In 1966, the Cuesta Athletic Booster Club Board of Directors established the George Silveria Student/Athlete Career Award. This award honors and serves as a memorial for George Silveria. George was a graduate of the original San Luis Obispo District Junior College in 1948. He was the captain of the championship football team in 1947, an executive member of the student body, a dedicated student and extensively involved in the community. He was well respected by his teammates, coaches, teachers and peers. He truly exemplified the meaning of student/athlete. George served in World War II and died of Leukemia in 1961.
The award takes into consideration the student/athletes' career as an athlete, their involvement in the college and community, sportsmanship, citizenship, coachability and leadership on and off the field. In a sense, this award exemplifies type of athlete we strive to mold here at Cuesta.
This year's winner is Star Harrier Elle Casselman. Casselman transferred to Cuesta in mid-2023 in time to compete in two full seasons of both track & field and cross country, while earning all-Western State Conference honors and qualifying for the CCCAA State Meet in all four of her full seasons. In addition, Casselman also starred in the classroom as a four-time All-WSC Academic selection. She finished her Cuesta Career with a 3.81 GPA.
Casselman opened her Cuesta career by joining track in 2023. She made an immediate impact by claiming the WSC Title in the 800-meters, before taking 5th at the CCCAA State Championships. She was back in action in the Fall for Cross Country, but she was just as effective out on the rolling hills and diverse terrain as she was in the lanes. Casselman easily ran her way onto the 2003 all-Western State Conference First Team and finished 25th at the CCCAA State Meet to make all-State Second Team.
The Spring of 2024 looked to be her break-out season. She won a conference title in both the 800-meters and 4x400 relay, while earning all-WSC in the 1,500-meters. Unfortunately, two weeks later, she was battling through an injury and, despite reaching the finals, she finished a full five seconds off her season-best time and in 7th place. However, Casselman was still voted as Cuesta's 2024 Athletics Female Athlete of the Year. due to her two-sport dominance.
This past Fall, the reigning Cuesta College Female Athlete of the Year was joined by the 2021 Cuesta Female Athlete of the Year, Madeline Fletcher, to lead the Cougars' harriers. Casselman appeared to be back in form, after leading the Cougars in each of their first three starts, but after a brutal day at the Riverside Open, she finished the season landing on the all-WSC Second Team and earning all-Region Honorable Mention, before finishing her season in 43rd place at the State Meet.
A team leader, an exceptional student, and an elite athlete and a team-leader, Elle Casselman exemplifies the best of Cuesta College Athletics and our choice for the 60th Anniversary of the George Silveria Memorial Award.
Winners Gallery
George Silveria Career Student-Athlete
1966 Ray Sayler (Football, Basketball, Baseball)
1967 Mark Anderson (Cross Country, Track/Field)
1968 Jim Sunderland (Wrestling)
1969 Richard Abney (Football, Wrestling)
1970 Steve Mowrey (Golf)
1971 Larry Ramos (Football, Wrestling)
1972 George Palmer (Wrestling)
1973 Camillo Alarcio (Football, Wrestling)
1974 Paul Kinne (Football, Baseball)
1975 Rusty Kuntz (Football, Basketball, Baseball)
& Dave Rusco (Basketball, Baseball)
1976 Kevin Hunstad (Football, Wrestling)
1977 Randy Roeder (Football, Baseball)
Male Female
1978 Edmund Alarcio (FB, TF) Laura McCarthy (XC, TF)
1979 Shawn Kuhn (MBB, Golf) Celeste Martyn (XC, TF)
1980 Steve Mitchell (MBB, MTF) Catherine Belcher (XC, TF, SB)
1981 Gregg Fambrough (WP, SD) Joanne Cooper (Volleyball)
1982 Tom McKeown (XC, TF) Heidi Hausner (VB, SD)
1983 Matt Armbruster (XC, TF) Karen Canfield (Softball)
1984 Bill Lucia (WP, SD) Toni Venturini (Volleyball)
1985 Sean Chambers (MBB, TF) Kelly Buzza (XC, TF)
1986 Hank Peterson (WP, SD) Tracey Ross (XC, TF)
1987 Karl Blum (WP, SD) Cathy Jones (XC, TF)
1988 Todd Bates (WP, SD) Jennifer Bland (Swim/Dive)
& Kelly Porter (WP, SD)
1989 Brad Dodge (Tennis) Vanessa Hornbuckle (VB, WBB)
& Kathryn Krieger (XC, TF)
1990 Steve Long (WP, SD) Monica Castro (Tennis)
1991 Dean Jefferis (WP, SD) Melissa McCormick (Swim/Dive)
& Cee Cee Yancy (Basketball)
1992 Geoff Bradshaw (Track/Field) Alyssa Van Schmus (Track/Field)
1993 Kipp Ortenberger (XC, TF) Erin Breeze (VB, WBB)
1994 Kipp Ortenberger (XC, TF) Wendy Ward (VB, WBB)
1995 Mike Barrow (WP, SD) Courtney Peters (Tennis)
1996 Shannon Lamb (WP, SD) Carrie Musolff (VB, WBB, WT)
1997 Marco Hanlon (Baseball) Anicia Bonds (WBB, TF)
1998 Mark Merlo (WP, SD) Ashley Messer (VB, WBB)
1999 Chris Lund (WP, SD) Ashley Messer (VB, WBB)
2000 Sergio Reyes (XC, TF) Mary Benson (WP, SD)
2001 Patrick Furelos (WP, SD) Melinda Flores (XC, TF)
2002 Doug Leach (WP, SD) Courtney Christy (WP, SD)
2003 Katie Dacus (Water Polo, Swim/Dive)
2004 Christina Reyes (Cross Country, Track/Field)
2005 Bryan Etnrye (Water Polo, Swim/Dive)
2006 Chris Stehula (Cross Country, Track/Field, Swim/Dive)
2007 Becca Reyes (Cross Country, Track/Field)
2008 Ian Starkie (Water Polo, Swim/Dive)
2009 Tammy Barksdale (Water Polo, Swim/Dive)
2010 Kayla Cribbs (Volleyball, Basketball)
2011 Evan Norton (Water Polo, Swim/Dive)
2012 Alexandria Bernard (Water Polo, Swim/Dive)
2013 Erin Casey (Water Polo, Swim/Dive)
& Matt Giancanelli (Water Polo, Swim/Dive)
2014 Riley Cooks (Volleyball, Track/Field)
2015 Rachel Gruetzmacher (Water Polo, Swim/Dive)
2016 Aly Voth (Cross Country, Track/Field)
2017 Sean McDermott (Cross Country, Track/Field)
2018 Austin Barton (Water Polo, Swim/Dive)
2019 Hannah Katches (Volleyball, Basketball, Track/Field)
2020 Gabriel Browning (Water Polo, Swim/Dive)
2021 Satoshi Shinkawa (Water Polo, Swim/Dive)
2022 Layne Porter (Water Polo, Swim/Dive)
2023 Stash Perry (Water Polo, Swim/Dive)
2024 Chloe Porter (Water Polo, Swim/Dive)
2025 Elle Casselman (Cross Country, Track/Field)
