UNLV: The former Mountain West Freshman of the Year returns as a true senior this fall as an experienced quarterback with 10 career starts behind center … Heads into the fall ranked No. 1 in school history for pass completion percentage at 64.0 ... A Mountain West Scholar-Athlete in 2024 ... Named to the 2021 Academic All-Mountain West Team ... Also a four-time member of the UNLV Dean’s Honor List ... A 2025 AFCA Allstate Good Team & Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Nominee ... Last name is pronounced “FREEL.”
2024: Appeared in five games ... Completed five of his six pass attempts for 64 yards ... Rushed for 29 yards and two touchdowns.
- Completed a season-high 30-yard pass vs. Utah Tech
- Recorded one-yard rushing touchdowns vs. Utah Tech and Fresno State
2023: Made his only appearance of the season in a win at New Mexico, including posting his first career rushing touchdown from one yard out.
2022: Made four appearances, including starting two games … Finished second on the team with 364 yards passing and three touchdowns with just one interception … Came off the bench in the season-opening victory over Idaho State to complete both of his attempts, including a 14-yard scoring throw … Replaced an injured Doug Brumfield at San Jose State, completing 15-of-22 attempts for 153 yards and a TD … Started the following week vs. Air Force, completing 8-of-10 attempts for 108 yards and one TD … Final appearance was a start at Notre Dame in Week Eight.
2021: Earned his first letter as a Rebel by playing in nine games, including starting eight … Became UNLV’s eighth conference freshman of the year winner, including quarterbacks Armani Rogers in 2017 and Jon Denton in 1996 (when the Rebels were members of the WAC) … Led the team with 1,608 yards and six touchdowns through the air after completing 141-of-226 passing attempts … Broke the school record for completion percentage in a season by a freshman with a 62.4 clip, which also tied Hall of Famer Randall Cunningham (1984) for third overall by any Rebel … Pressed into action as a true freshman in Game Three, starting vs. Iowa State … Completed 8-of-13 attempts for 167 yards vs. the No. 14 Cyclones … Came off the bench one week later at Fresno State and completed 9-of-15 throws for 138 yards … Started the next seven games before being knocked out for the remainder of the season in Game 11 vs. San Diego State … In Game Five, his 307 yards on 25 completions at undefeated UTSA marked the most yards thrown by a UNLV QB since 2018 and the most ever thrown in one game by a true freshman for the Rebels … Named the MW Freshman of the Week on November 8 after leading his team to a win at New Mexico in Game Nine … Completed 20-of-33 attempts for 227 yards and two TDs vs. the Lobos … Nationally among all freshmen, Friel’s season completion percentage ranked fourth while his mark of 178.7 yards per game stood seventh … A December 2020 graduate who enrolled at UNLV in January.
HIGH SCHOOL: Spent first two seasons at St. Louis HS in Honolulu before transferring to Kailua HS for his junior and senior seasons where he was a two-year letterwinner under coach Joseph Hau’oli … Rated as a three-star prospect and the nation’s No. 43 Pro-Style quarterback recruit by 247Sports; No. 24 Dual-Threat QB and No. 6 overall prospect from Hawai’i by Rivals; and the No. 70 Pocket Passer by ESPN. Finished career at Kailua with 22 touchdowns and over 1,700 yards … Also played basketball, helping the Surfriders reach the state playoffs.
PERSONAL: Cameron Kamalani Friel was born in Honolulu … The son of Joey Milinanea Friel and William Makanui Friel III … Has six older siblings, Colson, Corey, Calen, Ctiare, Sydnee and Shayden and three younger siblings, Kalei, Keahi and Makanui … Older brother Calen played football at the University of Hawai’i, cousin Kala Friel played at Utah and cousin Kaneakua Friel played at BYU ... Earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in May 2024 and is pursuing his graduate certificate in Intercollegiate Sports Management.
