The City University of New York Athletic Conference annually recognizes its best and brightest student-athletes, who not only excel in athletics, but succeed in the classroom as well. Over the next few weeks, CUNYAC will recognize those who truly embody what it means to be a student-athlete. The award is presented by Hospital for Special Surgery, the official hospital of the CUNY Athletic Conference.
Tamila Latif-Zade, a member of the Brooklyn College women’s tennis team, boasts a 3.662 grade-point average, majoring in Psychology. She is a two-year member on the CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll.
On the court, Latif-Zade was a two-time CUNYAC First Team All-Star, going 18-3 in singles and 20-3 in doubles during her two-year stint with the Bulldogs. The 2019 CUNYAC Preseason Player of the Year was instrumental in leading Brooklyn to its first-ever CUNYAC Women’s Tennis Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2018.
Latif-Zade came to Brooklyn from neighboring CUNY institution Kingsborough Community College, where she was a standout performer for the Wave women’s tennis program. She was named NJCAA Region XV Player of the Year in 2017, winning the regional title in No. 1 singles.
“Being a Scholar-Athlete has taught me discipline and hard work on and off the tennis court,” Latif-Zade said. “My passion for tennis has motivated me to set high goals and push myself further which ultimately resulted in winning the CUNYAC Championship for the first time in Brooklyn College history! Competing on a team has taught me time managing skills to balance both sport and education, as well as leadership and team-work skills. Tennis gave me all the tools to be a good student and earn high grades in my studies. I’m grateful for earning this honor award because of all the support I received from my teammates, friends, and family and I hope that I motivate other students to play sports and become student-athletes.”
2019-20 CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Honorable Mentions