Skip To Main Content

Binghamton University Athletics

SUNY Awards

Binghamton lands three fall SUNY Scholar-Athletes

| By: David O’Brian (dobrian@binghamton.edu)

Ilieva, Leitner and Stone honored for athletic and academic success

VESTAL, N.Y. –  Senior volleyball standout Tsvetelina Ilieva has repeated as the SUNY Chancellor's Volleyball Scholar Athlete while junior Sydney Leitner and Josh Stone have swept the Men's and Women's Cross Country Scholar Athlete awards. 

Ilieva closed out her illustrious volleyball career with her third straight American Volleyball Coaches' Association (AVCA) honorable mention All-America honor. She was also chosen to the AVCA All-Region team for the third time in a row. In addition, Ilieva three-peated as the America East Player of the Year.

In the classroom, Ilieva was named a 2024 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-American. She was also chosen to the America East All-Academic Team for the second straight year.

Since transferring from Seton Hall following her freshman season, Ilieva has led the Bearcats to a pair of America East regular-season championships (2022 & 2024) as well as an appearance in the 2023 conference finals.

This marks the third year in a row - and sixth time overall - that a Binghamton volleyball student-athlete has earned the SUNY Chancellor's Award. Ilieva is preceded by Michelle McDonough (2009), Grace Vickers (2013), Sarah Ngo (2016) and Anna Sprys (2023).

Leitner and Stone, meanwhile, had identical cross country seasons. Both placed fifth in their respective races at the America East Championships back on Nov. 2. They were the top Binghamton finishers and led their squads to third-place finishes at the conference meet.

Stone also was named to the America East All-Academic team this season - an honor Leitner attained in 2023.

This marks the third straight season that both Leitner and Stone have earned first-team all-conference honors (top seven finishers at the America East race).

Leitner is the second Binghamton women's cross country to earn SUNY Chancellor Scholar-Athlete honors. Aziza Chigatayeva was chosen two years ago.

Stone is the third Bearcat men's cross country runner to be named a SUNY Chancellor's Scholar-Athlete. Chris Gaube was the pick in 2010 as was Vasili Papastrat in 2012.

More than 14,000 student-athletes compete at SUNY institutions representing 53 different colleges and universities at the NCAA Division I, NCAA Division III/USCAA and NJCAA levels and are eligible for the awards. The SUNY Scholar Athlete Awards recognize outstanding academic and athletic success in 29 different sports and are presented three times a year to coincide with the specific sports contested in the fall, winter and spring seasons. The Scholar Athletes of the Year in each sport will then be nominated for an overall Scholar Athlete of the Year for men's sports and women's sports in each category that will be announced in mid-July.

Since the 2003-04 academic year, 89 Binghamton student-athletes across all sports have been named SUNY Chancellor's Scholar-Athletes.

SUNY Chancellor's Scholar-Athlete Award (89)
2003 (1): Graham Munro (Men's Soccer)
2004 (7): Dan Hanegby (Men's Tennis), Deli Plourde (Women's Soccer), Josh Ruff (Wrestling), T.J. Kowalchuk (Baseball), Brad Moulton (Golf), Robert Kaczynski (Men's Swimming & Diving), Yun Qu (Women's Swimming & Diving)
2005 (5): Richemn Mourad (Men's Tennis), Rory Quiller (Men's Track & Field), Jeff Wolniewicz (Golf), Robert Kaczynski (Men's Swimming & Diving), Deli Plourde (Women's Soccer)
2006 (5): Rachel Laws (Women's Basketball), Brendon Hitchcock (Baseball), Kevin McKeown (Men's Lacrosse), Jeff Wolniewicz (Golf), Richemn Mourad (Men's Tennis)
2007 (5): Brendon Hitchcock (Baseball), Lya Kushirovich (Women's Tennis), David Holmes (Men's Swiming), Rory Quiller (Men's Track), Megan Hoag (Volleyball)
2008 (5): Kim Povill (Women's Soccer), Rory Quiller (Men's Track), Adam Chavez (Men's Soccer), Jacki Kane (Volleyball), Zach Vinal (Golf)
2009 (4): Tiki Mayben (Men's Basketball), Murphy Smith (Baseball), Sven Vloedgraven (Men's Tennis), Michelle McDonough (Volleyball)
2010 (4): Jim Calderone (Baseball), Chris Gaube (Men's Cross Country & Track), Jason Stenta (Men's Soccer), Amanda Ciccone (Swimming & Diving)
2011 (5): Mahamoud Jabbi (Men's Basketball), Siobhan Menz (Women's Lacrosse), Kyle Manscuk (Men's Soccer), Arnav Jain (Men's Tennis), Marina Bykovskaya (Women's Tennis)
2012 (6): Dave Ciocchi (Baseball), Vasili Papastrat (Cross Country & Track), Ryan Walter (Men's Soccer), Jessica Phillips (Softball), Nolan Slesnick (Men's Swimming & Diving), Robb Quiller (Men's Track)
2013 (4): Mike Antinozzi (Men's Lacrosse), Jake Keegan (Men's Soccer), Robin Lesage (Men's Tennis), Grace Vickers (Volleyball)
2014 (5): Jake Thomas (Baseball), Robbie Hughes (Men's Soccer), Jess Bump (Softball), Corinne Zotter (Women's Swimming), Cody Reed (Wrestling)
2015 (5): Robert Moewes (Men's Soccer), Robin Lesage (Men's Tennis), Devin Zdanowski (Men's Swimming & Diving), Katya Medianik (Women's Tennis), Tyler Deuel (Wrestling)
2016 (4): Eliott Hureau (Men's Tennis), Sarah Ngo (Volleyball), Pascal Trappe (Men's Soccer), Jack McKeever (Wrestling)
2017 (3): Ludovico Cestarollo (Men's Tennis), Joe Miceli (Men's Track & Field), Eddie Posavec (Baseball)
2018 (3): Jason Agresti (Baseball), Katie Hatziyianis (Women's Soccer), Jessica Rutherford (Softball)
2019-22: No awards given
2022-23 (10): Aziza Chigatayeva (Women's Cross Country), Olivia McKnight (Women's Soccer), Anna Sprys (Volleyball), Denai Bowman (Women's Basketball), Matt Cavaliere (Men's Indoor Track & Field), Liam Murphy (Men's Swimming & Diving), Maddie Hoover (Women's Swimming & Diving), Tommy Reifler (Baseball), Aziza Chigatayeva (Women's Outdoor Track & Field), Matt Cavaliere (Men's Outdoor Track & Field)
2023-24 (5): Tsvetelina Ilieva (Volleyball), Olivia McKnight (Women's Soccer), George Kipshidze (Men's Swimming & Diving), Armon Harried (Men's Basketball), Mike Gunning (Baseball)
2024-25 (3): Tsvetelina Ilieva (Volleyball), Sydney Leitner (Women's Cross Country), Josh Stone (Men's Cross Country)

 
Print Friendly Version

Related Videos

Now Playing:

Related Stories

Skip Ad

Sponsors

Skip Sponsors