In recognition of outstanding performance on and off the playing field, women's basketball player BJ Itoman and baseball player Michael Dartt were recognized as 1999 Jack Bonham Award winners. The announcement was made at the annual Scholar-Athlete Breakfast this morning held at the Stan Sheriff Center.

In four years as a letterwinner with the Wahine basketball program, Itoman has excelled in the classroom, posting a 3.78 cumulative grade point average, and on the basketball court, becoming the school's all-time assist leader. She is an exercise science major with a minor in math and will graduate with honors this May. Itoman was a three-year starter for the Wahine and gained numerous accolades including; all-WAC and all-WAC Defensive Team (1996-97, '97-98, '98-99), Big West all-freshman team (1995-96), Honolulu Quarterback Club Adult Female Athlete-of-the-Year (1998), and Arthur Ashe Award recipient (1998). She highlighted her senior season with another Academic All-WAC distinction, her third straight, and received recognition on the prestigious GTE Academic All-America team.

According to head coach Vince Goo, “BJ has raised the standards for the definition of work ethic for all student-athletes at the University of Hawai'i.”

Dartt is a four-year letterwinner who has made a tremendous impact on the baseball program. The two-time WAC Scholar Athlete currently holds a 3.48 GPA and plans to graduate this year with a degree in secondary math education. This season alone, Dartt has set three individual game records (most errors in inning, most hits and most runs), tied single game record (most at-bats) and single season record (most sacrifice bunts) and is the new career leader for sacrifice bunts. He is also made a presence in the community, attending numerous clinics and opening ceremonies for Oahu's little leagues. The Lilburn, Ga. native is an Academic All-America nominee this season.

“His leadership is exemplified by the fact that he was elected a co-captain,” head coach Les Murakami said.

Other nominees included Kamuela Cobb-Adams (Football), Leah Karratti (Women's Volleyball) and Kelly Gentle (Softball).

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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