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
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 letter-winner, 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 Common-wealth 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.
