Standing on the field near the home tunnel at Martin Stadium after practice, Misiona Aiolupotea-Pei, or Misi (Mee-see) as he teammates and coaches call him, points in the direction across the field to the seats at the east end of the stadium

"My stadium was just three sections," Misi said, describing the atmosphere of when he played home games at Riverside City College. "There was about 500 people and I was over the moon."

Misi then pauses and describes what is was like when he ran out of the tunnel onto the Martin Stadium field for his first home game as a Cougar against San Jose State in 2018.

"You can imagine what I was like when I ran out on the field and looked up," Misi said. "I can still see the crowds, the flames, and the cheerleaders. All that type of stuff I never experienced."

Misi's journey to Pullman was thousands of miles in the making.

Born in New Zealand, Misi grew up with rugby as his preferred sport.

"I had hopes and dreams of playing professionally in the National Rugby League," he said.

At that time, Misi's only exposure to football was by watching movies, specifically Adam Sandler's "The Longest Yard."

Misi played in an all-star game and caught the eye of Dan Hawkins, the current head coach at UC Davis and former coach at Colorado and Boise State, at the game and during the week of practice leading up to it.

"He said, 'you could play with kids in America,'" said Misi.

"That's how the dream started."

Though new to football, Misi made his impact felt immediately. Playing as a tight end and a kick returner for the Gridiron Queensland Stingrays Colts, he scored 19 touchdowns and was named the team's MVP, the offensive player of the year and defensive player of the year.

While he had success on the field, the transition from rugby to football still proved to have its challenges.

"I didn't know what a three-point stance was, I didn't know what a depth chart was," Misi explained. 

And the challenges weren't limited to learning about the game.

"I didn't even know how to put uniform on," he said with a laugh. I had to get my friends to help."

Misi arrived at the United States and attended Riverside City College in Riverside, Calif., playing two seasons. 

While at Riverside, Misi experienced more challenges than just learning the game.

"I was living rough," he remembered. "I was eating sardines and rice. I didn't want to ask my parents for more money because my parents were at home struggling and I didn't want to be a burden on them. 

"My first game at Riverside I hadn't eaten the whole day and my game was at 6 o'clock at night."

Misi overcame the challenges to be elected team captain and earned second-team All-Southern California Football Association honors.

As his time at Riverside was coming to an end, Misi aid he received a few offers from four-year schools, but he knew right away that WSU would be a great fit for him.

"People will say when you go on a visit you will feel it, you'll feel when you're home," said Misi. "That family environment was here. I felt right at home."

Although he is thousands of miles away, Misi keeps a reminder of his New Zealand home close to him during practice, wearing a rugby shirt from his hometown team.

"Where I'm from, not many kids have dreams and aspirations," Misi said. "People grow up and they don't have goals in life.

"This was my original dream right here," Misi added, pointing to his shirt. "Anything beyond this point is a blessing."

From that game against San Jose State in 2018 and throughout the 2019 season as a senior defensive lineman, Misi has felt right at home in Pullman, and he continues to live his dream playing for the Cougars as a scholarship student-athlete.

"When people ask me to talk about my scholarship I get teary-eyed," Misi said. "My parents sacrificed so much for me to be here. Getting a scholarship is a blessing and to be in a stadium like this, everything is a blessing.

"I will always be a Coug."