Sportswriters Cindy Luis, Ann Miller to be inducted into UH Circle of Honor
GEORGE F. LEE / SEPT. 2, 2022
Ann Miller, left, and Cindy Luis, then-Honolulu Star-Advertiser sportswriters, stand next to the statute of Donnis Thompson, a former University of Hawaii athletic director, at the Stan Sheriff Center in 2022. The two will be inducted into UH Circle of Honor on May 5.
Cindy Luis and Ann Miller, two of the finest sportswriters Hawaii has ever seen, will become members of the University of Hawaii’s Circle of Honor.
Luis and Miller were surprised Friday during a blind reveal on Zoom, much like how June Jones was surprised during a Thursday luncheon that was arranged under the guise of a birthday celebration.
Luis and Miller were told by UH assistant media relations director Jason Kaneshiro that they were going to be interviewed for a story.
Legendary Wahine volleyball coach Dave Shoji popped onto the screen to make the surprise announcement to the award-winning sports writers.
“Hey Ann and Cindy,” Shoji said. “We’re not interviewing you for a story. Rather, we wanted to take this time to acknowledge your careers and, in particularly, all that you’ve done to promote women’s athletics, especially here at the University of Hawaii. I’ve gotten to know you both for a long time. And I know how hard you have worked. It hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“So I’m honored to welcome you both as our newest members of the UH sports Circle of Honor Class of 2024. I’m so honored to be able to introduce you guys.”
“This is amazing. This is such an honor,” Luis said.
“I didn’t see it coming,” Miller said. “I was kind of surprised. “Cindy handled it really well. She was able to talk (on Zoom) for both us.”
Surprise guests included UH athletic director Craig Angelos and long-time volleyball savant Chris McLachlin.
Luis and Miller will be inducted into the UH Circle of Honor during a May 5 ceremony.
Both journalists had decades-long careers covering Hawaii sports. Miller worked for the Honolulu Advertiser then the Star-Advertiser and retired from full-time sports writing in 2014, while Luis wrote for the Star-Bulletin and the Star-Advertiser and retired in 2020. Both continued to write weekly columns for the Star-Advertiser for several years after retiring.
