SALINAS VALLEY — A group of 20 student-athletes, including three from South Monterey County, were awarded a 2023 Bill Elliott Scholarship during a celebration dinner at the Hartnell College main campus in Salinas.
Awards are in recognition of outstanding athletic and academic accomplishments while attending Hartnell.
This was the first year all nominated students were awarded a scholarship, and the first year the student-athletes were awarded $2,000, twice the amount of previous years. Scholarships were made possible by funds raised during the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony coordinated by the Panther Athletic Club and the Hartnell College Foundation.
The scholarship winners were nominated by coaches in each sport and selected from more than 300 students that form part of Hartnell’s men’s and women’s intercollegiate athletic teams. All award recipients plan to transfer to four-year universities this fall.
“We are overjoyed that this year’s recipients received twice the amount of previous years,” said Dan Teresa, dean of academic affairs, athletics, physical education and health. “We are thankful to all the donors who made this possible.”
The scholarship program, now in its fifth year, is named in honor of the late Bill Elliott, a Salinas native and Hartnell football player in 1957-58 who, with his wife, Barbara, have become top past and present supporters of Hartnell College athletics programs in the history of the college. Their generosity helps to fund uniforms, equipment, team travel and facilities.
The 2023 Bill Elliott Scholarship recipients from South Monterey County are: Esteban Deniz II, track and field and cross country, from King City; Ariel Carrillo-Green, softball, from King City; and Norma Ornelas, softball, from Greenfield.
Other recipients are: Victoria Gillette, women’s basketball; Guadalupe Perez, women’s basketball; Sophie Poduska, volleyball; Karmyn Anderson, volleyball; Brianna Guerrero, women’s soccer; Elisa Solis, women’s soccer; Dulce Sofia Camacho, track and field and cross country; Isabella Reimann, track and field; Kanyada Doughty, swim and dive; Alejandro Chavez Ramirez, men’s soccer; DJ Akiyama, baseball; Ryan Garvey, baseball; Preston Solimine, baseball; Cade Smith, football; Raleigh Ben Shippen, men’s basketball; Conner Edward Brown, men’s basketball; and Ramon Duran, track and field.
This year’s scholarships were presented during an in-person campus dinner hosted in honor of 84 student-athletes on the Hartnell College President’s list and 71 on the Dean’s list. All student-athletes who received awards were introduced with remarks on their academic and athletic excellence and leadership.
