Colt Brennan, the smiling face of University Hawai'i athletics the last two years, and Kate Robinson, the arm and bat for the nationally ranked Rainbow Wahine softball team, were named winners of the Jack Bonham Award last night at Stan Sheriff Center.

The award began in 1974 to honor the late assistant athletic director. It is given annually to the top female and male senior student-athlete who "best exemplifies the ideals for which Jack Bonham stood in the areas of athletic excellence, academic achievement, public service, leadership and character."

The announcement came at the Scholar-Athlete Dinner, which honored 162 student-athletes who earned a grade point average of at least 3.0 this school year. That was 27 more than last year and included Tara Hittle twice — in volleyball and basketball, earning top team scholar-athlete for basketball.

Jessica Keefe was the top scholar-athlete for Rainbow Wahine volleyball. She was one of five student-athletes getting top team honors a second straight year, with Annett Wichmann (track & field), Cody Pewarchuk (men's golf), Julie Franklin (softball) and Jaime Aoki (water polo).

UH football coach Greg McMackin accepted Brennan's award. The Heisman Trophy finalist is on the Mainland after getting drafted in the sixth round by the Washington Redskins.

McMackin, who worked with Washington head coach Jim Zorn at Seattle, has no fear about the future of his former quarterback. Brennan graduated in December — an accomplishment McMackin emphasized was "a big deal to him" — after "lighting the fire" to lift the Warriors to a perfect regular season and into the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

"Jim Zorn was a left-handed guy who wasn't supposed to play for Seattle and he and Colt are a lot alike," McMackin said. "Nobody thinks Colt can make it but I know he's their third quarterback and they're taking three and he will be able to coach him. ... It's a perfect fit.

"It's a lot like Tom Brady. Lots of times you just have to get in the right situation. People are disappointed because he went so low (in the draft), but I'm excited for him because he's in a situation where he's going to be successful."

Brennan left Manoa with 31 NCAA records, including career touchdown passes (131), after three seasons. His impact went much deeper into the community, where he won over Hawai'i fans as much for his devotion and demeanor as his football exploits.

Robinson, a 2004 Kamehameha Schools graduate, is still creating her legacy in a sport that succeeds under the radar, which perfectly fits her quiet personality.

She was named to two All-America teams in 2007 and was WAC Pitcher of the Year as UH concluded its finest season in the NCAA Super Regionals. As a senior, she leads UH in seven offensive categories and broke Olympian Stacey Porter's career home run record. She is also 14-6 as a pitcher, with a 1.90 earned run average and eight shutouts.

Robinson, whose sister Sarah will play for UH next season, said that if she could go back to the beginning of her collegiate career she would start with the attitude it has taken her two years to create.

"I wish I knew, as far as softball, that I could do it," she said. "My first years I didn't play a lot. It takes a certain amount of self-confidence to compete and not get down on yourself."

Robinson has clearly found something special the last two years. She knows it has to do with much more than softball.

"It's like ... finding out who I really am," she said. "Coming into college you kind of wander around, not really knowing who you are. Being on my own, I learned things about myself, how not to limit my capabilities."

In February, Robinson was picked 11th overall by the Akron Racers, in the National Pro Fastpitch draft. She plans to play this summer before returning to finish her degree in business. She is also one of 25 finalists for the 2008 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award.

The fall semester grade point average for all student-athletes was 2.93, a slight increase from the previous semester. The women's golf team had the highest team GPA — 3.32.