HONOLULU - University of Hawai`i women's sailor Jennifer Warnock and football player Chad Owens were named the 2005 Jack Bonham Award winners in recognition for their outstanding performances on and off the playing field. The announcement was made this morning at the annual Scholar-Athlete Breakfast at the Stan Sheriff Center.
The award is given annually to the top male and female senior student-athlete who "best exemplifies the ideals for which Jack Bonham stood for in the areas of athletic excellence, academic achievement, public service, leadership and character."
Warnock, four-year letterwinner, was a five-time All-American for the nationally ranked Rainbow Wahine sailing team. As a freshman, she was a member of the 2001 Women's National Championship team and last season helped the coed squad capture the 2004 Coed Dinghy National Championship. The San Diego, Calif., native also helped UH to a string of four straight appearances in the Women's, Team Racing, and Dinghy national championships. She currently owns a 3.1 grade point average in elementary education.
Owens, a standout wide receiver/return specialist for the Warrior football team, was recently selected in the sixth round of the NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Honolulu native, is the school's career leader in all-purpose yards (5,461), receptions (239), and punt return yards (1,014), and owns 14 school and two national records. As a senior, he received the Mosi Tatupu Award, given to the country's top special teams player, and was selected as an Associated Press second team All-American. He was also a member of three Hawai`i Bowl teams as well as the postseason East/West Shrine Game and Hula Bowl. Owens carries a 2.93 grade point average in sociology.
Considered the most prestigious award in UH athletics, the Jack Bonham Award is named for the late assistant athletics director who was killed in 1974 in a plane crash in America Samoa. Bonham was returning to the islands from New Zealand where he was on a recruiting trip at the British Commonwealth Games.
In addition, UH honored 149 scholar-athletes during the event, which attracted not only the student-athletes, but professors, academic staff, athletic staff, and coaches.
To qualify, each student-athlete must have earned at least a 3.0 grade point average and lettered during the 2004-05 season. For student-athletes who attended UH for one semester (freshman and transfer students), each qualified with a grade point average of 3.50 or higher. For athletes who completed more than one semester at UH, each qualified with a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher or a two semester GPA of 3.00 or higher.
A total of 58 student-athletes earned GPAs of 3.5 or higher during the Spring 2004 semester and 17 had perfect 4.0 GPAs.
The following is a list of scholar-athletes who earned top team honors.
Top Team Scholar-Athletes
Baseball: Richard Olsen
Men's Basketball: Bobby Nash
Women's Basketball: Trisha Nishimoto
Cheerleading: Justin Davis
Cross Country: Sharlene Carillo
Football: Kenny Patton
Men's Golf: None
Women's Golf: Dale Gammie
Sailing: Maria Wong
Soccer: Joelle Sugai
Softball: Tracie Uchima
Men's Swimming & Diving: Andrew Affleck
Women's Swimming & Diving: Katie Clewett
Men's Tennis: Bryon Weinberg
Women's Tennis: Kimberly Curtis
Track & Field: Patricia Gauthier
Men's Volleyball: Matt Carere
Women's Volleyball: Melody Eckmier
Water Polo: Colleen Schiman
Previous Bonham Award Winners
2004 Michael Kuebler (basketball), Melissa Villaroman (volleyball)
2003 Costas Theocharidis (volleyball), Kate Judd (softball)
2002 Predrag Savovic (basketball), Molly O'Bryan (sailing)
2001 Nerijus Puida (basketball), Andrea Nishioka (water polo)
2000 Dan Robinson (football), Raylene Howard (basketball)
1999 Michael Dartt (baseball), B.J. Itoman (basketball)
1998 Naveh Milo (volleyball), Nani Cockett (basketball)
1997 Carlton Oswalt (football), Angelica Ljungquist (volleyball)
1996 Clint Kuboyama (football), Tania Brunton (basketball)
1995 Jason Olive (volleyball), Brandi Brooks (volleyball)
1994 Jarinn Akana (basketball), Melanie Azama (basketball)
1993 Travis Sims (football), Daniele Haia (softball)
1992 Shawn Ching (football), Heidi McElhanney (swimming)
1991 Dane McArthur (football), Patti Su`a (softball)
1990 Jeff Ball (baseball), Judy Mosley (basketball)
1989 Amosa Amosa (football), Sandra Budd (swimming)
1988 Guy Farrow (swimming), Reydan Ahuna (volleyball)
1987 None, Susan McDaniel (diving)
1986 Michael Beazley (football), Susan Hlavenka (volleyball)
1985 Joe Lileikis (swimming), Andrea Hawcridge (swimming)
1984 None, Rose Thomas (tennis)
1983 Larry Goeas (football), Joy Minaai (tennis)
1982 Brandan Kop (golf), Gillian Cooper (tennis)
1981 Blane Gaison (football), None
1980 Dean Dunn-Rankin (tennis), Bonnie Gouveia (volleyball)
1979 Ron Nomura (baseball), Jane Zukaitis (tennis)
1978 Harris Matsushima (football)
1977 Gerald Ako (baseball); Alex Kaloi (football)
1976 Marilyn Moniz (women's volleyball)
1975 Gene Caranza (men's gymnastics)
1974 Joey Estrella (baseball)
Note: Only one award given the first five years
-uh-
