Zach Wiese, a former Owatonna High School goalie who spent the past two seasons in the Tier III NA3HL, on Monday announced on Twitter that he has committed to play for the Gophers men's hockey team.
Wiese, 20, could fill the No. 3 goalie spot behind junior starter Justen Close and sophomore backup Owen Bartoszkiewicz entering the 2022-23 season. Last season's third-string goalie for the Gophers, Brennan Boynton, entered the transfer portal.
Wiese was the NA3HL goalie of the year in 2021-22 for Rochester Grizzlies, amassing a 20-2-2 record with a 1.70 goals-against average, .927 save percentage and four shutouts. He also played one game for the NAHL's Austin Bruins this year. In 2020-21, Wiese went 13-3-1 with a 1.83 GAA, .920 save percentage and three shutouts for Rochester.
The 5-10, 209-pound Wiese went 17-5 with a 1.72 GAA .913 save percentage and three shutouts in 2019-20 as an Owatonna senior.
Gophers well represented on camp roster
USA Hockey announced the 60-player roster for its National Junior Evaluation Camp, and the Gophers have seven current or incoming players invited.
The camp, which runs July 24-Aug. 3, will help select the U.S. roster for the World Junior Championship, from Aug. 9-20 in Edmonton, Alberta.
Gophers defenseman Brock Faber of Maple Grove and forward Matt Knies of Phoenix, who played for Team USA in both the pandemic-shortened World Juniors last winter and the Beijing Olympics, will return to the national junior team. Joining them are five incoming Gophers freshmen: forwards Logan Cooley of Pittsburgh, Connor Kurth of Elk River and Jimmy Snuggerud of Chaska; and defenseman Ryan Chesley of Mahtomedi and Luke Mittelstadt of Eden Prairie. Former Gopher Chaz Lucius of Grant also received an invitation.
Minnesota Duluth has four invitees: current Bulldogs forwards Blake Biondi of Hermantown and Dominic James of Plymouth, Mich., and defenseman Wyatt Kaiser of Ham Lake; along with incoming freshman forward Isaac Howard of Hudson, Wis. Former Bulldogs defenseman Connor Kelley of Maple Grove, who transferred to Providence, also received an invitation.
St. Cloud State defenseman Jack Peart, a Wild draftee from Grand Rapids, Minn., received an invitation, as did Notre Dame forward Justin Janicke of Maple Grove, incoming Wisconsin forward Charlie Stramel of Rosemount and incoming North Dakota forward Jackson Blake, who played at Eden Prairie.
