South Dakota forward Carter Sanderson commits to UND hockey – The Rink Live

GRAND FORKS Carter Sanderson said his Sioux Falls Power U16 coach, Noelle Needham, gave him a suggestion this year.

She told Sanderson to try playing Mark Stone and use the Vegas Golden Knights star as an example for his own game.

“He can score points,” Sanderson said of Stone, “but he's a big 200-foot player.”

That style of play caught the attention of UND.

The Fighting Hawks called Sanderson on the first day of allowable contact for high school sophomores (Jan. 1) and then offered him a scholarship on the first day allowable for players entering their junior year of high school (Thursday).

UND assistant coach Karl Goehring met with Sanderson Thursday in Watertown, SD, to deliver the offer in person.

“I signed up about 10 minutes after that,” Sanderson said. “It's been one of my dream schools for a while now.”

Sanderson, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound forward from Pierre, SD, was the first player to commit to UND in this recruiting round.

He also considered Omaha and Augustana, a sophomore program in Sioux Falls.

“First of all, he's an incredible person,” Needham said. “His character is off the charts. He's a leader and I wouldn't be surprised if he were to be a captain there one day. His work ethic is fantastic. He does all those little things that really improve a culture. That's what he brings, I think.”

And he's got that Mark Stone-esque game too.

“He's big, physical, tough and has the ability to make plays,” Needham said. “He uses his body really well. He's smart. He's a really versatile 200-foot player who's responsible and willing to do whatever it takes to bring success to the team and the guys that play around him.

“He's absolutely the epitome of a North Dakota style player.”

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Sanderson made a big leap as a sophomore, scoring 36 goals and 73 points in 65 games for the Sioux Falls Power. He got on the radar of recruiters and was selected by Muskegon in the fourth round of the United States Hockey League Phase II Draft.

“He was really encouraged to use his skills to get out of trouble instead of just clearing the puck,” Needham said. “That was the biggest difference. He started holding it and making plays. He started using his feet more instead of a dump-and-chase style. That gave him a chance to develop and gain some confidence.”

Sanderson said: “I've had a great year. Noelle has really developed me into a better player, a better skater and an all-around person. She's really helped me develop my intelligence on the ice. I have to show her some love. I've really appreciated that. It's also really helped me to be around great teammates from all over the country.”

This fall, Sanderson will play for Muskegon, where he is a teammate of UND colleague David Klee.

Sanderson is the fourth South Dakotan to play at UND. Buzz and Prince Johnson of Webster, SD, played for the Fighting Sioux from 1947-50. Brady Ferner, an RPI transfer from Dakota Dunes, SD, played one season for the Fighting Hawks in 2021-22.

Sanderson said he heard about UND hockey as a kid.

“I was in about fourth grade,” he said. “I was watching TV on the couch. I turned on Midco. I loved watching hockey. I loved the job. Ever since then, I've fallen in love with the job and the organization.”

Sanderson played a game at Ralph Engelstad Arena while attending Northstar Christian Academy, a school in Alexandria, Minnesota.

“It's a great job,” he said. “It was quite difficult to play in a big empty stadium with no fans, but I'm sure in a few years when I'm there and it's full of 12,000 people, it's going to be a great experience.”

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Birthplace: Pierre, SD
Mate: 6-1, 190.
Position: Go ahead.
Team 2024-25: Muskegon (USHL).
NCAA Affiliation: AND.

Schlossman has covered college hockey for the Grand Forks Herald since 2005. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors four times as the Herald’s top reporter for its circulation division and once as the North Dakota Sports Reporter of the Year. He lives in Grand Forks. He can be reached at bschlossman@gfherald.com.