Danielson, Sisto Receive 2012 Jack Bonham Award | News

HONOLULU – University of Hawai‘i women's volleyball player Kanani
Danielson and baseball player Matt Sisto were the recipients of the 2012 Jack
Bonham Award 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."
 
Danielson was a three-time AVCA first-team
All-American and was voted the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year a
record three times. She most recently was awarded the coveted 2011 Lowes Senior
CLASS Award given to one senior in the nation from each sport who excelled in
the areas of community, classroom, character and competition. Danielson, also a
four-time all-WAC selection and member of the WAC All-Decade Team, leaves UH as
the all-time leader in kills and digs. She guided the Rainbow Wahine to the
NCAA Regional three times and to the Final Four in 2009.
 
Off the court, Danielson holds a cumulative
grade point average of 3.5 and was a three-time academic all-WAC
selection. The interdisciplinary studies major is set to earn her bachelor's
degree at the Spring Commencement this May. In addition, Danielson has been an
active member of the Hawai‘i community. She participated in Manoa Makeover and
the Kahana Bay Cleanup, and volunteered for speaking engagements at Habilitat
drug rehabilitation center and numerous elementary and middle schools.
 
"Kanani Danielson truly exemplifies what it
means to be a student-athlete," said head women's volleyball coach Dave Shoji.
"It has been her desire to excel as both an athlete and a person that has made
her so successful. As a team captain her junior and senior seasons, she was a
tremendous leader both on and off the court and her positive influence on her
teammates was invaluable. Our recent team success was in large part due to her
and she will be missed."
 
Sisto, a four-year lettermen for the Rainbows,
has been a four-year starter and the team's No. 1 pitcher for the past two
seasons. Hawai‘i has qualified for postseason play in each of his previous
three seasons, and last year won the WAC Regular Season Title for the first
time in 18 years. In 2010, Sisto guided the ‘Bows to a WAC Tournament title and
to the NCAA Tempe Regional championship game. Sisto has won every postseason
start of his career, and this season surpassed legendary UH pitcher Derek Tatsuno
for seventh all-time in career starts.
 
Sisto currently has a 3.28 cumulative grade
point average and is majoring in finance in the College of Business. He was
also a 2011 WAC All-Academic team selection. "I can think of no better
ambassador to Rainbow baseball that Matt Sisto," lauded head coach Mike
Trapasso. "He is the consummate professional, behaving at all times with
character and integrity. Matt is a tremendous representative of his team and
the University of Hawai‘i and will be very successful in whatever field he
chooses."

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
 
              
Male                    
                     
                 
Female
2011       Kealoha
Pilares,
football                   
           Emma Friesen, swimming
2010       Andreas
"Andy" Weber, tennis                
    Aneli Cubi-Otineru, volleyball
2009       Solomon
Elimimian, football                
        Annett Wichmann, track and field
2008       Colt
Brennan, football                
                  Kate
Robinson, softball
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       None
                     
                     
       
        Susan McDaniel, diving
1986       Michael
Beazley, football                
             Susan Hlavenka, volleyball
1985       Joe
Lileikis, swimming                
                Andrea Hawcridge,
swimming
1984       None
                     
                     
       
        Rose Thomas, tennis
1983       Larry
Goeas, football                  
                 Joy Minaai,
tennis
1982       Brandan
Kop, golf                    
                   Gillian
Cooper, tennis
1981       Blane
Gaison,
football                       
          None
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