2024 Football Roster
Roster
Toia, Jay

Jersey Number 93
Jay Toia
- Position:
- Defensive Line
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 325
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Inglewood, Calif.
- Previous School:
- Grace Brethren HS / USC
Bio
Career Highlights
โข All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (2024)
โข 2022 Sun Bowl Lineman of the Game
โข 3-time Athletic Directorโs Honor Roll member (last Fall 2024)
ย
Career Summary
Toia has played in 50 games and made 36 starts across four seasons at UCLA โฆ has totaled 91 tackles (53-38-91), 10.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, four quarterback hurries and four pass deflections โฆ has anchored two top-10 rushing defenses his junior (2nd, 80.8 yards per game) and senior seasons (6th, 96.2 yards per game) in 2023 and 2024 โฆ his career-high in tackles in 10 (5-5-10) set against Pittsburgh in the 2022 Sun Bowl.
ย
2024
Started all 12 games โฆ earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention as the centerpiece for UCLAโs elite rushing defense โฆ totaled 25 tackles (10-15-25), 2.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, three quarterback hurries and one pass breakup โฆ helped UCLAโs defense rank sixth nationally and third in the Big Ten in rushing yards allowed per game (96.2 yards) โฆ recorded a season-high five tackles (2-3-5), 0.5 tackles for loss and one quarterback hurry at LSU (Sept. 21) โฆ made four tackles (2-2-4) and 0.5 tackles for loss in a win over Iowa (Nov. 8) โฆ helped hold Iowa to 80 rushing yards after the Hawkeyes entered the game ranked 10th nationally and the Big Ten leader in rushing yards per game (222.0 yards) โฆ recorded 1.0 sacks, three tackles (3-0-3) and a quarterback hurry in a win at Nebraska (Nov. 2) โฆ selected for The Gladiator Award for Team Most Valuable Player at the annual UCLA Football Awards Banquet ... named to Athletic Director's Honor Roll for Fall 2024.
ย
2023
Played in all 13 games and made 12 starts โฆ totaled 28 tackles (18-10-28), 4.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks and one pass breakup ... helped UCLAโs defense rank second in FBS in yards allowed per rush (2.65 yards), the programโs lowest mark since 1985 โฆ helped hold opponents to just five rushing touchdowns, which led the nation โฆ helped UCLAโs defense rate second nationally in rushing defense, allowing up 80.8 rushing yards per game โฆ credited with a season-high six tackles (4-2-6), 2.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks at Arizona (Nov. 4) ... posted five tackles (4-1-5) versus Arizona State (Nov. 11) ... recorded four tackles (3-1-4), including 1.0 for loss, against Coastal Carolina (Sept. 2) ... had two tackles (2-0-2) in win over Washington State (Oct. 7) ... had two tackles (1-1-2) in the LA Bowl in over Boise State (Dec. 16) ... registered 1.0 tackles for loss in win at USC (Nov. 18)ย ... named to Athletic Director's Honor Roll for Winter 2024 and Spring 2024.
ย
2022
Played in all 13 games and made 12 starts โฆ totaled 30 tackles (13-17-20), 3.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks and one quarterback hurry โฆ credited with a season-best 10 tackles (5-5-10), including 2.0 tackles for loss, against Pittsburgh in the Sun Bowl and was named Lineman of the Game (Dec. 30) ... recorded four tackles at Arizona State (Nov. 5) and versus Arizona (Nov. 12) ... recorded two tackles each in games against South Alabama (Sept. 17), USC (Nov. 19) and California (Nov. 25) ... registered 1.0 sacks against Arizona ... named to the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Watch List.
ย
2021
Played in all 12 games as a reserve defensive lineman โฆ totaled eight tackles (7-1-8) and one pass breakup โฆ had multiple tackles in three games with a season-high four tackles (4-0-4) versus Colorado (Nov. 13) โฆ recorded three tackles (2-1-3) at Arizona (Oct. 9) โฆ transferred to UCLA in time for fall campโฆ originally enrolled at USC in Spring 2021 after graduating early from high school โฆ participated in spring practices at USC.
ย
High School
Prepped at Grace Brethren High School (Simi Valley, Calif.) โฆ made 2020 PrepStar All-American and Southern California News Group Fab 15 second team as a senior two-way lineman at Grace Brethren... as a junior in 2019, he was named Cal-Hi Sports All-State Juniors First Team, All-CIF Southern Section Division 3 and Los Angeles Daily News All-Area First Team ... recorded 43 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and one forced fumble on defense ... ran for a 1-yard touchdown on offense ... as a sophomore in 2018, he made Cal-Hi Sports All-State Sophomores First Team and All-CIF Division 4 after recording 11 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks and a pass deflection ... Grace Brethren won the 2018 State 2AA and CIF Division 8 titles ... as a freshman in 2017, he recorded one tackle as Grace Brethren won the 2017 CIF Division 4 championship and was CIF Division 2AA runner-up ... was also on the track team, participating in shot put and discus throw events.
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Personal
Grew up in Tonga and played rugby as a youth ... his cousin, Stanley Taโufoโou, was a defensive lineman at USC (2019-23) ... his brother, Soane Toia, is a defensive lineman at San Jose State, while his brother Siaki Ika was a defensive tackle at LSU (2019-20) and his brother Abitoni Toia is a rugby player in New Zealand ... political science major.
โข All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (2024)
โข 2022 Sun Bowl Lineman of the Game
โข 3-time Athletic Directorโs Honor Roll member (last Fall 2024)
ย
Career Summary
Toia has played in 50 games and made 36 starts across four seasons at UCLA โฆ has totaled 91 tackles (53-38-91), 10.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, four quarterback hurries and four pass deflections โฆ has anchored two top-10 rushing defenses his junior (2nd, 80.8 yards per game) and senior seasons (6th, 96.2 yards per game) in 2023 and 2024 โฆ his career-high in tackles in 10 (5-5-10) set against Pittsburgh in the 2022 Sun Bowl.
ย
2024
Started all 12 games โฆ earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention as the centerpiece for UCLAโs elite rushing defense โฆ totaled 25 tackles (10-15-25), 2.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, three quarterback hurries and one pass breakup โฆ helped UCLAโs defense rank sixth nationally and third in the Big Ten in rushing yards allowed per game (96.2 yards) โฆ recorded a season-high five tackles (2-3-5), 0.5 tackles for loss and one quarterback hurry at LSU (Sept. 21) โฆ made four tackles (2-2-4) and 0.5 tackles for loss in a win over Iowa (Nov. 8) โฆ helped hold Iowa to 80 rushing yards after the Hawkeyes entered the game ranked 10th nationally and the Big Ten leader in rushing yards per game (222.0 yards) โฆ recorded 1.0 sacks, three tackles (3-0-3) and a quarterback hurry in a win at Nebraska (Nov. 2) โฆ selected for The Gladiator Award for Team Most Valuable Player at the annual UCLA Football Awards Banquet ... named to Athletic Director's Honor Roll for Fall 2024.
ย
2023
Played in all 13 games and made 12 starts โฆ totaled 28 tackles (18-10-28), 4.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks and one pass breakup ... helped UCLAโs defense rank second in FBS in yards allowed per rush (2.65 yards), the programโs lowest mark since 1985 โฆ helped hold opponents to just five rushing touchdowns, which led the nation โฆ helped UCLAโs defense rate second nationally in rushing defense, allowing up 80.8 rushing yards per game โฆ credited with a season-high six tackles (4-2-6), 2.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks at Arizona (Nov. 4) ... posted five tackles (4-1-5) versus Arizona State (Nov. 11) ... recorded four tackles (3-1-4), including 1.0 for loss, against Coastal Carolina (Sept. 2) ... had two tackles (2-0-2) in win over Washington State (Oct. 7) ... had two tackles (1-1-2) in the LA Bowl in over Boise State (Dec. 16) ... registered 1.0 tackles for loss in win at USC (Nov. 18)ย ... named to Athletic Director's Honor Roll for Winter 2024 and Spring 2024.
ย
2022
Played in all 13 games and made 12 starts โฆ totaled 30 tackles (13-17-20), 3.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks and one quarterback hurry โฆ credited with a season-best 10 tackles (5-5-10), including 2.0 tackles for loss, against Pittsburgh in the Sun Bowl and was named Lineman of the Game (Dec. 30) ... recorded four tackles at Arizona State (Nov. 5) and versus Arizona (Nov. 12) ... recorded two tackles each in games against South Alabama (Sept. 17), USC (Nov. 19) and California (Nov. 25) ... registered 1.0 sacks against Arizona ... named to the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Watch List.
ย
2021
Played in all 12 games as a reserve defensive lineman โฆ totaled eight tackles (7-1-8) and one pass breakup โฆ had multiple tackles in three games with a season-high four tackles (4-0-4) versus Colorado (Nov. 13) โฆ recorded three tackles (2-1-3) at Arizona (Oct. 9) โฆ transferred to UCLA in time for fall campโฆ originally enrolled at USC in Spring 2021 after graduating early from high school โฆ participated in spring practices at USC.
ย
High School
Prepped at Grace Brethren High School (Simi Valley, Calif.) โฆ made 2020 PrepStar All-American and Southern California News Group Fab 15 second team as a senior two-way lineman at Grace Brethren... as a junior in 2019, he was named Cal-Hi Sports All-State Juniors First Team, All-CIF Southern Section Division 3 and Los Angeles Daily News All-Area First Team ... recorded 43 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and one forced fumble on defense ... ran for a 1-yard touchdown on offense ... as a sophomore in 2018, he made Cal-Hi Sports All-State Sophomores First Team and All-CIF Division 4 after recording 11 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks and a pass deflection ... Grace Brethren won the 2018 State 2AA and CIF Division 8 titles ... as a freshman in 2017, he recorded one tackle as Grace Brethren won the 2017 CIF Division 4 championship and was CIF Division 2AA runner-up ... was also on the track team, participating in shot put and discus throw events.
ย
Personal
Grew up in Tonga and played rugby as a youth ... his cousin, Stanley Taโufoโou, was a defensive lineman at USC (2019-23) ... his brother, Soane Toia, is a defensive lineman at San Jose State, while his brother Siaki Ika was a defensive tackle at LSU (2019-20) and his brother Abitoni Toia is a rugby player in New Zealand ... political science major.
UCLA Football Postgame - Players, at UNLV (Sept. 6, 2025)
Sunday, September 07
UCLA Football Postgame - Players, at UNLV (Sept. 6, 2025)
Saturday, September 06
UCLA Football Postgame - Coach Foster, at UNLV (Sept. 6, 2025)
Saturday, September 06
Bruin Insider Show - DeShaun Foster (Sept. 4, 2025)
Thursday, September 04