Unfortunately, neither side came away with a victory.

Volleyball continues its search for its second league win going into the second half of Summit League play.

Hockey fell to the Gophers in its first loss of the season, nearly managing a comeback but ultimately failing to complete it.

St. Thomas 3, North Dakota 0

In their second meeting in the Summit League, North Dakota was swept by St. Thomas. The Fighting Hawks extended their winless streak with the loss, now 1-7 in conference play.

Lilliana Montes (Jr., Middle Blocker) topped the Hawks in kills for her second game in a row, this time recording 10 against the Tommies. Reagan McIntosh (Jr., Setter) helped facilitate the UND offense with 16 assists while also recording 10 digs to lead the Hawks on defense.

Despite the 3-0 scoreline, the match was close once again, especially in the first set.

The Hawks took a 7-1 lead to start the set strong. However, six straight points for the Tommies threatened North Dakota’s advantage. Despite this pressure, UND held the lead until the set was tied at 24.

St. Thomas took the last two points to win the set that was otherwise dominated by the Hawks.

The second frame began with another competitive scoreline, with neither side managing to build a significant lead early on. UND held the advantage, leading 12-9, before the Tommies delivered a devastating run of 11 straight points. North Dakota only manages. to score two more points in the set, losing it 25-15.

In the final set, the Hawks found themselves with a familiar early advantage. North Dakota was unable to hold the advantage for long, and after a five-point run from St. Thomas, UND began to trail.

The Hawks could not reclaim the lead, allowing the Tommies to complete the sweep.

North Dakota will play in Omaha on Saturday, Oct. 24, where they will hope to bounce back in the second half of the season.

Minnesota 5, North Dakota 3

Fighting Hawks hockey picked up its first loss of the season in non-conference play against the Gophers. The bulk of the action came in the third period, where, after being tied at one, Minnesota scored three quick goals to take the lead 4-1 within the first five minutes of the period. The Hawks were determined to mount a comeback, notching back two goals of their own to bring the game within one.

Despite North Dakota’s push, the Gophers scored their fifth to seal the game.

Jack Kernan (So., F) and Anthony Menghini (Sr., F) scored for UND tonight, along with Cole Reschny (So., F), who also recorded an assist in the second period. Keaton Verhoeff (So., D) played an important role in the Hawks’ offense as well, assisting two goals.

Jan Špunar returned as well, managing 30 saves for UND in the defeat.

The first period saw both sides battle for control of the game. Minnesota eventually scored the first goal of the game with less than three minutes left in the period, a sign of the shift in momentum.

The battle continued into the second period. Eventually, the Hawks leveled the score after 10 minutes.

Kernan capitalized on the power play and scored his third goal of the season, assisted by Reschny and Carson Carels (Fr., D).

Following the goal, North Dakota was forced to play a more defensive game as the Gophers became very threatening on offense. Minnesota outshot the Hawks in the final frame, recording 16 shots on goal to UND’s five.

A strong performance from Špunar allowed the Hawks to fight off a Minnesota power play and keep the score level at the second intermission.

North Dakota’s defensive game ended in a third period defined by a flurry of goals.

After holding strong to close out the second period, the UND defense had no answers for the Gophers at the start of the third. The home side scored two minutes in and followed it up with a second goal less than two minutes later. The Gophers scored a third goal just before the fifth minute of play, setting the score at 4-1.

Menghini began North Dakota’s fight back with a goal at the seven-minute mark. The Hawks stayed relentless, scoring their third of the game with a goal from Reschny. With a potential comeback in sight, UND continued their offensive pressure; however, the Gophers scored their fifth goal of the game with one minute remaining, taking advantage of North Dakota’s open net.

North Dakota will complete its series against Minnesota tomorrow, seeking a split.

Benjamin Bagley is a DS Sports Contributor. He can be reached at benjamin.bagley@und.edu 

Jamie Chapman is a Dakota Student photographer. He can be reached at james.chapman@und.edu.

For the first time under head coach Dane Jackson, North Dakota will face the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. This time, though, the Gophers have been in a backslide under new head coach Brett Larson and are winless in their first four games.

Last week: North Dakota sweeps Bentley, moves to 4-0-0

UND earned its first home sweep last week against the Bentley University Falcons, well ahead of its pace from seasons past.

In the past three years, North Dakota’s first home sweeps have come in November, at the earliest. Dane Jackson’s first Fighting Hawks team sealed its first series sweep in mid-December, well into its NCHC schedule.

The pair of 5-0 wins resulted from two shutout performances by freshman goaltender Caleb Heil and improvements in equal-strength offense.

Freshmen Bauer Dumanski (D), Ashton Schultz (F) and Brock Schultz (F), made their season debuts along with Heil over the weekend. Dumanski (2) and Brock Schultz (1) recorded assists in their debuts, while Ashton Schultz came close to opening his account on Friday night.

Several players tallied their first goals in green and white over the weekend: freshman standout Connor Davis (F), Providence transfer Hudson Malinoski (Sr., F), and ASU transfer Brasen Boser (Jr., D).

Jackson zeroed in on the defensive corps in his remarks after the game, noting that, at times, his defensemen found themselves too far up the ice, exposing Heil to several breakaway chances.

“(We’re) still trying to mature a little bit with our puck management,” he explained. “I think as a defensive core, we’re joining a little bit more than we should be in certain situations. It’s one thing if you’re down 2-1 to the third — then we’re going to ask our D to join. But in some of these situations when we’re up in a game, we’ve just got to sit back a little bit. We’ve just got to mature. We’ll find the right balance. We want to have a five-man attack, but I think we can get more cerebral in our approach to how we’re doing that.”

Earlier this week, Jackson reiterated his point, highlighting the Gopher’s quality on the break.

“I thought when we gave up some chances, we gave up some big, big chances,” he said. “Against a team like Minnesota — they’re good on those big breakdowns — those big rush plays that we give up, whether it’s breakaways or two-on-ones, they’ll score…When we have a breakdown, (we have to) try to mitigate it and get back to the middle and not give up the double-grade A chances.”

More about Minnesota

Brett Larson’s Minnesota side has had trouble finding wins so far this season.

The Gophers opened their 2026/27 campaign in Houghton, Michigan, against the Michigan Tech Huskies, a top CCHA side that looks set to make a run at the McNaughton Cup this season. After the series opener was postponed due to deteriorating ice conditions, Minnesota dropped both games against the Huskies before travelling north to take on Minnesota Duluth a week later.

In its opener against the Bulldogs, Minnesota struggled to find its footing, beaten down after a 5-minute major power play and a secondary power play coincided, resulting in three goals for the home side, adding to an already-established two-goal deficit. The Gophers went on to lose the game 7-1, setting up a high-stakes series finale.

UMN managed to take a point home in its second game, after two second-period goals from Brodie Ziemer (Jr., F) forced overtime.

Rivalry reignited

Since 1948, North Dakota has faced Minnesota 300 times.

The Golden Gophers are the second side to cross the 300-game mark, slotting in behind defending national champions Denver for the most games played against UND.

In recent years, an effort has been made to continue the longstanding fixture on North Dakota’s schedule. On Sept. 15, UND hockey insider Brad Schlossman reported that the sides will continue their annual series through the 2033/34 season, with a gap in 2029 to allow the Gophers a chance to schedule another non-conference opponent.

UND Assistant Coach Dillon Simpson, who played in several big games against Minnesota, including North Dakota’s 2014 Frozen Four loss, spoke to the magnitude of playing UND’s bitter rival earlier this week, noting the atmosphere around every matchup he played in, dating back to the program’s WCHA days.

“A lot of the biggest highlights of my college career were against the Gophers and a lot of low points as well,” he said. “What you remember going into those games is just how much it brings the best out of both teams and how passionate the fan bases are. It feels like Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Finals every time you play the Gophers.”

While Jackson never played the Gophers in their current rink, Simpson and associate head coach Matt Smaby did. Today marks the first time any North Dakota players will skate out in green and white at the 3M Arena at Mariucci and Jackson’s first behind the bench as head coach.

Personnel updates

• No UND player is set to be sidelined in the series due to injury.
• Jan Špunar will likely return to the lineup after feeling “a little bit off” for last weekend’s series against Bentley University. Jackson said the Czech netminder is healthy and has been “practicing well” this week.

Tonight in the Twin Cities

North Dakota’s non-conference rivalry series against the Golden Gophers is set to begin at 7:00 p.m. tonight. Puck drop tomorrow will take place at 6:00 p.m. Both games will air on Midco Sports and be available for streaming subscribers on B1G+. A stream will be available for audio listeners on the Fighting Hawks Radio Network via iHeartRadio, the Fighting Hawks website, or on 96.1 FM (The Fox) for local listeners.

In some ways it did, but in many others, it looked strikingly familiar.

Freshman goaltender Caleb Heil recorded a second shutout and North Dakota scored five goals again, with young players and transfers contributing heavily to its effort.

Freshman frenzy

Dane Jackson brought Bauer Dumanski (Fr., D) and Brock Schultz (Fr., F) into the lineup alongside Anthony Menghini (Sr., F) tonight, allowing the pair to contribute to what has already been an impressive weekend for North Dakota’s freshmen.

And contribute they did.

Alongside Carson Carels (Fr., D) and series-standout Connor Davis (Fr., F), Dumanski and Brock Schultz notched assists, capping a 5-point night for North Dakota’s first-years.

In his postgame press availability, Jackson spoke to increased focus on bringing in quality freshmen to North Dakota, explaining that, in future years, the program will shift away from the transfer portal to emphasize first-year recruiting.

“As we go further and go ahead, I don’t think we’ll have as many transfers,” he said. “They’re guys that you can spot in, and those guys can be valuable as you build your roster. But, our freshman class next year is going to be really strong, and I don’t think we’re going to have too many (transfers) going forward. There will still be moments when you can fill in when a guy leaves, or you have an opportunity to solidify.”

Dumanski provided a shot from the point late in the first period, which, after being tipped by Menghini, generated the Fighting Hawks’ first goal of the night. In the third period, he assisted Brasen Boser’s (Jr., D) first goal as a Hawk, securing a multi-point debut for the former Prince George Cougar.

“It was super cool,” he said, referring to his debut performance. “It’s a really storied organization. It’s an honor to be a part of and to come out and help win.”

East Grand Forks native Brock Schultz assisted Menghini’s second goal to gain his first collegiate point. His head coach spoke to the quality of his debut after the game.

“(It was) pretty cool to see Brock Schultz get in there and be a positive player,” Jackson said. “(His) line was a huge catalyst to get us going. They got in a good forecheck, banged around a bit and got that big goal for us early. That was huge.”

Heil (G) continued his weekend form in net, facing an increased quality of chances to record his second shutout in as many starts. Jackson explained that Jan Špunar has been feeling “a little bit off,” which led to Heil’s back-to-back appearances.

“I think by the start of next week (Jan will) be at 100 percent,” he said. “He was a little bit off, and we wanted to get Caleb in there. When (Caleb) played so well, it just kind of gave us the luxury to get Jan really healthy.”

Early miscues

North Dakota started slowly once again.

This early in the season, that will likely be a trait that wears away over time. Jackson and his staff are highly aware of it, having highlighted the team’s lack of quality in the opening minutes to his players and the media throughout the first few weeks of the season.

However, since its regular-season opener in Bemidji, North Dakota has opened the scoring in every game.

After its goals, North Dakota has settled into games much more comfortably, noticeably so by its second-period performances against the Falcons this weekend. In both games, the home side scored twice in the second and third frames, generating chances through its persistence.

“I think it was a pretty mature weekend,” Boser said. “We stuck with our process, and in both games it felt like we just chipped away and wore them down.”

Big minutes for Boser

Boser showed more of his quality tonight, playing hefty minutes throughout the game.

The former Arizona State defenseman has endeared himself to his coaches and UND fans in the opening weeks of the season through strong performances, notably in penalty kill situations.

Boser ate valuable time when North Dakota was tasked with defending a 5-on-3 in the second period without Carels and E.J. Emery.

After the game, Jackson said the junior has been one of his team’s “most reliable” defensemen in the first few weeks.

“I think he’s one of our first picks,” Jackson explained. “He’s just a really reliable, accountable, solid, good defenseman. He’s dependable, and he’s just-he’s a really good player. He quietly led the Fargo Force in minutes when he played there. He led ASU in minutes played there, and I can see why — because he’s just a guy you can count on. He moves pucks efficiently, and then he plays really physically. He defends really well.”

Boser, a Minot, North Dakota, native, got in on the goal-scoring late in the third period, notching his first goal as a Fighting Hawk.

“It was pretty special,” he reflected. “Obviously, going to games growing up, you always wanted to be here and do that, so I’m glad we could pull through as a group and finish the weekend.”

Seniors show big

Menghini and Hudson Malinoski (Sr., F) made up three of North Dakota’s goals in the series finale, illustrating the role seniors play on the line chart.

Kasper Magnussen (Sr., F) featured alongside Menghini and Brock Schultz, where — despite not earning a point — he made a “good step,” according to Jackson.

“I really liked this weekend,” he explained. “I thought he was extremely physical. I thought he played fast. I thought he kind of forced turnovers by his pace and the tenacity that he played with. I know everybody wants to measure guys by the points they produce, but I thought his physicality and the pace of his checking was really good.”

Menghini rejoined the lineup after being left out last night, scoring in the opening and closing periods to bookend the game. The Minnesota Duluth transfer looks to be gaining confidence through his first three appearances, if only just opening his points count for the season.

Malinoski got his first goal wearing green and white on North Dakota’s first power play, slotting it past Easton Rye (Fr.) in the Bentley net. The goal capped an already solid offensive performance, which saw the Providence transfer heavily impact the Hawks’ play in the opposing end.

“Hudson was playing with a lot of pace,” said Jackson. “He was moving out there. He shows some high-end ability when he’s playing fast like that; he’s a force for us. He gives us a lot of depth at center when we can move guys around and come at teams with Lindberg, Malinoski, Reschny, and Josephson. Strong, good, two-way centers. Malinoski was on the on the wing today, but it really gives you a lot of comfort to know that you have good, veteran players that you know are reliable and good two-way guys.”

Next up

North Dakota will travel to Minneapolis on Wednesday to prepare for its rivalry series against the University of Minnesota.

The Gophers have struggled so far this season under new head coach Brett Larson, failing to record a win through their first four games. Larson’s team was swept in its opening series at Michigan Tech, but managed to take away a point from its trip to Duluth after junior forward Brodie Ziemer scored twice in tonight’s series finale to force an overtime period, which ended in a tie.

Puck drop at the 3M Arena at Mariucci will be at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22,  and 6:00 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23. Both games will be broadcast live on Midco Sports, stream on Big Ten Plus, and be available for audio listeners on the Fighting Hawks Radio Network via iHeartRadio, the Fighting Hawks website, or on 96.1 FM for local listeners.

Anthony Dillett is a sportswriter with the Dakota Student. He can be reached at anthony.dillett@und.edu and on X @adillettgf.

South Dakota State 3, North Dakota 1

UND volleyball failed to pick up a second win in the Summit League today, falling to South Dakota State after four hard-fought sets.

Lilliana Montes (Jr., Middle Blocker) topped the Hawks in kills, recording 13 against the Jackrabbits. Reagan McIntosh (Jr., Setter) led North Dakota in assists and digs, with 25 and 17, respectively. Sally Marong (Fr., Outside Hitter) showcased another well-rounded performance, leading the Hawks in blocks (5) while also recording 16 digs and nine kills.

North Dakota took the first three points of the opening set, coming out of the gate strong. However, a 5-1 run from the Jackrabbits quickly gave South Dakota the advantage. From this point, the set was tied 13 times, and neither team allowed the other to gain a significant lead. An important 4-0 run by UND put pressure on the Jackrabbits, tying the score at 24, though the visitors were not shaken and claimed the final last two points to win the set.

The game’s second set unfolded in similar fashion. Early on, the Hawks mustered a 4-0 run to grab the lead, but a 5 point run from South Dakota put UND back down 13-10. The score stayed close, and the lead was exchanged several times. North Dakota eventually held the advantage 18-17, capitalizing on SDSU’s errors. Despite this, the Hawks could not hold onto the lead, allowing the Jackrabbits to take the second set 25-21.

In a must-win third frame, UND claimed its first set win. Yet again, David Nguyen’s side took the lead to start the game. This time, North Dakota held the advantage until a four-point run from the visitors put them up 8-7. Both teams remained within one point of each other until the Hawks took the lead 14-12. Fortunately, the Hawks maintained their lead to finish the game, winning 25-20 and landing themselves on the scoreboard.

The final set was dominated by South Dakota State. UND never led the scoreline throughout the entire set, and the Hawks found themselves down 8-2 quickly. Strong pushes from North Dakota brought the score closer in the second half of the set, but it was not enough to overcome the Jackrabbits. SDSU eventually took the set 25-22, winning the match 3-1.

UND volleyball will return to action this week against the University of St. Thomas on Thursday, Oct. 22, in St. Paul, Minnesota. The matchup will be the second between the sides in the Summit League this season.

North Dakota 21, South Dakota St. 10

At the Alerus Center, the Fighting Hawks overcame the top-ranked team in the FCS, producing a surprising 21-10 victory. After the game, fans stormed the Alerus Center field in excitement, marking the monumental achievement for the home side.

Cameron Weir (So., Wide Receiver) opened the scoring for North Dakota and ended the game with 35 receiving yards. Charles Langama (So., Running Back) rushed 49 yards to score UND’s second touchdown in the second quarter.

The Hawks took advantage of rushing plays throughout the game, led by Matt Lawson (Jr., Running Back), who recorded 99 rushing yards on top of his 24 receiving yards.

North Dakota’s final touchdown was scored by Deng Deng (Jr., Wide Receiver), who led the Hawks in receiving yards with 40.

The home side started the first quarter slowly by conceding a sack and being pushed back with penalties and false starts. Fortunately for the Hawks, the visitors shared in their offensive struggles, and neither side was able to capitalize on the other. Eventually, North Dakota took the lead after Weir received a 35-yard pass from Jerry Kaminski (Sr., Quarterback) before running 22 yards to the end zone.

To kick off the second quarter, Michael Devereaux (Fifth., Linebacker) sacked SDSU’s quarterback, allowing Weir to make a 33-yard punt return. The Hawks took advantage of their position, and Langama doubled their lead with a 49-yard rushing touchdown.

The North Dakota defense looked sharp in the second quarter as well, forcing several incompletions for the Jackrabbits. With four minutes left in the half, Deng caught a 12-yard pass from Kaminski, and after another successful kick attempt from Kenten Laughman (Jr., Kicker/Punter), the Hawks led the game 21-0.

With less than 30 seconds remaining in the first half, South Dakota State put itself on the score sheet with a 30-yard field goal.

The Jackrabbits came out strong in the second half, quickly scoring a 63-yard rushing touchdown. North Dakota remained unshaken, gaining back its momentum and preventing any further scoring from the visiting team.

The game finished defensively, with neither team scoring in the fourth quarter.

Needless to say, the fans were thrilled with the 21-10 win against the best-ranked FCS team, storming the field in response.

UND will look to build on its momentum against the University of South Dakota in Vermillion on Saturday, Oct. 24.

North Dakota 5, Bentley 0

North Dakota hockey repeated last night’s scoreline, defeating Bentley University 5-0 to sweep the series.

Standing strong once again was Caleb Heil (Fr., Goalie), making 15 saves and achieving two clean sheets from back-to-back starts this weekend.

Several players recorded season-opening points, while others scored their career-firsts.

Anthony Menghini (Sr., Forward) scored his first two goals of the season, opening and closing the scoresheet. Hudson Malinoski (Sr., Forward) and Brasen Boser (Jr., Defense) scored their first goals as Fighting Hawks, while Bauer Dumanski (Fr., Defense) and Brock Schultz (Fr., F) recorded their first career points for North Dakota, tallying assists.

The first period of the game started slower than the series opener, with North Dakota managing nine shots to Bentley’s four. The Hawks opened the scoring with five minutes remaining in the period as Menghini scored his first goal of the season, assisted by Dumanski and E.J. Emery (Jr., Defense). The assist marked Dumanski’s first career point and Emery’s second point of the season, after his assist yesterday.

In the following period, the Hawks scored two more goals and held onto their clean sheet, preventing Bentley from scoring in its three power play attempts. North Dakota’s first goal of the period came from Malinoski during power play. Less than two minutes later, an incisive pass from Connor Davis (Fr., Forward) found Cody Croal (Jr., Forward), who put away UND’s third. North Dakota’s momentum was slowed as a result of two quick penalties, resulting in a 5-on-3 power play. Despite pressure from the Falcons, the Hawks stayed strong defensively and denied any goal-scoring opportunities.

The bulk of action in the game’s third period came in the final few minutes. Assisted by Dumanski, Boser scored his first goal of the season with five minutes remaining on the clock. Nearly one minute later, Menghini scored his second of the night.

Moments later, cheers turned to frustration when Bentley thought it had scored its first goal of the game with just over a minute on the clock. After a North Dakota challenge initiated a review, the goal was overturned due to a high stick. With the goal taken off the board, Heil maintained his clean sheet, and the game ended 5-0.

Next Thursday, Oct. 22, the Hawks will travel to Minneapolis to begin their rivalry series against Minnesota.

Benjamin Bagley is a DS Sports Contributor. He can be reached at benjamin.bagley@und.edu 

The home side built off a solid point-scoring performance from its veteran core, though standout performances came from two freshmen, Connor Davis (F) and Caleb Heil (G).

Star Quality

In his first regular-season start as a Hawk, Heil (Fr., G) recorded a 14-save shutout, making an immediate impact to keep the home side in the game. On the other end of the ice, Davis (F) recorded his first career goal, the eventual game-winner.

After the game, Heil was named first star for his shutout, while Davis took home second star of the game, courtesy of his two-point home debut.

Heil’s first collegiate start has been in the making for some time, UND Head Coach Dane Jackson said. The former Madison Capitols netminder stayed in the USHL at Jackson’s request, delaying his arrival in Grand Forks.

“He stuck through a couple hard decisions I had to make with him,” said Jackson. “(Last season), we made a change with the goalie coach. That was one decision that I drove to Madison to meet with him. We told him, ‘Caleb, we need you to play another year in Junior and be a dominant goalie before you come here.’ Both of those moments could have caused him to say, ‘I’m gonna go somewhere else, coach,’ but, both times he said, ‘I’ve always wanted to play at North Dakota.'”

After the game, the freshman described the game as “super exciting” and reflected on his journey so far.

“Obviously, just been a long time coming,” Heil said. “(I had been) committed here for a while, so finally getting the chance was pretty surreal.”

Davis brought a different dimension to his postgame press conference, emphasizing his surprise at his offensive breakthrough and the memory it left.

“Everyone talks about it, and it actually happening was just like — you kind of just black out. I didn’t know what was going on until everyone started celebrating with me, and I was skating away, celebrating. (It was) a moment I’ll remember forever.”

The Vancouver Canucks pick, who sat out for North Dakota’s home opener, notched an assist on Cody Croal’s (Jr., F) goal later in the game, capping an impressive multi-point performance.

“We’ve seen a lot of really good things in him through training camp,” Jackson reflected. “Even though his early games were good, he’s getting over his nervousness with the puck. You can see he’s got a burst, he’s got a strong stick, he plays physical, and he has a lot of high-level attributes that we appreciate.”

Experience is key

With another shift in their lines, the Fighting Hawks displayed a fresh look, one that provided an effective mix of youth, transfers, and Frozen Four veterans. The change provided an additional boost to North Dakota’s cause, bringing it out of a difficult opening period.

Apart from an assist from Carson Carels (Fr., D), the rest of North Dakota’s points came from its sophomores and upperclassmen.

“Sometimes we just switch things around,” Jackson said. “Sometimes we have Reschny’s line at the top, but we just feel we have really good depth. To me, we have some high-end skill players. We have a lot of other players that we really value. We really value the things that Josephson, Croal, Davis, and those guys bring. They play fast and set the table with their checking, their relentlessness, and their physicality.”

In addition to changing its lines, UND also found ways to adapt after the Falcons came out strong. Against such a traditionally defensive team, the Fighting Hawks had to find a way through at equal strength.

“We talked about kind of changing the point of attack,” said Jackson. “If you’re in their offensive zone and you don’t move the puck quickly, they swarm. They get a lot of guys around it, and they defend very well. We were talking about trying to get pucks, changing the side of the ice, going low to high, and getting that thing moving to try and spread them out, then get it back inside afterwards. We did a good job of that.”

Tomorrow night

Puck drop at the Ralph Engelstad Arena will take place at 6:07 p.m. tomorrow. The game will air on Midco Sports and be available to NCHC.tv subscribers. As always, a stream will be available for audio listeners on the Fighting Hawks Radio Network via iHeartRadio, the Fighting Hawks website, or on 96.1 FM (The Fox) for local listeners.

Anthony Dillett is a sportswriter with the Dakota Student. He can be reached at anthony.dillett@und.edu and on X @adillettgf.

UND Cross Country: Pre-National Invitational

UND cross country showcased a fairly satisfactory performance in the Under Armour Pre-National Invitational at Terre Haute, Indiana. In the Blue Race, the women’s team finished 17th out of 43 total teams, while the men managed to finish 31st out of 44 competing teams.

The White Race was a successful showing for the four women who participated, three of whom managed personal records in the 6K. These women include Addison Beuche (Jr., Distance), Gabriella Ruggeri (So., Distance), and Callie Steen (Sr., Distance). On the men’s side of the White Race, Jonas Weschle (Jr., Distance) competed well, placing 14th and completing the 8K race in 24:52.1.

The women’s Blue Race was the first event of the day. Three of UND’s runners finished within the top 100, namely Shewaye Johnson (Sr., Distance), Olivia Correale (Jr., Distance), and Naja Weiler (Jr., Distance). All three of these runners ran sub-21 minutes in the 6K.

In the men’s 8K Blue Race, Matej Hrebacka (Jr., Distance) crossed the line first for the Hawks with a time of 24:09.2 to finish in 70th place. Hrebacka was not the only finisher in the top 100, as Louis-Lys Fanucchi (Jr., Distance) placed 99th with a time of 24:18.2.

UND cross country will travel to St. Paul, Minn. for the Summit League Championships on Oct. 31 for their next meet.

North Dakota 5, Bentley 0

The Fighting Hawks beat Bentley University in a confident 5-0 victory tonight at the Ralph Engelstad Arena. The game marked North Dakota’s first shutout of the season.

Anchoring the Hawks’ defense was freshman Goalkeeper Caleb Heil (Fr., Goalkeeper), making 14 saves and securing a shutout in his first start for the team. Connor Davis (Fr., Forward) scored his first goal of the season tonight and recorded an assist along with it. Also scoring his first goal of the season was E.J. Emery (Jr., Defense). Cole Reschny also played an instrumental role in UND’s offense, first with an assist and then with a goal of his own in the third period.

The first period was initially close, with neither side truly outplaying the other. Bentley managed a couple of close chances, hitting the post and requiring big saves from the UND goalkeeper. However, at the halfway mark of the period, Davis scored the opening goal of the game for UND. The Hawks played stronger in the last ten minutes, creating more chances and holding possession. North Dakota recorded 15 shots in the period compared to the Falcons’ four.

UND came out strong in the following period, with Jack Kernan (So., Forward) scoring in the second minute of play. The Hawks swiftly scored their third point of the game just over a minute later with a goal from Cody Croal (Jr., Forward). Bentley struggled to contain the North Dakota skaters, allowing several close shots and dominant possession from the Hawks. The score remained at 3-0 by the end of the second period.

North Dakota finished strong in the third period. The Hawks recorded 20 shots, coming from both short and long range, requiring 18 saves from Bentley’s Lukas Swedin. Eventually, a long-range attempt from Reschny found the back of the net in the tenth minute. Three minutes later, Emery scored North Dakota’s fifth goal of the night. The game finished 5-0 with UND recording 44 shots on goal and securing a victory and shutout.

Hockey returns to the Ralph tomorrow night, Oct. 17, for their second matchup against Bentley to complete the series.

Benjamin Bagley is a DS Sports Contributor. He can be reached at benjamin.bagley@und.edu 

Coming off an opening-weekend sweep, the Fighting Hawks will take on the Bentley University Falcons for the first time in program history, kicking off an exciting home series.

Last week: UND goes Beaver hunting

UND swept the Bemidji State Beavers last weekend, opening the regular season with a highly anticipated home-and-home series traditionally played over Thanksgiving weekend.

The Fighting Hawks struggled to hold a commanding lead in the series, conceding an early lead in the series opener and failing to prevent BSU from charging back to tie the game at three in Grand Forks.

UND Head Coach Dane Jackson, in his media availability earlier this week, spoke to the young team’s defensive struggles. As North Dakota adapts to its overhauled defensive corps, Bemidji State made for a difficult first opponent.

“I don’t question our competitive level,” said Jackson. “I thought we competed and battled. We created some good offense at times, but we gave up quite a few quick-strike, quick-transition chances. We know Bemidji State does a really good job of that. They play a style where they shoot a lot of pucks out, and they’ve got some guys that can skate and transition fast. We didn’t stay on top of guys as well as we’d like.”

Despite its defensive struggles, UND outworked the Beavers in the third period, showcasing similar qualities to last season’s Fighting Hawks. In their media appearance earlier this week, players and coaches alike both attributed the team’s success in critical situations to the way it reacts under pressure.

“I think if you do the right things, play the right way and stack up good shifts, you build momentum,” Jackson said. “(The other team is) going to get some chances, and we’re going to have some breakdowns. Dr. (Erin) Haugen talks a lot with our guys about resilience, resetting, and being mentally tough. We, as a staff, were really happy with how we responded to some of those moments where things weren’t going great.”

North Dakota scored a goal in the final period to retake the lead in both games, courtesy of net-front plays by its captain, Cole Reschny (So., F), in game one and Jack Kernan (So., F) in game two.

UND’s sophomore core notched 16 of the team’s 20 points over the weekend, playing a crucial role in the sweep. Assists from newcomers Gavin Lindberg (Jr., F), Ethan MacKenzie (Fr., F), Hudson Malinoski (Sr., F), and Cooper Simpson (Fr., F) made up the rest of North Dakota’s scoring.

First time?

In program history, North Dakota has faced every active Division I hockey program except for eight.

After it meets Bentley tonight, that list will shrink to seven, with just two  — RIT and Sacred Heart — hailing from Atlantic Hockey.

Last season, North Dakota faced off against Mercyhurst, sweeping the former Atlantic Hockey member to open 2026.

More about the Falcons

Bentley comes to Grand Forks fresh off an opening weekend split against Hockey East opponents.

The Falcons, who qualified for the last two NCAA tournaments through winning the Atlantic Hockey tournament, present a formidable opponent for the Hawks, said associate head coach Matt Smaby.

“I think they’re a really disciplined team and a really structured team,” he said. “Obviously, (with) the age of their group as well, (you) can’t replace that kind of experience. We’re expecting a tough challenge in regards to what it is we’re going to see, how it is that they’re going to play, and I think it’s going to stress test us in some different ways that we haven’t seen yet, which is good.”

The Falcons won their first game against the University of Vermont 3-0, courtesy of a standout performance from sophomore goaltender Lukas Swedin and goals from Jimmy Doyle (Sr., F), James Duerr (Jr., F), and Owen Goodbrand (So., F). Doyle, returning from a long-term injury absence last season, was the only Falcon to notch multiple points against the Catamounts.

Bentley returned to Bentley Arena on Saturday, falling to Northeastern 5-1. The Huskies mauled junior netminder Nicholas Bevilacqua, who maintained an .821 save percentage, making 23 saves in the game. The Falcons’ sole goal came from senior defenseman Jack Dalton, who scored on the power play in the third period.

Personnel Updates

• No UND player is set to be out through injury for the weekend.
• Freshman goaltender Caleb Heil has a “good chance” of starting this weekend, said Jackson. Heil, a Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick (2025), played with the Madison Capitols in the USHL last season and represented the United States at the 2026 IIHF World Juniors. 

Tonight in Grand Forks

North Dakota’s series against the Falcons is set to begin at 7:07 p.m. tonight. Puck drop tomorrow will take place at 6:07 p.m. Both games will air on Midco Sports and be available to NCHC.tv subscribers. As always, a stream will be available for audio listeners on the Fighting Hawks Radio Network via iHeartRadio, the Fighting Hawks website, or on 96.1 FM (The Fox) for local listeners.