Recently, there has been a slew of commercials put out by the NCAA in hopes of bettering the image of its collegiate athletes.

The ads show how there are many athletes who value academics as highly as they do their sports.

A perfect example of the athlete the NCAA is trying to portray can be found stalking the courts at the Sarni Tennis Center.

Senior Clint Keithley of the Penn State men's tennis team recently received the Ernest B. McCoy Award.

The honor is presented to one male and one female athlete at Penn State who has demonstrated excellence in the classroom as well as in his or her sport, and is named for the former athletic director and dean of Penn State's College of Physical Education.

Keithley maintains a cumulative grade point average of 4.0, while balancing his commitment to the tennis team and school work.

Even after receiving such an individual recognition, he remains humble and keeps the team-first attitude that coaches love.

"It's neat to get the award," Keithley said. "Tennis isn't really well known. There are a lot sports at Penn State and this gives our team some recognition. I really appreciate it -- it's a great honor."

Keithley, a finance major, will be graduating this spring after gaining senior standing in only three years. Keithley entered Penn State with an International Baccalaureate Diploma, which already gave him a semester's worth of college credit.

Keithley then took advantage of a summer semester during his freshman year, further aiding him toward graduating a year earlier than a normal schedule would allow.

Along with his academic achievement, Keithley is able to remain a fixture in the starting lineup for the Lions.

He has started every match of the season, has played both first and second doubles, and has competed in second and third singles for the Lions.

At one point, Keithley had been undefeated all spring at singles. However, he has experienced some recent troubles in Big Ten play.

A strong player since his freshman year, Keithley has taken his experience as a starter to become unquestionably one of the team's leaders.

"He's a good person to show off to the rest of Penn State," senior Roddy Cantey said of his teammate.

According to Gregory Pierce, the Instructor of Finance at the Smeal College of Business, Keithley tutors people in English as a second language and is a Mid-State scholar and volunteer.

"I've known him for over one year, I had him in my honors finance management class," Pierce said.

"He's simply an outstanding student -- one of the best I've taught in 18 years."

Pierce recalled how Keithley regularly went above and beyond the assignment, usually completing it well ahead of schedule.

This is very impressive with at least two hours of tennis practice a day, along with training and the rest of his activities.

Pierce also said that Keithley is an expert in time management, remembering how it would not be out of the question to receive emails at early morning hours from his student.

The Ernest B. McCoy Award is not the first accolade Keithley has received for his academic excellence. In the past, he has earned a spot on the Verizon Academic All-District team, which put him on the All-American ballot.

Last year, Keithley was one of 10 Big Ten student-athletes selected to attend the 2003 NCAA Student Leadership Conference.

As the awards seem to pile up for Keithley, his game remains consistent and his dedication to his team and his studies cannot be questioned.

"What makes Clint a special player is when you can balance a very demanding academic course and at the same time play for a tennis team at this level," Penn State men's tennis coach Jan Bortner said. "It's not easy to do, but it makes him a great ambassador for our team."

As the tennis season progresses and the Lions push on into their Big Ten schedule, looking for a coveted NCAA tournament bid, Keithley's steadiness on the court and in the classroom will remain a constant.

"He is a model for all student athletes," Pierce said. "Clint Keithley is the student-athlete they should aspire to be."