," he said, adding he wants to make a lateral move to a Division I school in California to be closer to his family in Wailuku, Hawaii.

If he is unable to make that move, he said would explore transferring to a junior college or Division I-AA school. Either way, he plans to transfer as an offensive lineman and wants to regain the 25 pounds he lost to play fullback. He now weighs 275.

As for leaving a position he played well enough to earn first- team All-Big 12 Conference freshman honors, then finishing spring drills as a third-string fullback, Maiava conceded he was bothered "a little bit. . . . I would have liked to have played a little more, but it wasn't the main reason (behind his decision)."

Maiava, who in January was cited for underage possession and consumption of alcohol, missed a week of spring practice that complicated the switch and left him behind Maurice Cantrell and Jake Behrens.

CU coach Dan Hawkins said Maiava's transfer is based on "personal reasons . . . a combination of a lot of things and ongoing situations."

VIEWING NIU: Caleb Patterson, the sixth CU basketball player to leave since Jeff Bzdelik was hired as coach last year, will visit Northern Illinois this weekend.

Patterson, a 6-foot-11 center from Ringwood, Okla., said he would keep an "open mind" about the trip despite Northern Illinois being coached by Ricardo Patton, who recruited Patterson to CU.

Patterson, who averaged 1.4 points and 1.4 rebounds in 14 games as a freshman, declined to discuss his parting conversation with Bzdelik. Patterson acknowledged his playing time in 2008-09 was discussed.

Patterson also could visit Texas-Arlington and Missouri State.