Minnesota Duluth goaltender Zach Sandy (31) skates back to the goal after a timeout against St. Thomas at Amsoil Arena on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022, in Duluth.
GRAND FORKS — UND is bringing Zach Sandy home to North Dakota.
The former star goaltender from Fargo South-Shanley has committed to UND out of the NCAA transfer portal.
Sandy spent three years at Minnesota Duluth serving as the backup goaltender.
The 6-foot, 175-pound netminder is 2-2 with a 3.45 goals-against average and an .873 save percentage. Sandy started two games this season.
Sandy is expected to serve as UND's third goaltender this season.
Sandy spent four years as the varsity goaltender for Fargo South-Shanley. He posted a .922 save percentage as a sophomore, .947 as a junior and .941 as a senior.
He helped South-Shanley reach the state championship game as a junior.
After high school, Sandy played one year for Minot in the North American Hockey League. He went 14-11-2 and posted a .932 save percentage.
Sandy mainly served as the third goaltender for Minnesota Duluth, but was thrust into a bigger role this season.
Sandy is close friends with UND senior forward Ben Strinden. They were high school classmates at Fargo Shanley.
When Sandy originally committed to Minnesota Duluth, he told The Forum: "We’ve always talked about what a great dream it would be if we could both play Division I hockey. And now seeing it unfold … we’ll still be best friends, even though we’ll be playing against each other. It’s all love at the end of the day.”
Now, they'll be teammates again.
Roughrider forward Brendan Mullen (23) and Fargo South Shanley defenseman Carson Dean (20) fight for the puck in front of Bruins goalie Zach Sandy in the first period of Thursday's boys hockey game at Eagles Arena in Grand Forks. Nick Nelson / Grand Forks Herald
Sandy's commitment rounds out UND's goaltending group for 2025-26.
The Fighting Hawks received a commitment from Arizona State's Gibson Homer out of the transfer portal. They're also bringing in freshman Jan Špunar from the Dubuque Fighting Saints. Špunar is a finalist for the United States Hockey League's Goaltender of the Year.
Committed recruit Caleb Heil of the USHL's Madison Capitols will play one more year of junior hockey and come to campus in the fall of 2026.
UND sophomore Hobie Hedquist is expected to leave in the NCAA transfer portal, though he has not entered yet.
Last year's starter, T.J. Semptimphelter, graduated and signed with the top minor-league affiliate of the New York Islanders. Last year's third goalie, Kaleb Johnson, suffered a career-ending injury.
With all of that, the Fighting Hawks will turn over their entire goaltending group.
UND's 2025-26 roster is inching toward completion.
The Fighting Hawks will likely add two forwards and one or two defensemen.
Minnesota Duluth goaltender Zach Sandy (31) warms up prior to a game against North Dakota on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at Amsoil Arena in Duluth.
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