University of Hawai'i Wahine water polo player Andrea Nishioka and basketball player Nerijus Puida were named the 2001 Jack Bonham Award winners in recognition for their outstanding performances on and off the playing field.
The announcement was made today at the annual Scholar-Athlete Breakfast at the Stan Sheriff Center. Both players helped their respective teams to winning seasons while compiling outstanding grade point averages and performing public service tasks.
Puida, who started every single game since coming to the university two years ago, helped lead the Rainbow Warriors to the Western Athletic Conference Tournament Championship and just their third-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament as team co-captain. The native of Sakiu Raj, Lithuania, is also a two-time member of the WAC All-Academic Team and was named a District 7 Academic All-American this season. He currently owns a 3.5 GPA in business. Off the court, Puida spoke at local schools and community groups on the importance of education, drug and alcohol prevention, violence prevention and leadership and character development. Last summer he participated in "Work Hawai'i" in which he supervised about 40 youngsters who were learning the necessary skills to be successfully employed.
Nishioka, co-captain of the 22-9 Wahine water polo team, holds a 3.52 GPA and will graduate in May with a degree in Kineseology and Leisure Sciences. She is a three-time member of Mountain Pacific Sports Federation All-Academic Team, a three-time President's Scholar-Athlete and has twice been named an Academic All-American. Nishioka is a member of head coach Shari Smart's first recruiting class and has helped lead the Wahine to a 95-52 record and a top-ten national finish in each of the program's first four seasons. She ends her career among the leaders in numerous categories, including third all-time in assists. The native of Ewa Beach has volunteered at the Manoa Recreation Center and has been instrumental in the development of the water polo community, volunteering her time and expertise at the fledgling age-group and high school levels.
Considered the most prestigious award in the University of Hawai'i athletics, the 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.
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