Four former standout student-athletes and a widely beloved broadcast analyst comprised the 40^th induction class of the University of Hawaii Sports Circle of Honor announced this week.

Kelly Majam Elms (softball), Chris McLachlin (volleyball commentary), Chad Owens (football), Kolten Wong (baseball), and the late John Nakamura (baseball, softball assistant coach) and were announced in succession in recent days, with Nakamura the last on Friday.

Elms, McLachlin and Owens were surprised with elaborate ruses — by President Barack Obama in the case of McLachlin, Obama’s old high school coach at Punahou School.

Wong, a Hilo native and Kamehameha-Hawaii graduate, was a three-time first-team All-WAC selection for Mike Trapasso from 2009 to 2011, and led UH to the 2010 WAC tournament title and what remains the program’s most recent NCAA Tournament appearance. His .358 career UH batting average ranks fourth in program history. He was taken by the St. Louis Cardinals 22^nd overall in the 2011 MLB Draft and went on to play 11 seasons for the Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Dodgers. He won National League Gold Gloves in 2019 and 2020.

Majam, a native of Pine Valley, Calif., remains the UH softball team’s career leader in home runs (72), runs (235) and walks (159).. As a freshman center fielder for coach Bob Coolen she led the nation in homers with 30 and helped the Rainbow Wahine advance to the 2010 Women’s College World Series, a breakthrough for the program. She made WAC and Big West first teams three times and started all 232 games UH played from 2010 to 2013. Majam, who married former UH football player and strength coach Josh Elms, is already inducted into the Circle of Honor with the 2010 softball team.

Owens, a Roosevelt High graduate nicknamed “Mighty Mouse,” walked on for coach June Jones in 2000 and employed his innate shiftiness to exit the program as one of its all-time greats as a receiver and return man. The Football Writers Association of America named him a Freshman All-American as a return specialist in breaking NCAA records for his most combined return yards in a game (342) against BYU in 2001 . He set a school record with five punt return touchdowns in 2004. He was taken in the six round of the NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars but found his true calling in the Canadian Football League, where he helped the Toronto Argonauts win the 100^th Grey Cup. Owens, the 2012 CFL Most Outstanding Player, was inducted into the CFL Hall of Fame last year.

Nakamura, a Maui native and Baldwin High graduate, was a staple on UH softball coaching staffs for a quarter-century. The former UH pitcher/outfielder joined Alika Thompson, the first UH softball coach, as a volunteer in 1987. He remained on with Rayla Allison and then Coolen and remained through 2009. The DOE teacher and 1969 state championship-winning baseball coach at Kailua High served as a quiet mentor for players. He died on March 12, 2024 at age 89.

McLachlin, a retired Punahou legend who coached a combined 14 state championship teams in boys volleyball and basketball, has served as a color analyst for UH men’s and women’s volleyball telecasts since 1982. He called games alongside the late UH Circle of Honor inductee Jim Leahey for 30 years on KFVE and most recently has done so with Spectrum Sports next to Leahey’s son Kanoa. He has been on the call for three Rainbow Wahine national championship teams and two Rainbow Warrior NCAA winners.

A total of 133 individuals and 13 teams have been named to the Circle of Honor.

Their official enshrinement will take place at the Green & White Celebration at the Royal Hawaiian Resort on May 18. Seats may be purchased at koaanuenue.org.

Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.