The University of North Dakota celebrated its brightest stars at the annual Night of Champions event Thursday night at the Empire Arts Center in Grand Forks, honoring the standout performances from the 2025-26 athletics season.
Jadyn Keeler stole the spotlight, capturing two of the evening's most prestigious awards: the Grace Rhonemus Female Athlete of the Year and Best Individual Performance. The UND runner has been nothing short of dominant, earning All-American honors in both cross country and track and field. She also repeated as the Summit League's indoor distance triple crown champion, an achievement that speaks to her incredible versatility and endurance.
Keeler's list of accomplishments this season reads like a highlight reel. She shattered six track school records and was named the Summit League's cross country, indoor, and outdoor track female athlete of the year. Her leadership proved pivotal as she guided UND to its first-ever Summit League cross country championship this fall, winning the individual title in the process. At the Summit Indoor Championships, she swept the mile, 3,000 meters, and 5,000 meters, becoming the first Summit athlete to earn MVP honors in back-to-back seasons.
On the men's side, hockey standout Jake Livanavage took home the Red Jarrett Male Athlete of the Year award. The defenseman earned All-America honors for the second consecutive year, finishing his collegiate career with 82 points. His journey reached a thrilling new chapter last month when he made his NHL debut with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Basketball fans will remember Eli King's clutch play that earned him Play of the Year honors. With UND trailing St. Thomas 80-79 and just 10 seconds remaining, King stole an inbounds pass in the backcourt, scored quickly, and then contested the final shot to seal the win. The victory ended St. Thomas' nation-best home winning streak, a moment that will echo in Fighting Hawks lore.
The Unsung Hero Awards highlighted grit and teamwork. Volleyball's Izzie McCormick earned the Female Unsung Hero honor after leading the Hawks with 344 digs, becoming just the 24th player in program history to reach 1,000 career digs. Hockey captain Bennett Zmolek was named Male Unsung Hero, guiding UND back to the Frozen Four for the first time since 2016 while leading the team with 55 blocked shots and a plus-18 rating.
Newcomer of the Year awards went to basketball's Mackenzie Hughes and hockey's Cole Reschny. Hughes was the lone Hawk to start every game, posting 19 games with at least 10 points. Reschny made an immediate impact with 35 points and 29 assists, leading all NCHC rookies in both categories on his way to earning NCHC Rookie of the Year honors.
The event opened with remarks from UND President Andy Armacost, Athletic Director Bill Chaves, and Master of Ceremonies Darrin Looker, setting the stage for a night that celebrated the heart, hustle, and history-making moments that define Fighting Hawks athletics.