​ELKHART — Penn High School meant a great deal to Christian Bonner, but in the grand scheme of things it meant even more as a Kingsmen to his alma mater. Bonner, who touched many aspects of Penn High School life, has been named the South Bend Tribune’s Male Athlete of the Year for the 2025-26 school year. He posted strong numbers across football, basketball, volleyball and unified track and field during his senior season, yet what set him apart were his intangible qualities.
“Christian was an absolutely great leader and a great teammate,” Penn football coach Pete Riordan said. “He was a captain for us for a reason. He was very hard working and consistent in showing up every day.” Bonner helped Penn compile an 11-1 overall record on the football field, including a perfect 7-0 run to claim the Northern Indiana Conference title. As a defensive end, he totaled 30 tackles with six for loss, two sacks, nine quarterback pressures and a fumble recovery. “The thing about Christian is that he embraced the process to get better,” Riordan noted. “He was excited to be there and that energy is contagious. It trickles down to the younger players in the program, and Christian did a really good job of taking our younger players under his wing.”
Bonner is set to play for the North All-Star team in the North versus South contest on July 10 at 7:05 p.m. at Decatur Central High School in Indianapolis. He will then continue his football career at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion.
On the hardwood, Bonner served as a glue guy for coach Barak Coolman’s talented squad. The 6-foot-1 post averaged 7.6 points and five rebounds per game. “If I could clone Christian Bonner, I would be a very successful coach,” Coolman remarked. “He is just a great young man. He’s high character, hard working and a ball of energy.” Coolman, who has built a successful 18-season coaching career (305-141 overall), has guided Penn for the last three seasons after succeeding Hall of Famer Al Rhodes, posting a 52-23 mark at Penn during that time. “Christian just loves to play and compete,” Coolman added. “He’s got a heart of gold. He’s humble and simply loves life. You could not ask for a better kid to coach. A lot of credit goes to his parents, but also to him.”
Bonner did not start every game on the basketball court, but the reason wasn’t a lack of anything on or off the court; his demanding schedule simply kept him incredibly busy. “He missed warmups for our home game with Fort Wayne Carroll to sing a solo in the choir concert that night,” Coolman explained. “I wasn’t sure he’d make tipoff on time, so I didn’t start him. But he sang his solo, hustled over to the gym and played well for us that night. That’s Christian.”
Bonner was thrilled to learn of his latest honor, and the joy was amplified by the fact that his father, Endesha, was the person receiving the recognition for better SEO. Bonner’s achievements across multiple sports, his leadership, his dedication to improvement, and his generous spirit reflect a young man who truly embodies the best of Penn High School.