VESTAL, N.Y. – Juniors Tsvetelina Ilieva and Elijah Lanfear have been named the Binghamton University Female and Male Athletes of the Year respectively for the 2023-24 academic year. Ilieva, who starred on the volleyball team, was chosen for the second consecutive year. Lanfear, who was a standout on the men's swimming & diving team, was honored for the first time in his career.

It was a year of repeat performances for Ilieva. She was named an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) honorable mention All-American selection for the second straight season. Ilieva also repeated as AVCA East Coast All-Region honorable mention. She remains the only Binghamton player ever to receive a NCAA Division I All-Region or All-America accolade.

On the conference level, Ilieva became the first Binghamton player ever to repeat as the America East Player of the Year. She was also named the America East Player of the Week five times during the 2023 campaign.

Ilieva ranked first in the America East and No. 25 in the nation with 4.22 kills per set. She was also tops in the conference and No. 28 in the nation with 4.83 points per set. With Ilieva leading the way, Binghamton advanced to the America East finals for the first time since 2017.

In the classroom, Ilieva's honors were just as impressive this past year. She was named the 2023 America East Volleyball Scholar-Athlete and was the winner of the America East Elite 18 award.

Ilieva is one of eight volleyball players to have been named the Binghamton Female Athlete of the Year – but just the second to claim the accolade twice in a row. Michelle McDonough was honored in both 2008-09 and 2009-10.

Other finalists for the 2023-24 Binghamton Female Athlete of the Year included Sophia Ryan (cross country & track), Alyssa Armitage (track & field), Olivia McKnight (soccer) and Allison L'Amoreaux (softball).

Lanfear, meanwhile, led the men's swimming & diving team to its second America East championship in four seasons. At the conference meet in February, he swept both the 50 free and 100 free individual titles, anchored the first-place 400 free relay team and also swam on the winning 200 medley relay team.

With his first-place time of 19.68 in the 50 free, Lanfear broke both the Binghamton and America East Meet records. His time also met the NCAA Championship Meet Provisional Standard Time (B-Cut).

During the regular season, Lanfear won 14 individual events and swam on eight first-place relay teams. He helped lead the Bearcats to five victories in six dual meets. On Oct. 24, Lanfear was named the America East Men's Swimmer of the Week.

Lanfear is the first swimmer to be named the Binghamton Male Athlete of the Year since David Holmes was chosen for the 2005-06 academic year. He is also the fifth men's swimmer overall to be honored – joining Holmes, Chris McGuire (2000-01 & 2001-02), Matt Feinberg (1994-95 & 1995-96) and Russell Keeney (1964-65).

Other finalists for the Binghamton Male Athlete of the Year included Josh Stone (cross country & track), Brian Luciano (track & field) and Cory Day (wrestling).