HONOLULU - University of Hawai`i softball player Kate Robinson and football player Colt Brennan were the recipients of the 2008 Jack Bonham Award winners in recognition of their outstanding performances on and off the playing field. The announcement was made Tuesday night at the annual Scholar-Athlete Dinner 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."

One of the most popular student-athletes in recent history, Colt Brennan worked as hard as any student-athlete on and off the playing field. Brennan maintained a 3.12 grade point average over his three years at the UH, while becoming one of the most cherished people in the state and represented the University of Hawai`i on the national level.

Brennan set or tied 31 NCAA records, was a Heisman Trophy finalist, was an All-American and led the Warriors to their best season in school history. But with all his accomplishments, Brennan continued to work just as hard off the field, in the classroom and representing the school publicly.

Brennan attended numerous speaking and public engagements, not to mention autograph sessions and national media requests, handling himself like a professional, making the state proud.

He was a team captain, the Western Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, four-time national Player of the Week and broke or tied 11 NCAA, 17 school and eight WAC records his senior season.

Senior Kate Robinson has helped the UH softball team reach new heights in her time on the Manoa campus. Robinson is on the Top 50 Watch List for the National Player of the Year and was named the WAC Preseason Player of the Year.

So far this season she has been named the WAC Pitcher of the Week and Hitter of the Week, to three All-Tournament Teams, and all while carrying an overall 2.97 grade point average. She was named a scholar-athlete in 2006 and had a 3.48 GPA in fall 2007.

Robinson is the all-time home runs leader at UH and led the Rainbow Wahine into the Super Regionals of the NCAA Tournament last season, the best finish in UH history. Robinson has performed clinics at Hickham Air Force Base and UH, and was a volunteer coach.

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.

Previous Bonham Award Winners
2007
Mark Rodrigues, baseball
Kanoe Kamana'o, volleyball, Brittany Grice, basketball

2006
Alfred Reft, volleyball
Allie Rowe, golf

2005
Chad Owens, football
Jennifer Warnock, sailing

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
No men's recipient
Susan McDaniel, diving

1986
Michael Beazley, football
Susan Hlavenka, volleyball

1985
Joe Lileikis, swimming
Andrea Hawcridge, swimming

1984
No men's recipient
Rose Thomas, tennis

1983
Larry Goeas, football
Joy Minaai, tennis

1982
Brandan Kop, golf
Gillian Cooper, tennis

1981
Blane Gaison, football
No women's recipient

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-