GRAND FORKS, N.D. – University of North Dakota head hockey coach Dane Jackson announced the addition of 10 incoming freshmen to the program, completing the roster for the 2025-26 season.
 
The class, which is the first under Jackson, consists of six forwards, three defensemen and a goaltender to go alongside the previously announced transfer additions of forwards Anthony Menghini (Minnesota Duluth), Ellis Rickwood (Clarkson) and Tyler Young (Merrimack) as well as goaltenders Gibson Homer (Arizona State) and Zach Sandy (Minnesota Duluth).
 
Class Breakdown:  
By Position: Forward (6), Defense (3), Goaltender (1)
By State/Province/Country: Minnesota (3), Saskatchewan (2), Alberta (1), British Columbia (1), Colorado (1), Czechia (1), Wisconsin (1)
By Previous League: USHL (5), WHL (4), NAHL (1)
 
Names are listed in alphabetical order:
 
Ian Engel | D | Hortonville, Wis. | Bismarck (NAHL)
Spent parts of the last four seasons with Bismarck in the NAHL … Appeared on the blue line in 161 games for the Bobcats and recorded 63 points … Tallied a career-high five goals and 37 points in 2024-25 … Served as the team captain in his final campaign … Helped the Bobcats capture the 2025 Robertson Cup, the first for the franchise since 2010 … Potted four points in 13 postseason games … Finished the year with a plus-20 rating.
 
Ollie Josephson | F | Victoria, British Columbia | Red Deer (WHL)
Spent the last four seasons with Red Deer in the Western Hockey League … Accumulated 101 points in 179 career games with the Rebels … Scored a career-high 14 goals in just 48 contests in 2024-25 while serving as team captain … Tallied 47 points in 68 games in 2023-24 … Also notched five points in nine postseason games … Represented Canada at the 2024 IIHF Under-18 World Championships, recording a trio of assists … Drafted in the fourth round (105th overall) by the Seattle Kraken in the 2024 NHL Draft.
 
Jack Kernan | F | Maple Grove, Minn. | Des Moines (USHL)
Played the last two seasons with Des Moines in the USHL … Exploded for 52 points in 62 games to pace the squad in 2024-25 … Finished fifth in the USHL with 29 goals last season … 14 of those tallies came on the power play to rank second in the league … Was strong in the dot as well, winning over 53 percent of his faceoffs … Shined for Maple Grove High School prior to joining Des Moines, scoring 60 points in just 31 games in 2022-23.
 
David Klee | F | Castle Rock, Colo. | Muskegon (USHL)
Was a steady force for two seasons with Muskegon in the USHL … Recorded over 40 points in each of his campaigns with the Lumberjacks … Had 45 points in 58 games, including a career-best 19 goals, in 2024-25 … Chipped in nine points during the postseason … Captained the organization to its first Clark Cup title … Finished with a plus-18 rating over his two years … Also logged 210 career penalty minutes with Muskegon … Selected in the seventh round (196th overall) by the San Jose Sharks in the 2023 NHL Draft.
 
Sam Laurila | D | Moorhead, Minn. | Fargo (USHL)
Starred on the blue line for Fargo in the USHL last season after spending the previous two years in the U.S. National Team Development Program (NTDP) … Exploded offensively for 41 points just 57 games with the Force … Named a finalist for the USHL's Defenseman of the Year award … Finished just two points shy of pacing the USHL in points per game by a defenseman … Also led all USHL skaters in ice time at 25:19 … Represented the United States at the 2024 IIHF Under-18 World Championships, notching an assist in seven games … Drafted in the fifth round (138th overall) by the New York Islanders in the 2025 NHL Draft.
 
Cole Reschny | F | Macklin, Saskatchewan | Victoria (WHL)
Played parts of three seasons with Victoria in the Western Hockey League … Finished with 152 career points in 127 career games with the Royals … Enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2024-25, potting 26 goals and 66 assists for 92 points in 62 contests … Added 25 points (9G, 16A) in 11 postseason games … Finished ninth in the league in points while his 2.27 postseason points per game sat second … Dominated in the faceoff dot with a 57.2 winning percentage … Served as an assistant captain for Team Canada at the 2025 IIHF Under-18 World Championships … Scored five goals and eight points in five games at the tournament … Selected in the first round (18th overall) by the Calgary Flames in the 2025 NHL Draft, becoming the 24th first rounder in program history.
 
Jan Špunar | G | Olomouc, Czechia | Dubuque (USHL)
Spent last season with Dubuque in the USHL … Posted a 24-15-0 record in 39 appearances with the Fighting Saints … His .907 save percentage ranked fifth in the league while also sitting fourth in saves above expectation … Named a finalist for the USHL's Goaltender of the Year award … Played two seasons with Portland in the Western Hockey League … Appeared in 66 games for the Winterhawks … Went 42-12-4 and led the organization to the postseason twice … Has represented his home nation of Czechia at the U-18 and U-20 levels.
 
Keaton Verhoeff | D | Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta | Victoria (WHL)
Played his first full season with Victoria in the Western Hockey League in 2024-25 … Finished with 45 points in 63 games as a defenseman at just 16 years of age … His 21 goals last season were the third-most by a defenseman 16-or-younger in WHL history … Also the first U-17 blueliner in 40 yards to eclipse 20 goals in a WHL season … Notched one goal and nine helpers in 11 playoff games … Finished with a plus-23 rating … Teamed up with Cole Reschny to help win gold for Canada at the 2025 IIHF Under-18 World Championships … Recorded five points at the tournament … Projected to be a top pick at the 2026 NHL Draft.
 
Josh Zakreski | F | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan | Portland (WHL)
Spent parts of four seasons with Portland in the Western Hockey League … Was teammates with fellow incoming freshman Jan Špunar for two seasons … Increased his point totals each season with the Winterhawks … Finished with 147 points in 212 career games … Exploded for a career-high 70 points in 66 games in 2024-25 … Had 17 games with multiple points, including two hat tricks … Totaled 18 points in 18 playoff games, including scoring in four straight Western Conference Final contests … His 39 goals placed him 10th in the WHL and second on his team.
 
Will Zellers | F | Maple Grove, Minn. | Green Bay (USHL)
Put together a monster season with Green Bay in the USHL … Finished with 44 goals and 27 assists for 71 points in 52 games … Led the USHL in goals and points per game (1.37) … Named USHL Forward of the Year and USHL Player of the Year … Also named USA Hockey's Junior Player of the Year … Struck for 22 points on the power play, including 10 goals to rank sixth … Paced the USHL with seven game-winning goals … Added three points in two playoff games … Becomes the eighth UND recruit to win USHL Player of the Year … His 44 goals are the third-most by any USHL player in the last eight years … Selected in the third round (76th overall) by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2024 NHL Draft … Had his rights traded to Boston Bruins in a trade deadline deal.
 
For more information on North Dakota hockey, follow on social media @UNDmhockey or visit FightingHawks.com.