(Canton, N.Y.)- Senior forward Julie Vander Wiel (Malone, N.Y.) of the women's basketball and cross country teams was awarded the prestigious Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence by New York State in a special ceremony in Albany on April 6.  She was presented the award by SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher

The award was created 12 years ago to recognize students who have best demonstrated the integration of academic excellence with accomplishments in the areas of leadership, athletics, community service, creative and performing arts or career achievement.  Award winners are first nominated on their campuses by a selection committee and then those nominations are submitted to the Chancellor's Office for final review and selection.

Vander Wiel, a legal studies major, has been a member of the women's basketball team for four years and this past fall ran on the women's cross country team.  The Franklin Academy graduate has received Athletic Academic Recognition from the SUNY Canton athletic department for four straight years.  Each year she has been a Sunrise Conference Scholar Athlete and during her junior year she earned the distinction as the conference's Outstanding Scholar Athlete for having the highest grade-point average among all women's basketball players in the conference.  

She has earned a place on the President's List for four semesters and Dean's list in two others.  She is also a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

On the court Vander Wiel played in 93 career games and scored 540 points, grabbed 321 rebounds, made 48 steals, and handed out 40 assists.