Dec. 16, 2015
RENO, Nev. - Third-year Nevada football coach Brian Polian announced the addition of five players to the Wolf Pack roster on Wednesday, the first year of the signing period for transfers and mid-year additions.
The Wolf Pack added much needed depth on the offensive line with three signees for the Union, including one grayshirt, who will have five years of eligibility remaining. Rounding out the signees were a defensive lineman and a quarterback. Three of the five additions are sophomore transfers and have three years of eligibility at Nevada.
The quarterback is sophomore Ty Gangi, a 6-foot-3, 205-pounder from Ventura College in Southern California. He redshirted one season at Colorado before moving to Glendale last year, where he threw for 2,288 yards and 21 touchdowns with just six interceptions.
Two of the offensive linemen will also be sophomores for the Pack in 2016 in Sean Krepsz and Jake Nelson. Krepsz (6-5, 320) redshirted at Washington State for a season before playing this fall at Riverside CC in Southern California, where he was first team all-conference and all state. Nelson (6-5, 260), earned first-team all-conference honors at Saddleback College this year as a freshman.
The third offensive lineman is Nate Brown (6-5, 270), a prep standout from Tracy, Calif., who graduated in the spring but delayed enrollment until the upcoming semester at Nevada. He was a multi-sport star at Tracy High School and added strength and weight during the fall. He'll have four full seasons of eligibility plus a redshirt year.
The lone defensive player is Nakita Lealao (6-1, 305) from Laney College in the Bay Area. Lealao prepped at Herriman (Utah) High School and served a two-year church mission in between playing two seasons at Laney. He was an all-conference first-team selection this year as a sophomore and will have two seasons available at Nevada.
All five will join the Nevada program in January. In the meantime, for the 10th time in the last 11 seasons, the Nevada football team is headed to a bowl game. Nevada accepted an invitation on to play in the inaugural Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl in Tucson on Dec. 29. The game will kick-off at 4:30 p.m. PT at Arizona Stadium and the Wolf Pack will take on Colorado State. The game will be broadcast digitally on Campus Insiders and carried on television on the American Sports Network.
Signee Bios:
Nate Brown
Offensive Line
Tracy, Calif. (Tracy HS)
6-5, 270
NEVADA
Will enroll at Nevada in the spring semester as a true freshman.
HIGH SCHOOL
Graduated from Tracy HS (Tracy, Calif.) as a three-year football letter winner … Helped lead the Bulldogs to a SJAA championship in 2013 … Earned first team all-league honors as a junior and senior … Named to the 2014 all-area first team by the Stockton Record … Earned scholar-athlete honors from 2011-14 … Also lettered on the basketball team as a senior in 2014, earning second team all-league honors.
PERSONAL
Born Nathan Ikaika Brown to parents Steve and Fran Brown … Has one sister, Valerie, and one brother, Sam … Intends to major in business at Nevada … Chose to attend Nevada because of the great education and high level of football … Also received recruiting interest from Air Force, Cornell, Cal Poly and San Jose State.
Ty Gangi
Quarterback
6-3, 205
Glendale, Calif. (Ventura College)
BEFORE NEVADA
Attended Ventura College and earned one football letter under head coach Steve Mooshagian … In his first career game at Ventura, passed for a school-record 452 yards with five touchdowns … On the season, completed 194-of-300 passes for 2,288 yards and 21 touchdowns to just six interceptions … Was named to the All-Northern Conference first team … Helped lead the Pirates to an 8-3 record and a share of the conference title … Also ran for 279 yards and five touchdowns … Originally attended Colorado and redshirted in 2014 before transferring to Ventura College.
HIGH SCHOOL
Graduated from St. Francis High School (La Cañada, Calif.) in 2014 … Was a two-year letter winner on the football team under head coach Jim Bonds … Named the San Gabriel Valley Player of the Year by the Pasadena Star News in 2013 … Also earned first team All-CIF Southern Section and All-Mission League honors in 2013 … As a senior, accounted for 3,311 yards and 38 touchdowns while leading St. Francis to one of its best seasons in school history … Completed 189-of-342 passes for 2,882 yards and 25 touchdowns with only six interceptions, while rushing 117 times for 421 yards and 12 touchdowns … Threw for 300 or more yards on three occasions and 200 or more on eight occasions with seven multiple-TD pass games … Also was a member of the National Honor Society, was named a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete and was a four-time member of the Mission League All-Academic team.
PERSONAL
Born Tyler Frank Gangi … Son of Frank and Kathy Gangi … Has two sisters and one brother … Intends to major in either business or communications at Nevada … Grandfather played UCLA and earned All-America honors in 1965 while his uncle Kevin Brown played football at Cal … Chose to attend Nevada because of the great coaches and players, as well as the support from the community.
Sean Krepsz
Offensive Lineman
Riverside, Calif. (Riverside C.C.)
6-5, 320
BEFORE NEVADA
Attended Riverside City College … Played for head coach Tom Craft, earning a letter in football in 2015 as a redshirt freshman … Helped lead the Tigers to an 8-3 record and a National Central League championship … Earned first team all-conference and all-state honors … Originally committed to Washington State and redshirted in 2014 before transferring to Riverside City College.
HIGH SCHOOL
Graduated from Martin Luther King Jr. High School (Riverside, Calif.) in 2013 … Was a three-year letter winner on the football team … Earned All-Big 8 First Team, all-county first team and all-state honorable mention honors as a senior in 2014 … Was also named to the all-state second team by CalHiSports.com … Earned All-Big 8 First Team and all-country honorable mention honors as a junior in 2013 … Was a three star recruit by ESPN.com, Rivals.com and Scout.com.
PERSONAL
Born Sean Adam Krepsz … Son of Sean and Heather Krepsz … Has two brothers; Tyler and Kyle … Uncle Frank Krepsz played football at Weber State … Intends to major in political science at Nevada … Chose to attend Nevada to further his education and play football at a tier 1 university.
Nakita Lealao
Defensive Tackle
6-1, 305
Hayward, Calif. (Laney College)
BEFORE NEVADA
Attended Laney College (Oakland, Calif.) and earned two letters under head coach John Beam … Played for Laney as a freshman in 2011, went on a two-year mission to the American Samoa and returned to Laney for his sophomore season in 2015 … Earned All-Bay Valley Conference First Team honors in 2015 with 15 tackles, three sacks and six tackles for loss … Was named the team's defensive freshman of the year in 2011 with 52 tackles, six sacks and four forced fumbles in his first season at Laney.
HIGH SCHOOL
Graduated from Herriman High School (Herriman, Utah) in 2011 … Was a three-sport athlete for the Mustangs, earning letters in football, track and field and wrestling … Posted 64 tackles and 17 sacks as a team captain in his senior year … Was named to the all-region second team.
PERSONAL
Born Nakita Laelao … Son of Rob and Lisa Lealao … Has three siblings … Brother, Nathan Laelao, played football at Dixie State and cousin, Edwin Mulitalo, earned a Super Bowl ring with the Baltimore Ravens in 2001 … Chose to attend Nevada because of the education, support from the coaching staff and the opportunity to make an impact … Also received recruiting interest from numerous Mountain West foes and power-five teams in Purdue, Utah, Oregon State and Michigan State.
Jake Nelson
Offensive Line
6-5, 260
San Juan Capistrano, Calif. (Saddleback College)
BEFORE NEVADA
Attended Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Calif. in 2015 … Played football and earned a letter under head coach Mark McElroy … Helped lead the Gauchos to a 10-3 record and an appearance in the CCCAA Football State Championship game … Earned first team all-conference honors.
HIGH SCHOOL
Graduated from San Juan Hills High School … Was a three-year letter winner on the football team … As a senior in 2015, was named to the All-South Coast League First Team, All-CIF and all-country second team … Earned San Juan Hills' most valuable player honor as a senior … As a junior in 2014, was named to the All-Sea View League First Team, All-CIF and all-county third team … Also earned a letter in track and field.
PERSONAL
Born Jake Matthew Nelson … Son of Kurt Nelson and Stephanie Nelson … Has one sister, Olivia … Intents to major in business at Nevada … Comes from an athletic family as his grandfather Frank Mundt played basketball at Iowa, his uncle John Mundt played football at Fresno State, his mother Stephanie ran track and field at UC Irvine and his cousin Johnny Mundt currently plays football for Oregon … Also received recruiting interest from Arkansas State and New Mexico.
