MDN File Photo Tauros goalie Zach Sandy, seen here in a home game earlier this season, has committed to the University of Minnesota Duluth for the fall of 2022.

After this season, a Minot Minotauros goaltender will be taking his talents to the Division 1 level of college hockey.

On Wednesday, the North American Hockey League announced on their Twitter page that Minot netminder and Fargo native Zach Sandy has committed to play for the University of Minnesota Duluth. In 19 games thus far with the Tauros, Sandy has compiled a 10-7 record with a team-best 2.35 goals against average and a save percentage of .932, also a team-high.

When it came to selecting a college, Sandy tells The Minot Daily News that he had considered St. Cloud State, Bemidji State and the University of North Dakota. However, his belief in Duluth’s system eventually led to him committing with the Bulldogs.

“They really have a class act program and an unbelievable coaching staff,” Sandy said of UMD. “They have had a great lineage of goalies in the past and I am looking forward to adding to that legacy.”

Ultimately, the first year Tauros player says that his competitive attitude and athleticism are traits that will serve him well at the next level. As for the future challenges of competing in Division 1 hockey, Sandy states that an even-keel approach will be paramount to bringing out the best of his abilities.

“As long as I can manage my time well between school work and sports, I’ll be able to prove that I belong there,” the Tauros goalie says. “They can expect to see me come in and compete every single game, compete hard in practice and do everything right off the ice as well.”

Currently, Sandy is out of the Minot lineup due to a concussion, but is expected to return to the ice in the next few weeks. Meanwhile, the Tauros as a team occupy first place in the NAHL Central Division through their first 32 games and have a total of 39 points to their credit. Moving forward, the Division 1 prospect feels that Minot has as good a chance as any other team to win the league’s coveted Robertson Cup, which is awarded to the yearly champion.

“We definitely have our eye on the title and if we put our minds to it and compete, I think we’ll have a good chance to accomplish that goal,” Sandy adds.