HONOLULU – University of South Alabama wide receiver Kawaan Baker has been selected to compete in the 75th Hula Bowl All-Star Game as announced and chosen by the Hula Bowl Selection Committee on Thursday. This year's game is scheduled to be played on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaií.
Baker – who started all 11 games this season for the Jaguars – ended his senior season ranked fifth in the Sun Belt Conference in receptions per game (4.6), sixth in receiving yards per game (59.9) and ninth in all-purpose yards per game (87.7).
The Atlanta, Ga., native posted two 100-yard receiving games this season as he recorded 154 yards on six receptions with three touchdowns against ULM and 129 yards on seven receptions and a score versus Tulane.
For his efforts in South's 38-14 win over the Warhawks, Baker was named the league's co-Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 26. The 154 receiving yards by Baker in the game were at the time the highest by an individual in the league, while he matched the most touchdown receptions in the league at that point.
On Nov. 7 at Coastal Carolina, Baker (1,829) also became the program's all-time leader in reception yards as he surpassed former Jaguar Shavarez Smith's (2013-14) previous mark (1,688).
This past season, Baker tied the program standard in touchdown receptions (16), first set by Jeremé Jones from 2010-14. He is also second to Jones in receptions (126), tied for third in touchdowns responsible for (27), ranks fourth in all-purpose yards (2,748), tied for fourth in scoring (162), tied for sixth in rushing touchdowns (11) and seventh in yards per reception (14.52).
The 6-foot-1 receiver ended the season tied with fellow wide out Jalen Tolbert holding the single-season mark for touchdown receptions (8) at South. His 51 receptions in 2020 rank as fourth most at USA, while he holds top-10 marks in yards receiving (659) and all-purpose yards (965).
ABOUT THE HULA BOWL
The Hula Bowl was established in 1946 as the Hula Bowl All-Star Football Classic game. When the inaugural game was played on January 5, 1947, the teams were composed of mainland, college players versus a local Hawaiian Islands team; primarily made up of graduates of Leilehua High School in Wahiawa, Hawaii. The teams played a two-game series every January until 1951. It was then, that the format was changed to allow NFL Players to join the Hawaiian All-Stars in an effort to create a more competitive game.
Starting in 1960, the Hula Bowl game was established as an All-Star game that would only invite NCAA college players from schools across the US. The teams were divided into two teams, one team from those programs located in the Eastern and Western United States. The teams were then split into "Aina and Kai " teams, the Hawaiian words for Land and Water.
This year, the game will include players from all NCAA divisions, along with international players from Japan, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. In addition, the game will include Polynesian players with historic ties to the Islands.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
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