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Binghamton University Athletics

2024-25 Athlete of the Year Release

Ilieva, Roberts and Johnson Named Binghamton Athletes of the Year

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

Bearcat trio honored for accomplishments in 2024-25

VESTAL, N.Y. – The Binghamton Division of Athletics has announced their 2024-25 Athletes of the Year. Volleyball outside hitter Tsvetelina Ilieva and softball pitcher Brianna Roberts are the Co-Female Athletes of the Year while men's track & field hurdler Marcus Johnson is the Male Athlete of the Year.

Ilieva is the first Binghamton athlete - male or female - to earn Athlete of the Year honors three straight times since Monique Hacker (1996-98). She is also the first person to be honored three times overall since Rory Quiller was selected in 2005, 2007 and 2008.

For the third straight season, Ilieva was named an honorable mention All-American by the America East Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). She also three-peated as the America East Player of the Year and led the Bearcats to their second regular-season conference title in three seasons. 

Furthermore, Ilieva was named an Academic All-American by the College Sports Communicators (CSC), an honor only seven other Binghamton athletes have earned during the program's 25 years of competing at the NCAA Division I level. Upon graduating in May, she was named a Presidential Scholar-Athlete by the America East.

Roberts led the softball team to its first-ever sweep of the America East regular-season and tournament championships as well as its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2015. She was named the America East Pitcher of the Year and was the Most Outstanding Player during the conference tournament. 

Roberts went on to earn first-team All-Northeast Region honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and was also named an ECAC All-Star. In the classroom, she was named to the America East All-Academic Team and was also chosen Academic All-District by the CSC.

Including Roberts, the softball team has now posted eight Binghamton Female Athlete of the Year selections. Most recently, Jessica Rutherford was the pick in 2018.

Johnson, meanwhile, earned honorable mention All-America honors from the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) in the 400 hurdles during the recent NCAA Outdoor Championships. He qualified for the national meet by placing seventh overall in the 400 hurdles at the preceding NCAA East Region Meet.

Earlier in the season, Johnson was named the Most Outstanding Men's Track Performer at the America East Outdoor Championships. He won the 400 hurdles at that meet and anchored the first-place 4x400 relay team. In addition, Johnson won the triple jump crown at the America East Indoor Championships back in February.

There have now been  21 Binghamton Athlete of the Year honorees from the men's track & field program since 1951. Dan Schaffer was the most recent choice in 2022.

The Binghamton Division of Athletics has been holding its annual Awards Banquet and choosing Athletes of the Year since 1950.



 
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