HONOLULU - University of Hawai`i football coach June Jones announced the 2006 team awards Sunday night at the annual awards banquet, sponsored by Na Koa, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.
Wide receiver and special teams player Ross Dickerson (5-10, 198, Sr., Waipahu, O`ahu) took home the Alec Waterhouse Most Valuable Player Award, offensive lineman Tala Esera (6-4, 308, Sr., Hau`ula, O`ahu) received the Ben Yee Most Inspirational Award, while offensive lineman Dane Uperesa (6-4, 310, Sr., Hau`ula, O`ahu) garnered the Scholar-Athlete Award.
Dickerson, who red shirted his first season with the Warriors in 2002, has played in 49 games in his career. In 2006, he has caught more than 54 passes for 726 yards with seven touchdowns. On special teams, he is averaging more than 26 yards per return with one touchdown for 100 yards.
Both Esera and Uperesa have anchored the offensive line of the most potent offense in the NCAA Division I this season, which averaged more than 47 points a game. Both linemen started all 13 games this season up front and have been awarded team game balls throughout the season for their individual game performances.
The Captains Awards went to Samson Satele (6-3, 298, Sr., Kane`ohe, Oahu) on offense, safety Leonard Peters (6-1, 211, Sr., La`ie, O`ahu) on defense, and Mike Malala (6-2, 209, Sr., Honolulu, O`ahu) on special teams.
Satele, who started all 13 games at center this season, played most of his career on the offensive line at guard. He started 52 straight games for the Warriors on the line in his career.
Peters, who was awarded a sixth-year after injuring his knee in the opening game of 2005 against USC, has made nearly 300 tackles, 24 pass break ups, and seven interceptions in his career.
Malala made the most of his senior season. He played mainly on special teams but did play quite a bit in the UH secondary making 14 tackles, two pass break ups, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.
Warrior Club Awards went to running back Nate Ilaoa (5-9, 254, Sr., Stafford, VA) and quarterback Colt Brennan (6-3, 196, Jr., Irvine, CA) on offense, defensive ends Melila Purcell (6-5, 276, Sr., Pago Pago, American Samoa) and Ikaika Alama-Francis (6-6, 285, Sr., Kane`ohe, O`ahu) on defense, and linebacker Timo Paepule (6-2, 255, Jr., Kane`ohe, Oahu) on special teams.
Ilaoa, who started 12 games, led the Warriors in rushing with nearly 900 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also made with 63 catches for nearly 800 yards out of the backfield. He topped the team in all-purpose yards averaging 139.5 yards per game.
Brennan, a junior, started 13 games at quarterback and topped not only the Western Athletic Conference in almost every offensive passing stat, but led the NCAA in passing efficiency, total offense, passing yards, points responsible for, TDs, breaking numerous records including tossing 53 scoring strikes - two shy of another NCAA mark.
Purcell, a senior, started all 13 games at defensive end and finished fourth on the team with 54 tackles, a team-high 7.5 sacks (-29), a team-high 13.5 tackles-for-loss (-37), and 12 quarterback hurries.
Alama-Francis, a senior, started 12 games at defensive end and finished sixth in tackles with 36, three sacks (-27), nine tackles-for-loss (-50), and 14 quarterback hurries.
Paepule, a junior, played in 12 games at both linebacker and special teams. He made 15 tackles on the year, including one for a loss.
Scout Team Awards were handed out to quarterback William Brogan (6-1, 199, Fr., Ponte Vedra Beach, FL) on offense, Ryan Perry (5-9, 175, Jr., Charlotte, NC) on defense, and running back Jayson Rego (5-9, 198, Fr., Wailuku, Maui) on special teams.
Captains Award
Offense: Samson Satele
Defense: Leonard Peters
Special Teams: Mike Malala
Warrior Club
Offense: Colt Brennan & Nate Ilaoa
Defense: Ikaika Alama-Francis & Melila Purcell
Special Teams: Timo Paepule
Scout Team
Offense: William Brogan
Defense: Ryan Perry
Special Teams: Jayson Rego
Ben Yee Most Inspirational Award: Tala Esera
Scholar-Athlete Award: Dane Uperesa
Alec Waterhouse Most Valuable Player Award: Ross Dickerson
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