Gabriel Browning Named Cuesta's
2020 George Silveria Memorial Student-Athlete Award
SAN LUIS OBISPO (May 26, 2020) - The George Silveria Memorial Student/Athlete Career Award was established in 1966 by the Booster Club Board of Directors to honor and serve as a memorial for George Silveria. George was a graduate of San Luis Obispo District Junior College in 1948. He was the captain of the Championship football team in 1947, he was an executive member of the student body, and he was a very good student and was extensively involved in the community. He was well respected by his teammates, coaches, teachers and fellow peers. He truly exemplified the meaning of student/athlete. George served in World War II and died of Leukemia in 1961. The award has been given annually and from 1966 to 2002 as the Cuesta Athlete of the Year Award. Cuesta began giving a men's and a women's award in 1978 and did so until 2003, when Cuesta established the Outstanding Athlete of the Year Award, which allowed the George Silveria Award to stand on its own as a career award. It was decided that the merits emphasized by the award were not restricted by gender and the athletic department returned to only one award per year. This is the 55th year of Cuesta College Athletics and the 55th year of the George Silveria Award.
The award takes into consideration the student/athletes' career as an athlete, their involvement in the college and community, sportsmanship, citizenship, coachabilty and leadership on and off the field. In a sense, this award exemplifies type of athlete we strive to mold here at Cuesta.
The 2020 George Silveria Athletic Career Award winner is Aquatics Star Gabriel Browning (Los Alamitos HS). Browning is one of the best all around aquatics athletes in Cuesta History and missed a shot at history this Spring as he tried to become only the second four-time All American in Cuesta Athletics History.
Browning was a two-time All American in water polo and the team's MVP as a freshman. He was also named to the CCCAA All Region First Team as a Freshman and the Second Team as a Sophomore, while also earning all-Western State Conference First Team honors both seasons. In his freshman season, he scored 39 goals, including 24 in the Cougars 17 games against playoff teams. He was also second on the team with 28 steals. Browning excels everywhere in the pool and his offense complements his tough defense. This year, after being the Cougars' offensive focus last season, Browning unselfishly became a playmaker. He ended the season with 26 goals and was among the team leaders in steals and fouls drawn. His goal off the sprint to begin the 7th period in the Cougars' sudden death playoff win over Cerritos, vaulted the Cougars into the regional semi-final and was one of the season's most memorable and amazing individual plays.
Browning also earned All America honors and was one of only two individual scorers for Cuesta at the 2019 CCCAA State Swim & Dive Championship and earned All American in the 50 and 200-yard freestyles, He was also the 2019 Western State Conference Champion in both events. Browning put on a show early this season by winning his marquee races at the mid-season Western State Conference Mini Meet. He claimed the 50-freestyle and 100-freestyle and his times in both races, despite being only the second meet of the season, put him in the Top 16 of the National rankings, which includes the Winter season of the NJCAA. The season ended with Browning ranked 5th in the Nation, which left him almost a sure bet for his fourth All American (Top 16) award, however it has been decided at the state-level that awards for Spring sports shall not be announced for 2020. Only 1999 George Silveria Winner, Chris Lund has earned All American honors four times in Cuesta History and he shall remain so for another year.
George Silveria Career Student-Athlete
1966 Ray Sayler (Football, Basketball, Baseball)
1967 Mark Anderson (Cross Country, Track & Field)
1968 Jim Sunderland (Wrestling)
1969 Richard Abney (Football, Wrestling)
1970 Steve Mowrey (Golf)
1971 Larry Ramos (Football, Wrestling)
1972 George Palmer (Wrestling)
1973 Camillo Alarcio (Football, Wrestling)
1974 Paul Kinne (Football, Baseball)
1975 Rusty Kuntz (Football, Basketball, Baseball)
& Dave Rusco (Basketball, Baseball)
1976 Kevin Hunstad (Football, Wrestling)
1977 Randy Roeder (Football, Baseball)
Male Female
1978 Edmund Alarcio (FB, MTF) Laura McCarthy (WXC, WTF)
1979 Shawn Kuhn (MBB, Golf) Celeste Martyn (WXC, WTF)
1980 Steve Mitchell (MBB, MTF) Catherine Belcher (WXC, WTF, SB)
1981 Gregg Fambrough (MWP, MSD) Joanne Cooper (VB)
1982 Tom McKeown (MXC, MTF) Heidi Hausner (VB, WSD)
1983 Matt Armbruster (MXC, MTF) Karen Canfield (SB)
1984 Bill Lucia (MWP, MSD) Toni Venturini (VB)
1985 Sean Chambers (MBB, MTF) Kelly Buzza (WXC, WTF)
1986 Hank Peterson (MWP, MSD) Tracey Ross (WXC, WTF)
1987 Karl Blum (MWP, MSD) Cathy Jones (WXC, WTF)
1988 Todd Bates (MWP, MSD) Jennifer Bland (WSD)
& Kelly Porter (MWP, MSD)
1989 Brad Dodge (MT) Vanessa Hornbuckle (VB, WBB)
& Kathryn Krieger (WXC, WTF)
1990 Steve Long (MWP, MSD) Monica Castro (WT)
1991 Dean Jefferis (MWP, MSD) Melissa McCormick (WSD)
& Cee Cee Yancy (WBB)
1992 Geoff Bradshaw (MTF) Alyssa Van Schmus (WTF)
1993 Kipp Ortenberger (MXC, MTF) Erin Breeze (VB, WBB)
1994 Kipp Ortenberger (MXC, MTF) Wendy Ward (VB, WBB)
1995 Mike Barrow (MWP, MSD) Courtney Peters (WT)
1996 Shannon Lamb (MWP, MSD) Carrie Musolff (VB, WBB, WT)
1997 Marco Hanlon (BB) Anicia Bonds (WBB, WTF)
1998 Mark Merlo (MWP, MSD) Ashley Messer (VB, WBB)
1999 Chris Lund (MWP, MSD) Ashley Messer (VB, WBB)
2000 Sergio Reyes (MXC, MTF) Mary Benson (WWP, WSD)
2001 Patrick Furelos (MWP, MSD) Melinda Flores (WXC, WTF)
2002 Doug Leach (MWP, MSD) Courtney Christy (WWP, WSD)
2003 Katie Dacus (Water Polo, Swim & Dive)
2004 Christina Reyes (Cross Country, Track & Field)
2005 Bryan Etnrye (Water Polo, Swim& Dive)
2006 Chris Stehula (Cross Country, Track, Swim & Dive)
2007 Becca Reyes (Cross Country, Track & Field)
2008 Ian Starkie (Water Polo, Swim& Dive)
2009 Tammy Barksdale (Water Polo, Swim & Dive)
2010 Kayla Cribbs (Volleyball, Basketball)
2011 Evan Norton (Water Polo, Swim& Dive)
2012 Alexandria Bernard (Water Polo, Swim & Dive)
2013 Erin Casey (Water Polo, Swim & Dive)
& Matt Giancanelli (Water Polo, Swim & Dive)
2014 Riley Cooks (Volleyball, Track & Field)
2015 Rachel Gruetzmacher (Water Polo, Swim & Dive)
2016 Aly Voth (Cross Country, Track & Field)
2017 Sean McDermott (Cross Country, Track & Field)
2018 Austin Barton (Water Polo, Swim & Dive)
2019. Hannah Katches (Volleyball, Basketball, Track & Field)
2020. Gabriel Browning (Water Polo, Swim & Dive)
