Gianni Estrada and Cayden Sharp both of Greenville University have been selected as the 2022-23 SLIAC Athletes of the Year. The award is presented to one male and one female athlete from conference-sponsored sports regardless of academic standing and voted on by league Sports Information Directors.
Gianni Estrada continues to build upon his impressive collegiate career. The junior was a part of the Panthers Cross Country championship team and the Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field championship teams. He took home the SLIAC Cross Country Runner of the Year award for a third straight season and qualified for nationals this fall, becoming the Panthers' first qualifier since 2017, finishing 55th in D3. During the Indoor Track and Field season, Estrada recorded the league's top times in both the mile and 3000 meters, setting conference records in both events and was part of the league's top distance medley relay team. The outdoor season saw Estrada record the league's top times in three events: 1500 meters, 5000 meters, and 10,000 meters. He collected gold in both the 5000 and 10,000-meter races, bringing his yearly total to three gold medals. His time of 31:53.60 in the 10,000 meters shattered the previous league record by 30 seconds.
Cayden Sharp concludes her career as the most decorated track and field athlete in SLIAC history. The senior became the first athlete to ever sweep the sports' top individual awards, winning both the Field and Track Athlete of the Year awards, doing so in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. She qualified for both indoor nationals (pentathlon) and outdoor nationals (heptathlon and long jump) and became just the second athlete in conference history to earn All-America honors. She had the top qualifying marks in 13 total track and field events this year. Sharp collected 34 gold medals and 44 total medals in both indoor and outdoor track and field during her career; both conference records. She also holds the SLIAC Championship records for most total medals in one meet and most gold medals in one meet. She leaves with 9 conference event records, five indoor and four outdoor, and was a part of six championship teams.
