University of Hawai'i slotback Davone Bess yesterday was named to the 2005 Scripps Freshman All-America football team.

Last month, The Sporting News and Rivals.com selected Bess to their Freshman All-America teams. But the Scripps team — picked by the Football Writers Association of America — is the most prestigious.

"I'm very thankful," Bess said. "I'm happy and excited. I give all of the credit to my teammates and coaches. Without them, it wouldn't happen."

Bess led the Western Athletic Conference and was fifth nationally with 7.42 catches per game. He finished with 89 receptions for 1,124 yards and 14 touchdowns.

"He had a dang good year," UH receivers coach Ron Lee said. "And he's going to get better."

Bess said he was bothered by glute and leg injuries the entire season. "I was at 85 percent because of injuries and because this was my first time in this offense," Bess said. "I didn't have a full understanding of the offense until late in the year. As the season went on, I felt a lot more comfortable."

Bess, who spent the winter break at his home in Oakland, returns to Hawai'i this weekend. He will be reunited with his roommate, slotback Jason Ferguson, who missed nearly the entire 2005 season because of a stretched anterior cruciate ligament and broken femur in his right leg.

Ferguson said he will resume running in two weeks. Although he is expected to miss spring practice, he insisted, "I'll definitely be ready for fall camp. I'm coming back hungry. I'm going to compete to play. I'm trying to be in the rotation."

PRINCE AT SPEED CLINIC

Former UH Rainbow Wahine volleyball player Victoria Prince will be the guest instructor at the Hawai'i Speed and Quickness clinics Saturday and Sunday at the UH athletic complex. Sessions are 8:30-10 a.m. (ages 7-12) and 10:30 a.m.-noon (13 and older). Each session is $10. For details, call 739-5444.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.