GRAND FORKS — Not recognizing a California phone number, Alexandria’s Evan Zabel flushed the first two calls from UND head football coach Eric Schmidt.
After the second missed call, Schmidt left a voicemail.
“I was like ‘Oh my goodness,'” Zabel said. “I called him right back.”
The two finally connected and the relationship resulted in Zabel becoming the 22nd verbal commitment of UND’s 2026 recruiting class.
Zabel, a 6-foot-4, 285-pound offensive lineman, is the fifth Minnesotan in the 2026 class and the fourth offensive linemen.
Zabel collected quite a few offers from the Northern Sun of Division II during the spring but started to pop during the summer camp portion of the recruiting calendar.
“At the start of the offseason, I wasn’t talking to many schools, mostly DII and DIII,” Zabel said. “When the camp season came around, especially at the UND camp, I was doing well with the agility drills and working hard with 1-on-1 and pad drills.
“I was talking to UND before the camp and (UND offensive line coach Trevor Olson) would check in from time to time. After the camp, they gave me and a few others a tour.”
Alexandria finished as the state runner-up last season in Minnesota, losing out to Elk River in the state championship.
Zabel also plays basketball and baseball. Alexandria won a state championship in basketball last winter, although Zabel said “I didn’t play very much, but it was fun.”
Zabel said his recruiting decision came down to coaches and facilities.
“Coach Schmidt and Coach Olson are great,” Zabel said. “I went to camp there and worked with them a bit. They know the game and can bring the UND program to a great place, I believe.
“I was there for a gameday and a camp. We drove around campus and saw all the renovations with all the new facilities for football.”
Zabel also received scholarship offers from St. Thomas and Air Force.
“I’m super excited with the choice I made,” Zabel said. “It was hard to talk to the coaches I said no to but there are only good things to come. I’m excited for the future.”
UND 2026 prep recruiting class
1. Brooks Hendrickson, Mount Horeb (Wis), QB
2. George Rohl, Ellsworth (Wis), TE
3. Jackson Stein, Lake Mills (Lakeside Lutheran), Wis., OL
4. Brody Woods, Cold Spring, MN, DL
5. Brady Goihl, Melrose Area, MN, OL
6. Aiden Wunderlich, Casselton, N.D., OL
7. Ethan Headings, Iowa City, S
8. Blake Buhr, Sheboygan, WI, Edge
9. Nate Appleget, Lincoln, Neb., LB
10. Tyler Zdon, Fox Lake, Ill., RB
11. Marial Deng, Tokio, N.D., WR
12. Tavian White, Waukee, Iowa, DB
13. Delvin Cook Jr., Dallas, WR
14. Sawyer Riffle, Brainerd, K
15. Sam Kline, Clarinda, Iowa, LS
16. Mason Beaver, Kearney, MO, DT
17. Isaac Beaver, Kearney, MO, DT
18. Toris Rudd Jr., Omaha, Neb., DB
19. Jack Vyhnalek, Seward, Neb., LB-TE
20. Carter Harris, Allen, Texas, WR
21. Braden Minta, Eden Prairie, DE
22. Evan Zabel, Alexandria, OL
