2023-24
Cuesta Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year
DANTE IANORA
In 2003 the Cuesta Athletic Department instituted its first true Athlete of the Year Award. The coaching staff was encouraged to nominate their best athlete and a committee was created to weigh performance athletic as the highest criteria. Today Cuesta announced its Outstanding Athletes of the Year for the twenty-second time. The 2023-24 Cuesta Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year is Star Poloist Dante Ianora (Water Polo)
2023 Western State Conference (WSC) Player of the Year Dante Ianora (Walnut Creek-Pict) stepped into a lead role in his third season at Cuesta College and evolved into the State's single most dominant offensive player, while leading his team through a crisis and into the CCCAA State Final Four. Dante's career at Cuesta started slowly. He Redshirted as a true freshman in 2021 and did not see any action until coming off the bench in 2022. He scored 34 goals in 2022 but was not one of the 11 Cuesta players to earn all-Conference honors for a team that finished 4th at the CCCAA State Championships. This year, Dante stepped forward to lead the Cougars in and out of the tank, while establishing himself in as the most dominant player in the State.
Ianora entered his 2023 campaign in top form and with his size and strength he demanded a double-team. His 115 goals were 5th in the State and rank 4th all time at Cuesta, as the most goals by a Cuesta player since former Yugoslavian National Team Star Todor Prlainovic scored 120 in 1990. He also drew a team-high 77 fouls, which placed him 2nd in the State and 3rd all time at Cuesta. Dante ended his time in San Luis Obispo ranked 12th on the Cougars' career scoring list (149 goals) and tied at 4th for Fouls Drawn during his career (122). Additionally, Dante, along with WSC Player of the Year Honors, was also named to both the CCCAA All Regional and All American First Teams, while finishing among the finalists for CCCAA State Player of the Year.
Out of the water, Dante joined fellow All American Jake Burns as the only sophomores on a team, and they had to overcome the pre-season retirement of reigning CCCAA Water Polo Coach of the Year John Marsh. Dante helped guide a young team in and out of the water and was consulted by the college's athletic staff on how to keep the college's most successful program alive. Dante and his fellow program veteran were consulted about what tournaments to attend, home tournament schedules, desk assignments and joined with the remaining assistant coaches for planning training and practices. The Cougars opened the season with a Merced Tournament title but then went three weeks without a game. Dante kept true to the course, while some players lost heart and defected, before handing a 6-3 record to the program's third coach since 1979: Greg Enloe. Dante was at last free to just play the game, while Enloe, the eventual 2024 Cuesta Coach of the Year, took over and led the team back to the playoffs for the 45th straight season. In route to the playoffs, the Cougars also nabbed the program's 31st conference title; and their third straight. Dante also led the Cougars to 3rd place at the CCCAA State Championships, which tied for the program's best finish since posting back-to-back Silvers in 1989 and 1990.
Dante is one of Cuesta Athletics' greatest success stories. He began his time as Redshirt, before earning a spot as a reserve, and then developing into an All American and a finalist for CCCAA Player of the Year. Out of the water, he demonstrated his leadership and sportsmanship with his support of all of Cuesta's teams. He often helped with the women's polo program's tournaments and was a familiar face in the stands when the Cougars' basketball and volleyball teams competed. Dante is also a four-time all-WSC Academic team member and plans to return to the Bay Area next year to play water polo for UC Berkeley.
Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year
2003 David Lamar, Carpinteria, CA (Baseball)
2004 Kevin Bradley, Long Beach, CA (Water Polo)
2005 Mike Brown, Davis, CA (Baseball)
2006 Jeff Chaney, Arroyo Grande, CA (Water Polo)
2007 Michael Williams, Sutter Creek, CA (Wrestling)
2008 Quentin Cate, Cambria, CA (Baseball)
2009 Tom Schumacher, Dudelange, LUX (Basketball)
2010 Roger Guardia, Matadepera, ESP (Basketball)
2011 Eric Marsh, Arroyo Grande, CA (Water Polo)
2012 Malte Kramer, Freiburg, DEU (Basketball)
2013 Brady Moore, Santa Barbara, CA (Water Polo)
2014 Georan Meendering, Visalia, CA (Swimming)
2015 Connor Fisher, Lake Isabella, CA (Cross Country, Track)
2016 Brendan Jenkins, Pleasanton, CA (Baseball)
2017 Sean McDermott, Kings Beach, CA (Cross Country)
2018 Andrew Navigato, Riverside, CA (Baseball)
2019 Joshua Wilson-Murry, San Luis Obispo, CA (Basketball)
2020 Jack Felsted, Visalia, CA (Water Polo)
2021 Lucas Esenwein, Morro Bay, CA (Swimming)
2022 Gabriel Katches, Paso Robles, CA (Track & Field)
2023 Zachary Tallerman, Berkeley, CA (Baseball)
2024 DANTE IANORA, Walnut Creek, CA (Water Polo)
