September 23, 2025 • 11 mins
UND Cross Country Head Coach Tom Scott reflects on the team’s strong performance at the Roy Griak Invitational. Also spoke with standout athlete Jadyn Keeler, who shares her driven and motivated mindset, noting that she sets high standards and has big goals. He also speaks about the team’s genuine character and looks ahead to their upcoming meet against South Dakota State University.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
And we welcome you back here to Hawk Talk at
the Bible six Pub downtown Grand Forks, and we're going
to talk a little running now. Cross country. Und has
had an outstanding cross country season to this point already,
and my guests here are very special Tom Scott, head
coach of UNDI cross Country. Tom Scott, everybody, and we
(00:25):
have the winner. The winner, I tell you, of the
Roy Griac Women's Division Division one down at the University
of Minnesota on Friday morning, Jaden Keeler everybody, and that
has been parlayed. We'll tell you something. Jaden has been
racking up awards now over the last few days. I
(00:47):
will just tell you Jaden Keeler just yesterday was named
the NCAA Division one Women's National Athlete of the Week
and she's backed it up with the Quick Star Summit
Performer of the Week Athlete accolades. So good in their job,
Jaden Keeler. That's a multiful for all those awards. So
(01:09):
congratulations to both these and the teams finished well. So Tom,
before we get to the Nick Saban Tak because you
pulled that out here, congratulations to you and your team
and your individual obviously here, but First of all, you
talked about it about it going into the season, gradually
building up. You knew that this Roy Griac greyak at
(01:30):
Minnesota was a step up for your squad. How did
they test out for you and what you thought going
into that more stiffer competition event on Friday.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah, I mean they stepped up big time. And I'll
be honest, they met expectations. You know, this is kind
of what we've been expecting all year long. Okay, you know,
all summer long, they've been putting in the work, and
you know, when they got here, we were in pretty
good shape and I kind of knew what we were
capable of. They knew what they were capable of, and
it feels really good to just, you know, we know
what we're capable of and finally to get an opportunity
(02:03):
to go out and kind of prove it right and
and lay it down on the line and just see
like this is where we stack up in the Summit
League and where we stack up against some other Midwest
schools and you know, beating schools like Iowa on both sides,
and like, yeah, just it's it's just it's awesome to see.
But at the same time. You know, We're job's not
done yet, right.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Right, And that's kind of the Nick Saban thing that
you pulled out yesterday. You pulled out a phrase from
the longtime coach with the Crimson Tide and basically said
in a sense like, don't be satisfied es aentially is
that right? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (02:33):
We can't get complacent. We got to keep working. You know.
It's real easy after a big game or a big
race to just kind of lay off the gas a
little bit and get a little complacent, you know, as
with anybody. You know, if if you know I'm talking
about the other the teams in the Summit League, right,
you get punched in the mouth a little bit, you
get beat, you come back the next time with a vengeance.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Right.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
So we know we know that schools like SDSU and DSU,
they're they're you know, they're not going to just lie
down and let us beat again.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
You met, You've made the bulletin board now with a
statement like that.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yeah, yeah, so we know we got to just keep
at it.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
And I'll always say, if you're making the bulletin board,
that's a good thing. So I mean, that's okay if
you're making others that's great, Jaden, thanks for coming out.
I know you had a hard training session. I can't
believe they make you train hard after a big win.
I mean you can't pull out the don't you know who?
I am out of your pocket a little bit, Jaden. Congratulations.
That must have been an outstanding on Friday.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Yeah, thank you. No, it was a huge race for sure.
Felt really great to get out there and have a
good battle with the lady from Minnesota.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
And you knew her from the ten k during the
outdoor track season, right, I mean you you had a
battle with her.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Then yeah, at the ten Can Nationals she did get
one spot higher than me, so I think the announcers
in the race actually mentioned that, you know, I was
getting a little bit of vengeance there being able to
beat her on her home turf, which felt really good.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Let me ask you this, Jaden, because after the spring
that you had in the outdoor track season, with the
things that we were able to accomplish both indoor then
outdoor season, you know, some athletes at the end of
their collegiate career would be like, you know what, I'm
just gonna kind of you just are so driven that
you have so many more things that you want to
check off your list. You you didn't want to have
(04:16):
a drop. You're You're still as motivated today as you
were back then. How is that Is that just a
part of the person you are?
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Absolutely, I think that's just my mindset. I'm a very
intrinsically motivated person. I just want to keep setting the
bar higher and higher every time I race. You know,
I had big goals last year, which I did accomplish
some of them, but I have even bigger goals this
year that I want to achieve. So I just always
wake up feeling motivated, ready to go.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
So this is Jaden Keeler. She is, of course the
NCAA Women's D one National Athlete of the Week here
for the University of North Dakota cross country team, coming
off a championship individually at the Roy Griac at the
University of Minnesota Long with their co which Tom Scott
joining us here on HAWKTOC. And you know, Jane, the
(05:03):
other thing is is, you know, I don't watch cycling
very often, but it was on this summer with the
Tour de France, and I was just watching a few
minutes and they were in the mountains and they talked
about the people that we're going to do well in
that race were going to suffer. And there's a point
in time I'm assuming that you are reaching a limit,
whether it's in training or in a race where it's
(05:26):
going to be a kick and you're suffering. Is that
more mind over matter at that point? What is it
for you? Or maybe it's different for people, But I
mean when you get into those types of things where
you're really tormenting your body for every ounce of energy,
it is like suffering. And some people are willing to
suffer a little bit, do you I mean? Or is
it does everything come easy to you?
Speaker 2 (05:46):
No?
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Absolutely, I definitely feel some suffering. I think in the
race on Friday, I definitely that last kilometer hurt pretty bad.
And I think it does come down to mindset and
also doing it for something greater than yourself. I think
having my te around me. You know, we all told
each other at the start, you know, we're here to hurt,
that's what our sport is. So yeah, it's really just
about digging deep down in that moment and asking yourself
(06:09):
like am I gonna hurt today? Or am I just
gonna settle where I'm at?
Speaker 1 (06:12):
So Tom, that's gonna be great to hear from what
is anticipated to be a leader of one of the
leaders within your program, both men or women, to have
that mindset kind of carry through from the top down
where yeah, you may message it, but when it's another
person who lives it, you can just kind of say like, hey,
this is one person who's bought in. It can happen
(06:33):
for you too. It becomes contagious.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Oh yeah, one hundred percent when it comes from Jaden
or it comes from Elie or on the guy's side,
yonis Yeah, it means exponentially way more when then coming
from me. Coming from me, it sounds kind of like
a sales pitch. Coming from these guys. It's genuine and
they mean it, and they they did everything. You know,
they ran for each other. And I can tell every
single person on that team when they got to that
(06:55):
moment where they're suffering, you know, they thought about their
teammates that were suffering with them, and they went after
and went another gear.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
So I think coming up here and we've got a
little bit of a layoff, and then when you go
down to Brookings or something like that here in the
near future, so it's now more training, well, recovering a
little bit more training, and now continuing on with.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
The season a little bit correct, Yep, yep, So we got,
you know, big week of training this week. Next week
will be a little bit easier. We'll end it with
a nice little conference preview at South Dakota State and
then and then we kind of start getting ready for
championship season. We head down to Texas A and M
in the middle of October, and that'll be a really
fun one. It's a fast course. Last year there was
about forty Division one schools there, so we'll kind of
(07:38):
see where we stack against some of the best schools
in the South. And then from there it's it's conference
in regionals, it's go time. So we've got about six weeks.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
I'm hoping that the temperatures are different in College Station
for you this time around, Jaden, because that was quite
a different setting. I think when you went through College
Station before, correct, it was like hot and humid, wasn't it.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (08:00):
It was not in human definitely impacted me a little
bit during my ten day but I think in October
should be feeling a little better.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Yeah, no doubt about it. Has Running with your team
this year because you guys are also doing well as
a team. Is that almost as enjoyable as do I mean,
obviously you're an individual and an individual sport, reaching those
thresholds are important, But it's got to be fun with
a team.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Oh absolutely, everything's better with a team, training with a team,
and being able to compete with one another. It's just
there's nothing quite like it.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
One thing that our fans don't always know in regards
to the student athlete. Coach Smitt talked about it here
about his football team. Let's talk about being a student athlete.
You're going to shock us with what you've been pursuing
at the University of North Dakota. You're not taking you know,
basically remedial math like I would, or underwater basket weaving.
What are you pursuing here while you're at the University
(08:52):
of North Dakota.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
So I'm doing a double major in molecular and integrative
biology as well as geography.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Okay, molecular and integrated biology. Yes, well that sounds fun. Yeah,
I mean, yeah, that's just an average Monday, I guess
for somebody. So, and you know, when you talk about management,
is that one of the messages when you're working with
your teammates like about how to time manage and how
to put it all together. You've been through it a
(09:19):
number of times. It's not always easy for a person
to put all that together and make it all work
as a student athlete, correct, for sure.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Yeah. I think especially for freshmen on the team, it
does take a little while for them to get used
to that routine of figuring out classes and the schedule.
But I think now being in my fifth year, I've
gotten pretty used to it and know how to manage
that load.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
Well. You're such a great sport for coming over for
just a few minutes. We appreciate that. We know you're
busy with school obviously, you're training and you're just kicking butt.
We're just so darn proud to have you representing the
University of Northdakota and doing it the way that you do,
and we wish you all the more the success. Coach Scott,
thank you for bringing her by, and we wish you
all the best here in the training here in the
days ahead, save travel down to Brookings here in a
(10:00):
week's time, and I know there's more than you guys
want to tick off on your boxes and on your list,
but we're just so excited to see what you've managed
to put down here as a marker on this season.
Thanks for this, Yeah, thank you so much for having us.
It's been a great time here tonight. Jaden Keeler, how
about Jaden Keeler, everybody, Tom Scott, you and D head
coach cross country, they're I mean carrying that banner right
(10:23):
now for you and D athletics and kind of the
national scene with getting the National Athlete of the Week,
and that's just fantastic. So I tell you what coming
up this week. We've got volleyball at home on Thursday night.
We've got soccer at home on Thursday afternoon. We've got
volleyball on the road in Fargo on Saturday night, we
got soccer at home on Sunday afternoon, and a whole
lot more. And we're celebrating you and D men's golf.
(10:46):
They're champions of the Zach Johnson Invite. How about that again,
that's awesome stuff. Congratulations Coach Schaefer and volunteer assistant Dwayne
Wages as well here with their team here today down
in West des Moines close out that event. I want
to thank Jennifer for doing an outstanding job back at
our flagship studios downtown Grand Forks, and for all of
(11:06):
you listing wherever you are across the Fighting Hawks Radio Network.
If you're able to join us live, come on out
each and every week here at the five oh six
Pub downtown Grand Forks. I'm Paul Rolston for the entire
team here. We appreciate you listening, and we'll see you
back here next week for more Hawk talk on the
Fighting Hawks Radio Network
And we welcome you back here to Hawk Talk at
the Bible six Pub downtown Grand Forks, and we're going
to talk a little running now. Cross country. Und has
had an outstanding cross country season to this point already,
and my guests here are very special Tom Scott, head
coach of UNDI cross Country. Tom Scott, everybody, and we
(00:25):
have the winner. The winner, I tell you, of the
Roy Griac Women's Division Division one down at the University
of Minnesota on Friday morning, Jaden Keeler everybody, and that
has been parlayed. We'll tell you something. Jaden has been
racking up awards now over the last few days. I
(00:47):
will just tell you Jaden Keeler just yesterday was named
the NCAA Division one Women's National Athlete of the Week
and she's backed it up with the Quick Star Summit
Performer of the Week Athlete accolades. So good in their job,
Jaden Keeler. That's a multiful for all those awards. So
(01:09):
congratulations to both these and the teams finished well. So Tom,
before we get to the Nick Saban Tak because you
pulled that out here, congratulations to you and your team
and your individual obviously here, but First of all, you
talked about it about it going into the season, gradually
building up. You knew that this Roy Griac greyak at
(01:30):
Minnesota was a step up for your squad. How did
they test out for you and what you thought going
into that more stiffer competition event on Friday.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah, I mean they stepped up big time. And I'll
be honest, they met expectations. You know, this is kind
of what we've been expecting all year long. Okay, you know,
all summer long, they've been putting in the work, and
you know, when they got here, we were in pretty
good shape and I kind of knew what we were
capable of. They knew what they were capable of, and
it feels really good to just, you know, we know
what we're capable of and finally to get an opportunity
(02:03):
to go out and kind of prove it right and
and lay it down on the line and just see
like this is where we stack up in the Summit
League and where we stack up against some other Midwest
schools and you know, beating schools like Iowa on both sides,
and like, yeah, just it's it's just it's awesome to see.
But at the same time. You know, We're job's not
done yet, right.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Right, And that's kind of the Nick Saban thing that
you pulled out yesterday. You pulled out a phrase from
the longtime coach with the Crimson Tide and basically said
in a sense like, don't be satisfied es aentially is
that right? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (02:33):
We can't get complacent. We got to keep working. You know.
It's real easy after a big game or a big
race to just kind of lay off the gas a
little bit and get a little complacent, you know, as
with anybody. You know, if if you know I'm talking
about the other the teams in the Summit League, right,
you get punched in the mouth a little bit, you
get beat, you come back the next time with a vengeance.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Right.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
So we know we know that schools like SDSU and DSU,
they're they're you know, they're not going to just lie
down and let us beat again.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
You met, You've made the bulletin board now with a
statement like that.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yeah, yeah, so we know we got to just keep
at it.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
And I'll always say, if you're making the bulletin board,
that's a good thing. So I mean, that's okay if
you're making others that's great, Jaden, thanks for coming out.
I know you had a hard training session. I can't
believe they make you train hard after a big win.
I mean you can't pull out the don't you know who?
I am out of your pocket a little bit, Jaden. Congratulations.
That must have been an outstanding on Friday.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Yeah, thank you. No, it was a huge race for sure.
Felt really great to get out there and have a
good battle with the lady from Minnesota.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
And you knew her from the ten k during the
outdoor track season, right, I mean you you had a
battle with her.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Then yeah, at the ten Can Nationals she did get
one spot higher than me, so I think the announcers
in the race actually mentioned that, you know, I was
getting a little bit of vengeance there being able to
beat her on her home turf, which felt really good.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Let me ask you this, Jaden, because after the spring
that you had in the outdoor track season, with the
things that we were able to accomplish both indoor then
outdoor season, you know, some athletes at the end of
their collegiate career would be like, you know what, I'm
just gonna kind of you just are so driven that
you have so many more things that you want to
check off your list. You you didn't want to have
(04:16):
a drop. You're You're still as motivated today as you
were back then. How is that Is that just a
part of the person you are?
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Absolutely, I think that's just my mindset. I'm a very
intrinsically motivated person. I just want to keep setting the
bar higher and higher every time I race. You know,
I had big goals last year, which I did accomplish
some of them, but I have even bigger goals this
year that I want to achieve. So I just always
wake up feeling motivated, ready to go.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
So this is Jaden Keeler. She is, of course the
NCAA Women's D one National Athlete of the Week here
for the University of North Dakota cross country team, coming
off a championship individually at the Roy Griac at the
University of Minnesota Long with their co which Tom Scott
joining us here on HAWKTOC. And you know, Jane, the
(05:03):
other thing is is, you know, I don't watch cycling
very often, but it was on this summer with the
Tour de France, and I was just watching a few
minutes and they were in the mountains and they talked
about the people that we're going to do well in
that race were going to suffer. And there's a point
in time I'm assuming that you are reaching a limit,
whether it's in training or in a race where it's
(05:26):
going to be a kick and you're suffering. Is that
more mind over matter at that point? What is it
for you? Or maybe it's different for people, But I
mean when you get into those types of things where
you're really tormenting your body for every ounce of energy,
it is like suffering. And some people are willing to
suffer a little bit, do you I mean? Or is
it does everything come easy to you?
Speaker 2 (05:46):
No?
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Absolutely, I definitely feel some suffering. I think in the
race on Friday, I definitely that last kilometer hurt pretty bad.
And I think it does come down to mindset and
also doing it for something greater than yourself. I think
having my te around me. You know, we all told
each other at the start, you know, we're here to hurt,
that's what our sport is. So yeah, it's really just
about digging deep down in that moment and asking yourself
(06:09):
like am I gonna hurt today? Or am I just
gonna settle where I'm at?
Speaker 1 (06:12):
So Tom, that's gonna be great to hear from what
is anticipated to be a leader of one of the
leaders within your program, both men or women, to have
that mindset kind of carry through from the top down
where yeah, you may message it, but when it's another
person who lives it, you can just kind of say like, hey,
this is one person who's bought in. It can happen
(06:33):
for you too. It becomes contagious.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Oh yeah, one hundred percent when it comes from Jaden
or it comes from Elie or on the guy's side,
yonis Yeah, it means exponentially way more when then coming
from me. Coming from me, it sounds kind of like
a sales pitch. Coming from these guys. It's genuine and
they mean it, and they they did everything. You know,
they ran for each other. And I can tell every
single person on that team when they got to that
(06:55):
moment where they're suffering, you know, they thought about their
teammates that were suffering with them, and they went after
and went another gear.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
So I think coming up here and we've got a
little bit of a layoff, and then when you go
down to Brookings or something like that here in the
near future, so it's now more training, well, recovering a
little bit more training, and now continuing on with.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
The season a little bit correct, Yep, yep, So we got,
you know, big week of training this week. Next week
will be a little bit easier. We'll end it with
a nice little conference preview at South Dakota State and
then and then we kind of start getting ready for
championship season. We head down to Texas A and M
in the middle of October, and that'll be a really
fun one. It's a fast course. Last year there was
about forty Division one schools there, so we'll kind of
(07:38):
see where we stack against some of the best schools
in the South. And then from there it's it's conference
in regionals, it's go time. So we've got about six weeks.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
I'm hoping that the temperatures are different in College Station
for you this time around, Jaden, because that was quite
a different setting. I think when you went through College
Station before, correct, it was like hot and humid, wasn't it.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (08:00):
It was not in human definitely impacted me a little
bit during my ten day but I think in October
should be feeling a little better.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Yeah, no doubt about it. Has Running with your team
this year because you guys are also doing well as
a team. Is that almost as enjoyable as do I mean,
obviously you're an individual and an individual sport, reaching those
thresholds are important, But it's got to be fun with
a team.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Oh absolutely, everything's better with a team, training with a team,
and being able to compete with one another. It's just
there's nothing quite like it.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
One thing that our fans don't always know in regards
to the student athlete. Coach Smitt talked about it here
about his football team. Let's talk about being a student athlete.
You're going to shock us with what you've been pursuing
at the University of North Dakota. You're not taking you know,
basically remedial math like I would, or underwater basket weaving.
What are you pursuing here while you're at the University
(08:52):
of North Dakota.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
So I'm doing a double major in molecular and integrative
biology as well as geography.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Okay, molecular and integrated biology. Yes, well that sounds fun. Yeah,
I mean, yeah, that's just an average Monday, I guess
for somebody. So, and you know, when you talk about management,
is that one of the messages when you're working with
your teammates like about how to time manage and how
to put it all together. You've been through it a
(09:19):
number of times. It's not always easy for a person
to put all that together and make it all work
as a student athlete, correct, for sure.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Yeah. I think especially for freshmen on the team, it
does take a little while for them to get used
to that routine of figuring out classes and the schedule.
But I think now being in my fifth year, I've
gotten pretty used to it and know how to manage
that load.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
Well. You're such a great sport for coming over for
just a few minutes. We appreciate that. We know you're
busy with school obviously, you're training and you're just kicking butt.
We're just so darn proud to have you representing the
University of Northdakota and doing it the way that you do,
and we wish you all the more the success. Coach Scott,
thank you for bringing her by, and we wish you
all the best here in the training here in the
days ahead, save travel down to Brookings here in a
(10:00):
week's time, and I know there's more than you guys
want to tick off on your boxes and on your list,
but we're just so excited to see what you've managed
to put down here as a marker on this season.
Thanks for this, Yeah, thank you so much for having us.
It's been a great time here tonight. Jaden Keeler, how
about Jaden Keeler, everybody, Tom Scott, you and D head
coach cross country, they're I mean carrying that banner right
(10:23):
now for you and D athletics and kind of the
national scene with getting the National Athlete of the Week,
and that's just fantastic. So I tell you what coming
up this week. We've got volleyball at home on Thursday night.
We've got soccer at home on Thursday afternoon. We've got
volleyball on the road in Fargo on Saturday night, we
got soccer at home on Sunday afternoon, and a whole
lot more. And we're celebrating you and D men's golf.
(10:46):
They're champions of the Zach Johnson Invite. How about that again,
that's awesome stuff. Congratulations Coach Schaefer and volunteer assistant Dwayne
Wages as well here with their team here today down
in West des Moines close out that event. I want
to thank Jennifer for doing an outstanding job back at
our flagship studios downtown Grand Forks, and for all of
(11:06):
you listing wherever you are across the Fighting Hawks Radio Network.
If you're able to join us live, come on out
each and every week here at the five oh six
Pub downtown Grand Forks. I'm Paul Rolston for the entire
team here. We appreciate you listening, and we'll see you
back here next week for more Hawk talk on the
Fighting Hawks Radio Network
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