BUFFALO, NY – Five University at Buffalo student-athletes have been selected as SUNY Chancellor’s Scholar-Athlete Award winners for the 2011-12 academic year. The Chancellor’s Scholar-Athlete Award was created in 2003-04 to recognize students who have combined academic excellence and outstanding athletic achievement at the Division I, Division III and NJCAA levels at SUNY schools.

One award winner was selected in each sport at each of the three athletic levels. Among the four Division I SUNY schools, the Bulls had five athletes on the list, second-most behind Binghamton (with six). The athletes honored this season were Shannon Algoe (women’s soccer), Brittney Kuras (swimming), Kevin Smith (wrestling), Wojciech Starakiewicz (men’s tennis) and Shante White (track and field).

Shannon Algoe (Lockport, NY / Williamsville North/UConn)
Women’s Soccer, 3.934 GPA, Business Administration

Algoe was named to the Mid-American Conference Academic team for second straight year and earned a spot on the Capital One Academic All-American Second Team. Shannon was one of the surest defenders on the team, serving as captain of a defense that shutout the opposition 11 times, the third most in the country. She also scored a goal and took 13 total shots, most coming on free kicks, and put nine of those shots on goal. 

Brittney Kuras (Canandaigua, NY / Canandaigua Academy)
Swimming, 3.934 GPA, Psychology

Kuras set three individual records and four relay records at the MAC Championships en route to earning the league’s Most Outstanding Swimmer award. At the NCAA National Championships in Auburn, AL, she broke her own records in the 200-yard freestyle (1:45.87) and the 200-yard individual medley (1:59.67) while also turning in a 49.15 in the 100-yard freestyle, a quarter-second off her record time (48.90) from the MAC Championships. At the MAC meet, she helped the Bulls to first-place finishes in the 200- and 400-yard freestyle relays. 

Kevin Smith (Mexico, NY / Mexico)
Wrestling, 3.653 GPA, Physical Therapy

Smith was named a NWCA Academic and MAC All-Academic teams for the fourth straight season. He finished his career at Buffalo with a 29-9 overall record, including 16-5 in dual meets (tied for seventh most in a single season). In November, he became the seventh wrestler in program history to reach 100 career wins, his final total of 122 comes in at second on the all-time list and his 52 career wins in dual meets are a new program record. He also won his third career New York State Championship and was named Most Outstanding Wrestler, making him the second Buffalo wrestler to ever pull off the feat.

Wojciech Starakiewicz (Warsaw, Poland / Miguel de Cervantes)
Men’s Tennis, 3.859 GPA, Communications

Starakiewicz was an All-MAC Second Team honoree in 2012 after first-team recognitions in 2010 and 2011. He finished the 2012 season 19-11 in singles and 16-13 in doubles. Played third singles and second doubles. Two-time MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week. MAC Player of the Week 4/22. Finished with career records of 49-29 in singles and 46-30 in doubles.

Shante White (Syracuse, NY / Henninger)
Women’s Track, 3.725 GPA, Nursing

White redshirted the 2012 indoor and outdoor track seasons, In the 2011 outdoor season, White was a Mid-American Conference champion, setting the school record in the hammer throw. White nearly missed NCAA Nationals, finishing in 13th place at the NCAA East Preliminary Round back in May.

Courtesy of Buffalobulls.com