LAS VEGAS – Incoming North Dakota defenseman EJ Emery was selected 30th overall by the New York Rangers on Friday night from the 2024 NHL Draft at The Sphere.
 
"Brad Berry, the entire coaching staff, the fans, the community and the players really made me feel at home," said Emery on why he chose to go to UND. "The moment I stepped foot on campus it was a no brainer to go there. They develop great defensemen and I want to go there and win a national championship."
 
Emery joins Sacha Boisvert as first round selections in this year's draft, becoming the first pair of North Dakota players to be taken in the first round since Derek Forbort and Brock Nelson in 2010 and only the fourth time in program history that UND has had multiple first round selections in the same draft class.
 
UND also becomes the first NCHC program to have multiple first round selections in the same draft and the 196 overall selections are the second most in the nation.
 
Emery will come to NoDak after manning the blueline for the U.S. National Under-18 Team, where he carved out a role as a shutdown defender for the development program while adding 16 assists in 61 games.
 
A native of Compton, Calif., Emery will join the Fighting Hawks for the upcoming 2024-25 season.

North Dakota First Round Draftees
John Marks – 1968, Chicago (9th)
James Patrick – 1981, New York Rangers (9th)
George Pelawa – 1986, Calgary (16th)
Jason Herter – 1989, Vancouver (8th)
Landon Wilson – 1993, Toronto (19th)
David Hale – 2000, New Jersey (22nd)
Zach Parise – 2003, New Jersey (17th) 
Drew Stafford – 2004, Buffalo (13th)
Travis Zajac – 2004, New Jersey (20th)
Brian Lee – 2005, Ottawa (9th)
T.J. Oshie – 2005, St. Louis (24th) 
Joe Finley – 2005, Washington (27th) 
Jonathan Toews – 2006, Chicago (3rd) 
Derek Forbort – 2010, Los Angeles (15th) 
Brock Nelson – 2010, New York Islanders (30th)
Jordan Schmaltz – 2012, St. Louis (25th)
Nick Schmaltz – 2014, Chicago (20th) 
Brock Boeser – 2015, Vancouver (23rd) 
Tyson Jost – 2016, Los Angeles (10th)
Jacob Bernard-Docker – 2018, Ottawa (26th)
Jake Sanderson – 2020, Ottawa (5th)
Sacha Boisvert – 2024, Chicago (18th)
EJ Emery – 2024, New York Rangers (30th)

For more information on North Dakota hockey, follow on social media @UNDmhockey or visit FightingHawks.com.