SALINAS, CA. (May 10, 2023) — 20 student-athletes 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 last and previous years. Scholarship funds were made possible by funds raised during the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony coordinated by the Panther Athletic Club (PAC) and the Hartnell College Foundation.
The scholarship winners were nominated by coaches in each sport and selected from over 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 5th 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.
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 that received awards were introduced with remarks
on their academic and athletic excellence, and leadership. 
2023 Bill Elliott Scholarship Recipients
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, 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
Esteban Deniz II, Track and Field, Cross Country
Ramon Duran, Track and Field
Norma Ornelas, Softball
Ariel Carrillo-Green, Softball
About Bill Elliott
Salinas Native Bill Elliott was a proud Hartnell College Football alum throughout his colorful and successful life and an enthusiastic and generous supporter of Hartnell Athletics and its student-athlete competitors. Elliott’s enduring legacy at Hartnell and throughout the Salinas Valley community has been lovingly preserved by his wife, Barbara. The generosity of both husband and wife continues to benefit Panther student-athletes through the Bill Elliott Scholarship program, as well as through their support of scholarships, uniforms, equipment, travel, and facilities. Elliott is remembered as a lifelong talented athlete in several sports, an All-American Junior College Center for the Hartnell Football team in 1957-1958, and as a football player for the San Jose State University Spartans. He was inducted into the Hartnell Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013.
Hartnell College will forever be honored by its association with Elliott and grateful for the incredible support of Bill and Barbara.
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