Purchase, NY (Apr. 27, 2012) – Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher announced the winners of the 2011-12 SUNY Chancellor's Scholar-Athlete Award, which recognizes a combination of academic excellence and outstanding athletic achievement at the Division I, Division III, and NJCAA levels, and Purchase College's Brenden Keeling is among this distinguished group.

“On behalf of the State University, I am pleased to congratulate you on your selection as a recipient of the Chancellor's Scholar-Athlete Award,” Zimpher wrote in a letter to Keeling, who will receive the honor during Purchase's annual athletic awards banquet on May 3. “You are among a very select group of students from throughout the entire State University who will receive this award.

“Recipients of this award have an average GPA of 3.60,” she continued. “Your outstanding academic and athletic performance are truly deserving of this award.”  

Roughly 75 scholar-athletes across the SUNY system received the honor. Scholar athletes are selected by System Administration in consultation with the campus Athletic Directors at each level of play. In honor of the accomplishment, each award recipient will receive a congratulatory letter and a plaque from Chancellor Zimpher. SUNY is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States, educating more than 467,000 students.

Keeling (JR/Ontario, Canada), an Environmental Studies major, led Purchase to the conference championship match in 2012. The undefeated No. 1 rolled to a perfect 6-0 record in conference against the league's best players. Keeling was named Skyline Men's Tennis Player of the Week twice and also garnered two honor roll mentions. He was an impressive 9-3 overall at first singles, helping the Panthers to a 9-4 overall regular-season mark. Keeling's conference perfection in singles also helped the Panthers clinch a spot in the league tournament where the Panthers topped No. 1 NYU-POLY in the semifinals.

Keeling and Purchase will now face the winner of 2/3 semifinal in Saturday's championship.