Cook Named Michael L. Slive Male Athlete of the Year
6/24/2026 12:00:00 PM | Football
DALLAS—Former Jax State running back Cam Cook was selected as the Conference USA Michael L. Slive Male Athlete of the Year today, marking the second consecutive season the Gamecocks have produced the award recipient.
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The 2025-26 marked the 23rd season that CUSA honored Male and Female Athletes of the Year, and the ninth that the awards have been named in remembrance of CUSA's founding commissioner Mike Slive following his passing. The winners are determined by a vote of the conference's athletics directors.Â
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Cook led the FBS in total rushing and rushing per game in his lone season with the Gamecocks, posting 1,659 yards and 16 touchdowns. The Round Rock, Texas native was the Conference USA Player of the Year, rushing for over 100 yards in a game on 10 occasions. He was named to the FWAA, Associated Press, and Sporting News All-America teams and was a finalist for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award and a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award.
Last year, Jaron Pierre Jr. won the honor after helping the Jax State men's basketball team reach the CUSA Championship game and make an appearance in the National Invitation Tournament.Â
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Conference USA Michael L. Slive Athletes of the YearÂ
2025-26    Cam Cook, Jax State football/Callie Bauer, WKU volleyball
2024-25         Jaron Pierre Jr., Jax State men's basketball/Rachel Roupe, Liberty softball
2023-24Â Â Â Â Â Kaidon Salter, Liberty football/Savannah Wheeler, MTSU women's basketball
2022-23Â Â Â Â Â Victor Kibiego, UTEP track & field/Lauren Matthews, WKU volleyballÂ
2021-22Â Â Â Â Â Bailey Zappe, WKU football/Grace Forbes, Rice cross country and track & fieldÂ
2020-21Â Â Â Â Â Vitor Dias, Marshall men's soccer & Kigen Chemadi, MTSU track & field/Â
                   Anastasia Hayes, MTSU women's basketballÂ
2019-20Â Â Â Â Â Javion Hamlet, North Texas men's basketball/
                     Erica Ogwumike, Rice women's basketballÂ
2018-19Â Â Â Â Â Jake Sanford, WKU baseball/ Erica Ogwumike, Rice women's basketballÂ
2017-18Â Â Â Â Â Nick Sandlin, Southern Miss baseball/Alyssa Cavanaugh, WKU volleyballÂ
2016-17Â Â Â Â Â Emmanuel Korir, UTEP track & field/Morgan Zerkle, Marshall softballÂ
2015-16Â Â Â Â Â Brandon Doughty, WKU football/Kylee Hanson, Florida Atlantic softballÂ
2014-15Â Â Â Â Â Anthony Rotich, UTEP track & cross country/Miranda Kramer, WKU softballÂ
2013-14Â Â Â Â Â Anthony Rotich, UTEP track & cross country/Ebony Rowe, MTSU basketballÂ
2012-13Â Â Â Â Â Anthony Rotich, UTEP track & cross country/Aurieyall Scott, UCF track & fieldÂ
2011-12Â Â Â Â Â Case Keenum, Houston football/Camilla Carrera, UTEP softballÂ
2010-11Â Â Â Â Â Chad Zurcher, Memphis baseball/Tori Bowie, Southern Miss track & fieldÂ
2009-10Â Â Â Â Â Anthony Rendon, Rice baseball/Blessing Okagbare, UTEP track & fieldÂ
2008-09Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jason Colwick, Rice track & field/
                         Toni Paisley, ECU softball & Sara Radosevic, Tulane volleyballÂ
2007-08Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis basketball/Angel Shamblin, Houston softballÂ
2006-07Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Joe Savery, Rice baseball/Ebonie Floyd, Houston track & fieldÂ
2005-06Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Brad Lincoln, Houston baseball & DeAngelo Williams, Memphis football/Â
                         Jillian Robbins, Tulsa basketballÂ
2004-05Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Lance Broadway, TCU baseball/Sandora Irvin, TCU basketballÂ
2003-04Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Michael Kogan, Tulane tennis/Chandi Jones, Houston basketball
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The 2025-26 marked the 23rd season that CUSA honored Male and Female Athletes of the Year, and the ninth that the awards have been named in remembrance of CUSA's founding commissioner Mike Slive following his passing. The winners are determined by a vote of the conference's athletics directors.Â
Â
Cook led the FBS in total rushing and rushing per game in his lone season with the Gamecocks, posting 1,659 yards and 16 touchdowns. The Round Rock, Texas native was the Conference USA Player of the Year, rushing for over 100 yards in a game on 10 occasions. He was named to the FWAA, Associated Press, and Sporting News All-America teams and was a finalist for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award and a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award.
Last year, Jaron Pierre Jr. won the honor after helping the Jax State men's basketball team reach the CUSA Championship game and make an appearance in the National Invitation Tournament.Â
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Conference USA Michael L. Slive Athletes of the YearÂ
2025-26    Cam Cook, Jax State football/Callie Bauer, WKU volleyball
2024-25         Jaron Pierre Jr., Jax State men's basketball/Rachel Roupe, Liberty softball
2023-24Â Â Â Â Â Kaidon Salter, Liberty football/Savannah Wheeler, MTSU women's basketball
2022-23Â Â Â Â Â Victor Kibiego, UTEP track & field/Lauren Matthews, WKU volleyballÂ
2021-22Â Â Â Â Â Bailey Zappe, WKU football/Grace Forbes, Rice cross country and track & fieldÂ
2020-21Â Â Â Â Â Vitor Dias, Marshall men's soccer & Kigen Chemadi, MTSU track & field/Â
                   Anastasia Hayes, MTSU women's basketballÂ
2019-20Â Â Â Â Â Javion Hamlet, North Texas men's basketball/
                     Erica Ogwumike, Rice women's basketballÂ
2018-19Â Â Â Â Â Jake Sanford, WKU baseball/ Erica Ogwumike, Rice women's basketballÂ
2017-18Â Â Â Â Â Nick Sandlin, Southern Miss baseball/Alyssa Cavanaugh, WKU volleyballÂ
2016-17Â Â Â Â Â Emmanuel Korir, UTEP track & field/Morgan Zerkle, Marshall softballÂ
2015-16Â Â Â Â Â Brandon Doughty, WKU football/Kylee Hanson, Florida Atlantic softballÂ
2014-15Â Â Â Â Â Anthony Rotich, UTEP track & cross country/Miranda Kramer, WKU softballÂ
2013-14Â Â Â Â Â Anthony Rotich, UTEP track & cross country/Ebony Rowe, MTSU basketballÂ
2012-13Â Â Â Â Â Anthony Rotich, UTEP track & cross country/Aurieyall Scott, UCF track & fieldÂ
2011-12Â Â Â Â Â Case Keenum, Houston football/Camilla Carrera, UTEP softballÂ
2010-11Â Â Â Â Â Chad Zurcher, Memphis baseball/Tori Bowie, Southern Miss track & fieldÂ
2009-10Â Â Â Â Â Anthony Rendon, Rice baseball/Blessing Okagbare, UTEP track & fieldÂ
2008-09Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jason Colwick, Rice track & field/
                         Toni Paisley, ECU softball & Sara Radosevic, Tulane volleyballÂ
2007-08Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis basketball/Angel Shamblin, Houston softballÂ
2006-07Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Joe Savery, Rice baseball/Ebonie Floyd, Houston track & fieldÂ
2005-06Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Brad Lincoln, Houston baseball & DeAngelo Williams, Memphis football/Â
                         Jillian Robbins, Tulsa basketballÂ
2004-05Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Lance Broadway, TCU baseball/Sandora Irvin, TCU basketballÂ
2003-04Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Michael Kogan, Tulane tennis/Chandi Jones, Houston basketball
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Players Mentioned
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