SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Summit League officials announced the 2025-26 Daktronics Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award honorees on Thursday. This year's recipients were North Dakota State’s Zach McGlynn, who garnered the male honor, and North Dakota’s Jadyn Keeler, who collected the female honor.
These two track and field standouts were recognized for their outstanding academic achievements, athletic achievements, attitude, and leadership throughout the 2025-26 academic year. This marks the third time in League history that the awards were swept by track and field athletes. The previous occurrences were in 2021-22 when South Dakota thrower Jessie Sullivan, who won his second straight award, and North Dakota State runner Amanda Anderson were honored and in 2024-25 when North Dakota State’s Sam Roller and North Dakota’s Jadyn Keeler won the award.
McGlynn’s honor marks the sixth time a male from North Dakota State earned the award, which is the most by any current or former member in League history. The other former Bison to win the award were Sam Roller (2024-25; track and field), Elliott Stone (2018-19; track and field), Tim Colwell (2013-14; baseball), and Brett Winkelman (2007-08, 2008-09; men’s basketball). Denver, IUPUI and Valparaiso each have four all-time male honors.
Keeler is the first fighting hawk to win the award in back-to- back seasons and only the second Fighting Hawk to claim the honor, joining women’s basketball player Julia Fleecs, who won the honor in 2020-21.
The Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award is the most prestigious accolade The Summit League bestows each year and is determined by a vote of the league's faculty athletic representatives.
ZACH MCGLYNN | NORTH DAKOTA STATE
McGlynn capped his collegiate career with his best season in the decathlon and heptathlon, earning second-team All-America honors at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships after placing 14th in the decathlon with a score of 7,430. He also broke The Summit League Championship meet record in the event with a score of 7,922.
The Bison senior earned first-team All-America honors in the heptathlon at the 2026 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships after placing seventh with a personal-best score of 5,995.
The Stephen, Minn., native was also named the recipient of the Elite-Scholar Athlete Award, formerly known as the NCAA Elite 90 Award. The honor is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA at each of the NCAA's 92 national championships. McGlynn earned a perfect 4.0 undergraduate GPA while completing his degree in agricultural economics and followed it with a 4.0 graduate GPA while earning his Master of Business Administration degree and a graduate certificate in leadership and managerial skills.
McGlynn also earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-America first-team honors and CSC Academic All-District recognition. A five-time Summit League Academic All-League selection, he was also named the 2026 Summit League Outdoor Track and Field Scholar of the Championship.
On the track and in the field, McGlynn captured his first career Summit League decathlon title at the 2026 Outdoor Track and Field Championships and was named the championship's Most Outstanding Performer. He finished the 2026 season ranked ninth nationally in the decathlon.
During the indoor season, McGlynn was named the 2026 Summit League Indoor Field Athlete of the Year and the Summit League Indoor Championship Field MVP after placing second in the pole vault, third in the long jump and fourth in the high jump. He also set North Dakota State school records in both the heptathlon and decathlon in 2026 and was named NDSU Athletics Male Athlete of the Year.
Beyond competition, McGlynn has demonstrated outstanding leadership and service. He is actively involved in the NDSU Pathway Venture Club, serves as a Fellowship of Christian Athletes huddle leader and is a member of Ignite Church. Through these organizations, he has consistently invested in the growth and development of his peers while serving as a positive representative of North Dakota State and The Summit League.
Also nominated for Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Trevor Wright, Denver // Bryson Gosch, Kansas City // Jackson Burrus, Omaha // Abraham Chelangam, Oral Roberts // Gavin Newkirk, St. Thomas // Parker Etzel, South Dakota // Braxton McGrath, South Dakota State
JADYN KEELER | NORTH DAKOTA
Keeler delivered one of the most decorated distance-running seasons in Summit League history in 2025-26, earning All-America honors in cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field.
She opened the year by earning cross country All-America honors with a 26th-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in 19:13.5. During the indoor season, she earned second-team All-America honors in the 5,000 meters after placing 12th at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in 15:40.81.
Keeler closed her collegiate career with two All-America performances at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. She earned first-team honors in the 10,000 meters with a sixth-place finish in 32:04.97 and second-team honors in the 5,000 meters after placing 12th in 15:27.43.
Keeler claimed seven Summit League individual championships across the 2025-26 cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field seasons. Her dominant year earned her Cross Country Championship MVP honors, Track Championship MVP honors at both the indoor and outdoor championships, Summit League Female Cross Country Athlete of the Year, and Summit League Indoor and Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year honors.
Keeler's achievements in the classroom were equally impressive. She graduated with a double major in molecular and integrative biology and geography while maintaining a 3.974 GPA. The Fighting Hawks senior earned numerous academic honors, including College Sports Communicators Academic All-America first-team recognition and CSC Academic All-District honors. She was an eight-time Summit League Academic All-League selection, earned Summit League Academic Honor Roll recognition five times and was named to the Summit League Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence four times. She also was named UND's Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2024-25 and 2025-26.
The Barrie, Canada, native also gained hands-on experience in the medical field, working with researchers at the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences on specific cellular processes.
Beyond the classroom and track, Keeler has been active in the Grand Forks community, accumulating dozens of volunteer hours during her five years on campus. Her service activities have included the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee's annual food drive, campus cleanup, Halloween Bash, Holiday Bell Ringing and various other community service projects.
Also nominated for Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Savanna Berry, Denver // Alanie Rivera, Kansas City // Avery Koenen, North Dakota State // Emily Karmazin, Omaha // Jalie Oglesby, Oral Roberts // Olivia Keller, St. Thomas // Marleen Mülla, South Dakota // McKenzie Mages, South Dakota State
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