HONOLULU – At the University of Hawaiʻi's annual "H Awards" on Monday night, women's soccer player Raisa Strom-Okimoto and men's volleyball player Stijn van Tilburn secured the top honors by being named the 2019 Jack Bonham Award winners.
The Bonham 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."
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.
Strom-Okimoto is a three-time Big West All-Academic honoree as well as a First Team CoSIDA Academic All-District selection. On the field, she grew in her role during her time at UH, beginning as a reserve as a freshman to earning Big West Offensive Player of the Year as a senior in the 2018 season.
The local product from 'Aiea led the conference with 12 goals in 2018 and is the first player in UH history to earn First Team All-Big West honors for three-consecutive seasons. She is on track to graduate in May with a degree in food science and human nutrition and is currently pursuing her dream of playing professional soccer with Utah Royals FC.
"Witnessing the evolution of Raisa as a person and as a player has been one of the most rewarding experiences I've had since I started coaching at UH," women's soccer coach
Michele Nagamine said.
A four-year starter for the top-ranked men's volleyball team, van Tilburg is on track to graduate in May with a degree in economics and a minor on political science. For his work in the classroom, the senior from the Netherlands was an MPSF All-Academic selection in 2017 and a Big West All-Academic pick in 2018.
On the court, van Tilburg has been a dominating force from the time he stepped foot on campus as a freshman. He's a two-time AVCA All-America First Team selection, just the sixth player in UH history to earn multiple first team honors. This season, he currently ranks second in the nation with a .487 hitting percentage and is ninth nationally with 3.97 kills per set.
"Stijn has had one of the best careers in the history of our program and might go down as one of the best student-athletes in the history of the department," men's volleyball coach
Charlie Wade said. "He absolutely has a bright future as a professional ahead of him."
Previous Bonham Award Winners
Male Female
2018 Johnny Weeks, baseball Franziska Weidner, swimming
2017 Kupono Fey, men's volleyball Cole Brauer, sailing
2016 Kacy Johnson, swimming Katie Spieler, beach volleyball
2015 Taylor Averill, volleyball Genevieve Bradley, diving
Shawna-Lei Kuehu, basketball
2014 Davis Rozitis, basketball Emily Hartong, volleyball
2013 Pi'ikea Kitamura, baseball Kelly Majam-Elms, softball,
Stephanie Ricketts, basketball/softball
2012 Matt Sisto, baseball Kanani Danielson, volleyball
2011 Kealoha Pilares, football Emma Friesen, diving
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
Note: Only one award given the first five years
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