Kicker Pac-10 bound

Throughout the entire spring evaluation process coaches have been flocking to Colton, Calif., to check out the slew of prospects there. Most schools came in originally to check out defensive backs Derrick Malone and Jonathan Mack. But in the end most schools end up falling in love with kicker Alejandro Maldonado.

One school feel in love with him enough on Wednesday to offer him a scholarship.

It was an offer, he quickly accepted.

Maldonado, who is widely regarded as one of the best kickers in the West, received an offer from Washington after practice Wednesday afternoon. He then talked it over with his family and coaches and quickly decided to make a soft commitment to UDub.

"I've committed to Washington," Maldonado, who is 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, said. "I was working on my kicking today and two Washington coaches were there. There were other schools there, too, like Nebraska. Obviously, I couldn't talk to the coaches because it's against the rules, but they told my coach they liked what they saw.

"My kickoffs were really good, and I was nailing field goals. I nailed a 55-yarder and a 60-yarder. I only missed one all practice and ended up going 19 out of 20. I was also kicking off the ground, instead of off a tee."

Maldonado said the offer was something he's been coveting for a long time. After the Husky coaches talked it over with coach Steve Sarkisian on the phone, the offer was made through his coach.

"I accepted it right away," he said. "It feels really good. It was my first one. I told my mom and dad about it, and everybody is really excited. I would say I'm a soft commitment, but I was told that I could come in there right and be their starting kicker right away.

"So I'm going to try to find out if I can graduate early and get up there. I don't know how serious the other schools were looking at me, but they seemed interested. Nebraska was there today, so was Fresno State. Air Force, Iowa State and Oregon have all been looking at me, too.

Maldonado has learned a lot about the UDub program here in the past and likes the direction the program is going under Sarkisian.

"I know that coach Sarkisian had a lot of success at USC, and he's going to bring that up to Washington," he said. "I also know they signed Chris Polk from REV a while back. It rains a lot up there, but I can kick in the rain. I'm just excited they're giving me this opportunity, and I am happy to commit."