In a vivid display of success being found in all sizes and skills, the University of Hawai'i presented men's volleyball player Alfee Reft and women's golfer Allie Rowe with the 2006 Jack Bonham Awards yesterday.

The annual award is given to the school's top senior male and female scholar-athletes. It is named after the former assistant athletic director, who was killed in a 1974 plane crash.

The honorees, both from California, "best exemplify the ideals for which Jack Bonham stood for in the areas of athletic excellence, academic achievement, public service, leadership and character," according to UH.

Rowe is the first female golfer to win the award, which began in 1974. Brandan Kop is the only other golfer to capture it, in 1982.

Reft, an All-America libero last season, is the most diminutive male Bonham winner. He will take his 5-foot-9 frame, and the UH career digs record, to train with the U.S. national team after he graduates May 14.

"This is a reflection of my coaches, teammates, my family — people who have all had influence on me, obviously," Reft said. "It's me being surrounded by wonderful people and trying to emulate that ... uphold that standard. It's a big honor. It leaves me without words. Very, very humbling."

Reft volunteered at his church and as a JV coach for the University Lab School girls team. That experience — "I had a blast" — has him hoping to pursue a masters in English or education and ultimately teach and coach at the college level.

Where he and Rowe found time for volunteering beyond the long hours they clearly dedicated to athletics and academics remains a mystery.

"If you have conviction," Reft said, "you find time for things you feel passionate about. You make 28 hours in a day if you have to."

According to Reft, Rowe's conviction in all areas of her life at UH makes her the "personification" of the Bonham Award.

She represented UH at the 2004 NCAA National Leadership Conference and called it a "life-changing experience." There, with more than 300 student-athletes from across the country, she learned leadership qualities that caused her to come back and create Relay for Life, a UH benefit that raised $110,000 for the American Cancer Society the last two years.

The Rainbow Wahine golf captain, who represents UH on the WAC's Student-Athlete advisory board, will graduate next month in political science. Her high school plan was to become a lawyer, but the NCAA experience now has her enrolled in USF's sports management graduate program.

"I've pretty much dedicated every waking moment my four years here to student-athletes, when I wasn't on the course or in the classroom," Rowe said. "Just trying to make things better."

Rowe said she had few "leadership" qualities in high school, but realized early in her college career that she needed to focus beyond graduation.

The leadership conference helped her zero in on what she felt UH needed in terms of improving the relationship among faculty and student-athletes, athletics and upper campus and the community.

The Bonham Awards were announced at the annual Scholar-Athlete Breakfast at Stan Sheriff Center, with 119 student-athletes honored. To qualify, they achieved a 3.0 grade point average and lettered this school year. Freshmen and transfer students needed a GPA of 3.5 in their one complete semester to qualify.

Meanwhile, 13 UH athletes were honored on National Student-Athlete Day for their academic excellence and community involvement. Volunteer efforts ranged from coaching to work in schools and churches, and with fundraising efforts such as the Hurricane Katrina Relief Collection and Relay for Life.

As an example, basketball player Bobby Nash and football player CJ Tausaga work for six programs outside UH. Volleyball player Cayley Thurlby was Relay for Life's chair of corporate sponsorship and soccer player Emily Rose, who has a 4.0 GPA, was also a co-chair.

Basketball player Brittany Grice, an ASUH senator, raised more than $5,000 alone this year for Relay for Life. Grice will represent UH at the NCAA Leadership Conference this summer. Track athlete Chantelle Laan, also heavily involved outside of athletics at UH, was the 2005 representative.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.