WAUKESHA, Wis. - Kyle Keranen's relentless drive for excellence over the course of the past four years has made him a premier player for the Carroll University men's basketball team.
Whether called upon to hit pressure-packed jump shots from various spots on the perimeter, utilize his quickness to slash to the basket for fastbreak layups or convert potential game-winning free throws at crunch time, the 6-foot-1 senior guard has consistently risen to the occasion, thrived under the pressure and finished each task in style.
Keranen, a native of Hartland, Wis. and graduate of Arrowhead High School, was recently rewarded for his valuable career contributions on the court by becoming the 17th player in the history of the Carroll men's program to reach the 1,000-point milestone - scoring a team-high 24 points in a spirited road loss to the University of Dallas in a nonconference game in Irving, Texas on Dec. 29.
The history-making basket to secure a prestigious spot amongst the elite fraternity of Carroll standout scoring leaders, came on his 18th point of the contest - a fastbreak layup to trim the deficit to 63-61 with 6:33 remaining in the game. 
For the fourth-year starter who is averaging a team-high 15.6 points per game through 12 games this season, accomplishing the feat was a special, humbling experience.
"It was really special being able to share the experience on the road with both my family and teammates," said Keranen, who is currently No. 16 on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,022 points. "My family has been to pretty much every one of my games at Carroll so to have them along in Texas to witness it in person only added to the moment. Even though it came in a loss, its something that I can look back on and feel good about. I was very thankful that everyone took a small portion out of the trip to recognize the accomplishment and help celebrate the milestone.
"As a freshman, I don't think many people, myself included, would've ever dreamed that I would score 1,000 points. Fortunately, I was able to stay healthy and improve at a steady rate with each and every year. It's really been a testament to all of the hard work combined with the effort of all the coaches and teammates along the way.
"Having been here the last four years, its an honor to be associated with the program's long, rich history of great players. It has really meant a lot hearing from and being congratulated by so many of the talented athletes who have contributed to the team's success during my time."
The 22-year-old Keranen built a solid reputation as one of the top scoring threats for the high-powered Arrowhead boys basketball team during his stellar prep career, drawing the interest of the Carroll coaching staff - ultimately leading to the opportunity to play at the NCAA Division III level.
"After coming for a visit to the campus, it felt like home," said Keranen, who earned second-team honors in the Midwest Conference last year and helped guide the Pioneers to a 20-5 overall record (reaching the 20-victory plateau for the first time since 2005-2006). "Being a local kid and growing up coming to a lot of the Carroll games (most notably watching former guard John Hoch, an Arrowhead graduate who starred for the Pioneers from 2006-2010), I was fortunate enough to have a Carroll coach come talk to me as a player in high school. I've loved being a part of it from day one. It was the perfect decision and its been a privilege to compete with so many great players each step of the way."
Looking back on his transition from high school to the collegiate level, Keranen was quick to point out that his progression centered around staying focused and attempting to refine every aspect of his game.
"It was just a matter of working hard on things I had already done well and even more so on the other aspects of my game" said Keranen, of his evolution as a player. "One of my strong suits has always been to catch and shoot the ball so over that time I've really focused on becoming better at taking the ball to the hoop and shooting off of the dribble. That steady progression has improved my game tremendously and resulted in a lot of success. Playing at the Division III level is all about doing it for the love of the game, bringing your best to the gym each time and trying to improve every day."
Keranen has been a part of many special games during his time with the Pioneers, touching upon appearances in the MWC tournament in both his freshman and junior years as being memorable career highlights.
"Coming in as a freshman, I was fortunate to be able to play alongside five seniors who really helped me to grow up at a quicker rate and make it a smooth transition," said Keranen, who mentioned former Wauwatosa East, University of Wisconsin and NBA standout guard Devin Harris as being among his all-time favorites to watch over the years. "I started the second half at St. Norbert during the regular season and it really served as a great breakthrough type of game. After that happened, it acted as a good confidence booster, carried over into the next season and has continued to build ever since."
Despite all of the individual success, Keranen remains a team player who is determined to win a championship.
"My career really has shown that anything is possible if you're willing to put in the time, stay dedicated and work hard toward your goals. Hopefully, we can continue to build momentum heading into the second half of the season, finish on a high note in the CCIW and earn a berth in the NCAA tournament. We've been close over the last few years so we're going to do our best to make it happen."

PIONEER FAST FACTS
Who: Kyle Keranen
What: Senior guard for the Carroll University men's basketball team
Age: 22
Hometown/High School: Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead
Major: Business Administration (Sports Administration emphasis)
Accomplishment: Became the 17th player in the history of the Carroll men's program to reach the 1,000-point milestone - scoring a team-high 24 points versus University of Dallas in Irving, Texas on Dec. 29.

CARROLL 1,000-POINT CLUB
1. Dave Shaw 2,563 (1973-1977)
2. John Hoch 1,629 (2006-2010)
3. Nathan Drury 1,541 (2003-2007)
4. Jason Cook 1,534 (1992-1996)
5. Len Jensen 1,395 (1980-1984)
6. (tie) Jamie Walz 1,371 (1987-1991), Ben Hickethier 1,371 (2001-2005)
8. Wes Ladwig 1,187 (2005-2009)
9. Jason Scheper 1,154 (2003-2006)
10. Dale Johnson 1,150 (1956-1960)
11. Cris Bumby 1,122 (1986-1990)
12. Brian Fulton 1,068 (1986-1991)
13. Alec Molter 1,066 (2010-2014)
14. (tie) Mike Riley 1,054 (1992-1995), Kyle Jones 1,054 (2008-2012)
16. Kyle Keranen 1,022 (2014-present)
17. Kevin Huevelmans 1,019 (1974-1977)