University of Vermont Athletics

Dean Keller 1989 - Skiing

A four-time first-team All-American and a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Dean Keller, inducted into the UVM Hall of Fame in 1999, was an outstanding skier for four years while also excelling in the classroom.

The 1989 male winner of the Wasson Athletic Prize for excellence in athletics and academics, Keller won an individual national title in the slalom in 1988 and helped Vermont win the NCAA title in 1989 with a pair of top-six performances. In his first year of competition at UVM, Keller made his mark right away. He was named first-team All-American for the first time when he finished fifth in the slalom (1:21.03) and sixth in the giant slalom (1:59.88).

As a sophomore in 1987, Keller was Vermont's top finisher at the NCAA Championships, finishing third in the GS (2:12.01) and fourth in the slalom (1:26.09). In 1988, Keller won the individual NCAA title in the slalom, winning the race at Middlebury's Snow Bowl in a time of 1:43.20. He was also Vermont's top finisher in the GS, finishing fourth (1:59.60). In Vermont's title-winning year of 1989, Keller was again Vermont's top male alpine skier at the NCAA Championships, finishing second in the giant slalom (2:16.80) and sixth in the slalom (1:33.41). Overall, in the eight NCAA Championship races over four years Keller never finished lower than sixth. That consistency in big races made Keller a huge part of Vermont's successful ski teams during his time at UVM.

As a senior, Keller was named first-team Academic All-District and second-team Academic All-American by GTE and CoSIDA. He was also inducted as a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and was awarded an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship. And in 1989, Ketter won a bronze medal in the World University Games in Bulgaria.