Baseball | 12/19/2024 10:32:00 AM

CROOKSTON, Minn. - The aggressive stare of the eye, the iconic beak, and golden feathers on the back of the head. These are iconic features of the Golden Eagle logo, representing the University of Minnesota Crookston. Unveiled in 2001, the logo has come to represent Golden Eagle athletics and alumni for nearly 25 years. For the family of one Minnesota Crookston student-athlete, it has an even deeper connection.

East Grand Forks native Isaac Telle is in his third year at the U of M Crookston and a catcher for the Golden Eagles baseball program. His parents, Scott and Linda Telle, are game day regulars at Minnesota Crookston Baseball Field and, like most fans, arrive sporting Golden Eagles branded apparel. What's unique is how it all fits together.

"It's pretty cool," Isaac Telle said. "On top of being a part of this great program, I get to wear a logo that my dad created years before I was even born."

Scott Telle is creative director and a founding member of Ad Monkeys, the Grand Forks advertising agency that helped UMC launch the Golden Eagles logo in 2001. The process of developing a logo to accompany the new Golden Eagles moniker began internally at Minnesota Crookston with involvement from then Director of Communications Andrew Svec and Director of University Relations Curt Aimlie. That effort resulted in a logo concept designed by Del Wright, a Minnesota Crookston adjunct instructor at the time.

"I remember being asked to refine the artwork to develop the look, the posture, the facial expression," Telle recalled. "At the time, I didn't realize the lasting impact of that request."

Fast forward twenty years to when Isaac Telle, a soon-to-be senior at Sacred Heart High School, was playing summer baseball for East Grand Forks Legion Post 157.

"At the end of my junior year I decided to play Legion baseball for the first time. I had great coaches. In fact, both of my coaches, Michael Lukkason and Neil Nagle, played under Coach Gust and had close connections. I practiced, tried to improve, worked on my hitting and my defense. I wasn't the biggest guy on the team, I wasn't the best hitter, and I didn't have the strongest arm," Isaac said. "During one of our tournaments Coach Gust was there and saw how I played. He thought I had a really good understanding of the game, and that I could bring value to the team." 

Coach Gust encouraged the Telle family to keep in touch. In January of Isaac's senior year of high school, they visited the Minnesota Crookston campus. One of the first things they noticed was the Golden Eagle logo. 

"It was everywhere. What a thrill to see it on display across campus after all these years," Scott Telle said. 

During that visit, Isaac and his parents received a tour of the campus, met the U of M Crookston Baseball coaching staff, and had a frank conversation with Head Coach Steve Gust, who offered Isaac a spot on the team impressed with the zest the East Grand Forks-native showed who had a baseball bat, glove, and cap always close by since he was a young child. 

Isaac took some time to think over the offer, and also talk to his grandfather, Dale Telle. Dale had been a four-year starting member of the University of North Dakota football team in the 1950s. Scott had also attended the University of North Dakota, something he felt was expected of him. So when Isaac was approached to continue his academic and baseball career at Minnesota Crookston, he wanted to talk to his grandfather.

"Isaac said he had to think about it, and he went and talked to his grandpa about wearing maroon and gold. His exact words to Isaac were, 'You take that opportunity. They don't come along every day. I will root for you no matter what colors you are wearing.' Sadly, he passed before he was able to attend a game, but he's certainly been there in spirit," Scott Telle said.

Scott described the University of Minnesota Crookston as the perfect institution for students who love their sport, enjoy small classes, and get the opportunity to really know their teachers. For Isaac, the deciding factor was baseball.

"Like Dad said, at that moment I had never been given an offer like that before, and I knew what a serious commitment it would be. I asked if I could get a few days to think about it, just to assess where I was at. I thought it was really cool, but I wanted to go over what it would look like. I think it was 2-3 days later I texted Coach Gust and said, 'Absolutely, I would love to be a part of this team,'" Isaac said.

Several times during his sophomore year at Minnesota Crookston, Isaac made the travel roster and was assigned an active role as a bullpen catcher. This included the NSIC Championship Tournament in Bismarck and Mandan, N.D.

"That was an awesome opportunity, and I was glad to be a part of it. I know the guys on this team are proud to represent the University and wear the colors and the Golden Eagles logo. For me personally, the fact that Dad had a part in putting the logo together is really cool." Isaac remarked.

Isaac's teammates have started to figure out his Dad's role in the design of the logo in recent months, but at the end of the day it is just a part of his story and he is excited to be a part of the Golden Eagle family. The logo will continue to play a part in the lives of students on the Minnesota Crookston campus for years to come, and will surely be an important part of the Telle family's history as Isaac finishes his time at the U of M Crookston and becomes a proud alumni forever donning the Golden Eagle emblem.