Judd, Theocharidis
win Bonham award
Softball player Kate Judd and All-American volleyball player Costas Theocharidis were named the 2003 Jack Bonham Award winners at the Hawaii Scholar-Athlete Breakfast this morning at the Stan Sheriff Center.
The award, considered the most prestigious in University of Hawaii athletics, is named after the late assistant athletic director who was killed in a 1974 plane crash in America Samoa.
The honor is given annually to the top female and male senior athlete who, according to a Hawaii news release, "best exemplifies the ideals for which Jack Bonham stood for in the areas of athletic excellence, academic achievement, public service, leadership and character."
"I'm extremely surprised," said Judd this morning.
"They're a lot of people I felt could have won this award instead of me."
Judd, a 5-foot-10 shortstop, is a two-time Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year. She started all 55 games for the 37-18 Rainbow Wahine, batting .321 with four homers.
The native of Canberra, Australia, has also earned NFCA, WAC and UH scholar-athlete honors, while compiling a 3.13 grade-point average.
Theocharidis, on the other hand, ended a brilliant year for the Warriors after he was named the AVCA National Player of the Year this past season, his second such award in his illustrious career.
In addition, the 6-3 outside hitter from Orestiada, Greece, won Player of the Year honors in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and became the first ever UH men's player to earn All-America first-team honors for four years.
Theocharidis was a model student as well.
He had a 3.71 GPA and was named to the Verizon Academic All-America team.
"Costas did an excellent job each day of improving as a student, athlete and person," said Hawaii men's volleyball coach Mike Wilton at the breakfast this morning.
Judd and Theocharidis join a list of Bonham Award winners that include, to name a few, basketball players Predrag Savovic (2002), Nerijus Puida (2001), Raylene Howard (2001), B.J. Itoman (1999) and Nani Cockett (1998), sailor Molly O'Bryan (2002), water polo player Andrea Nishioka (2001), volleyball players Naveh Milo (1998) and Angelica Ljungquist (1997) and football players Carlton Oswalt (1997) and Clint Kuboyama (1996).
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