MILTON, Mass. – The news of former Assistant Football Coach Mosi Tatupu’s death at age 54 has hit the Curry College community particularly hard. “As we all know, Mosi was just the best guy you would ever want to be around,” said Head Football Coach Skip Bandini.

“Very devastated” is how both Bandini and Curry Athletic Director Vinnie Eruzione described the reaction around the Milton campus upon hearing the news. “We have truly lost one of the great ones,” said Eruzione. “Mosi, who was a vital part of the recent success of our football program was a true friend to everyone that he touched. His smile and positive attitude were contagious.”

Tatupu was an assistant football coach for the Colonels from 2002-2007. He joined the staff of former Curry Head Coach and former New England Patriots teammate Steve Nelson in 2002 as running backs coach. In 2004, he added special teams to his coaching responsibilities.

Nelson departed after the 2005 season, but Tatupu stayed on to coach under Bandini for two more seasons. During his time at Curry, the football program won five New England Football Conference (NEFC) championships (2003-2007) and made five NCAA Division III Tournament appearances. Even though he gave up the official title of assistant coach after the 2007 campaign, Tatupu remained intimately involved in Colonels’ football, attending both practices and games, and speaking with student-athletes when time allowed.

“The Curry College Athletic Department and the entire football program will miss him dearly,” said Eruzione, “and we ask that everyone please keep Mosi and his family in their prayers.”

MasterSports, a charitable organization founded by Bandini that provides memorial scholarships to student-athletes, plans to create a scholarship in Tatupu’s honor.