HONOLULU - University of Hawai`i football coach June Jones announced the 2003 team awards Sunday night at the annual awards banquet, sponsored by Na Koa, at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel. Defensive end Travis LaBoy (6-4, 254, Sr., San Rafael, CA) took home the Alec Waterhouse Most Valuable Player Award, defensive tackle Lance Samuseva (6-0, 309, Sr., Waianae, Oahu) received the Ben Yee Most Inspirational Award for the second straight year, while safety David Gilmore (6-1, 197, Sr., Albuquerque, NM) garnered the Scholar-Athlete Award.

LaBoy started 11 games and led the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) averaging 1.00 sacks and 1.64 tackles-for-loss per game. He finished the regular season with a team-high 13 sacks and 22 tackles-for-loss. The transfer from Utah State finished first among defensive linemen with 76 tackles (56 solo), fourth on the team. He also led the Warriors with 16 quarterback hurries, had two interceptions in his last two games, and recorded at least one sack in his last six games.

Samuseva, the team's unsung hero, played through injury and never missed a practice or game while finishing the regular season with 43 tackles, six tackles-for-loss (-12), two sacks (-7), a safety and one quarterback hurry.

Gilmore saw time in every game on special teams and started the last seven at free safety. He finished the season with 56 tackles (31 solo), three for-a-loss (-12), two sacks (-10), and three interceptions. The two-time Verizon Academic all-district honoree maintained a cumulative grade point average 3.51 and began his UH career as a walk-on.

The Captains Awards went to wide receiver Jeremiah Cockheran (6-0, 190, Sr, Fontana, CA) on offense, safety Hyrum Peters (5-8, 190, Sr., Laie, Oahu) on defense, and gunner Omega Hogan (5-7, 159, So., Houston, TX) on special teams.

Cockheran finished the regular season with 56 catches for 835 yards and nine TDs. He caught for 100-yards in four games in 2003, including a two-game streak twice, compiled a career-high 10 receptions at USC on Sept. 13, 2003, and was named WAC Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 1, 2003) for his performance against Appalachian State (Aug. 30, 2003). The team co-captain caught a pass in 19 straight games.

Peters, second on the team with 88 total tackles (65 solo), led all defensive backs with five tackles-for-loss (-38) and three sacks (-34). The 2002 first-team all-WAC pick also led the team with 10 PBUs.

Hogan served as the gunner on punts and kickoffs and compiled 11 tackles.

Warrior Club Awards went out to guard Samson Satele (6-3, 289, Fr., Kaneohe, Oahu) on offense, linebacker Ikaika Curnan (5-11, 218, So., Kealia, Kauai) on defense and punter Kurt Milne (6-0, 204, Fr., Roswell, GA) on special teams.

Satele, started all 12 games and led all Warriors with more than 40 knockdowns. The redshirt freshman did not given up a sack all year in 707 pass attempts and compiled a career-high nine knowckdowns at Louisiana Tech on Oct. 18, 2003.

Curnan led the Warriors with 112 tackles (68 solo), including 10.5 tackles-for-loss (-40) and four sacks (-24). He also finished seventh in the WAC averaging 8.6 tackles per game and had five quarterback hurries.

Milne started all 13 games at punter and finished sixth in the WAC with a 39.6 average. The redshirt freshman was named WAC special teams player of the week (Dec. 1) for averaging 42.5 yards per punt and pinning six of his eight punts inside the 20-yard line against Alabama.

Scout Team Awards were handed out to running back Doug Wylie (6-0, 196, Fr., Granite Bay, CA) on offense, linebacker Laiana Wong (5-10, 222, So., Honolulu) on defense and Rustin Saole (5-11, 215, Fr., Waipahu, Oahu) on special teams.

Captains Award
Offense: Jeremiah Cockheran
Defense: Hyrum Peters
Special Teams: Omega Hogan

Warrior Club
Offense: Samson Satele
Defense: Ikaika Curnan
Special Teams: Kurt Milne

Scout Team
Offense: Doug Wylie
Defense: Laiana Wong
Special Teams: Rustin Saole

Ben Yee Most Inspirational Award: Lance Samuseva

Scholar-Athlete Award: David Gilmore

Alec Waterhouse Most Valuable Player Award: Travis LaBoy

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