Forwards Joey Anderson (U.S. National Under-18 Team), defenseman Jarod Hilderman (Fargo Force of the United States Hockey League), goaltender Hunter Miska (Dubuque Fighting Saints of the USHL) and forward Riley Tufte (Blaine High School) have signed a National Letter of Intent to attend and play hockey for the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2016-17.

"This is an extremely talented group made up of players who could have an immediate impact on our program," said UMD head coach Scott Sandelin. "Each brings with them a different skill set and all have been a part of teams that know how to win. We are excited about having these four -- all great character kids -- join us next fall."

Joey Anderson (F • 5-11 • 195 • 6/19/98 • Roseville, Minn. • U.S. National Under-18 Team) -- Is in his second year with the USA Hockey's National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich. ... has collected 13 points (five goals and eight assists) in 18 games thus far with the U.S. National Under-18 Team (a club that will pay a visit to AMSOIL Arena on Jan. 2 for an exhibition game against UMD) ... skated for Team Roenick at the CCM All-American Prospects Game this past September in Buffalo, N.Y., and picked up two assists in a 6-4 losing effort to Team Plante, which was coached by former UMD assistant and one-time Bulldog All-American Derek Plante ... spent the 2014-15 season with the U.S. National Under-17 Team and closed out the year with 21 goals and 21 assists in 55 outings ... those 42 points took a backseat to only one other player (Clayton Keller with 59) on the club's scoring charts .... took part in a trio of international events that season -- the U17 Five Nations Tournament in Dmitrov, Russia, the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Samia and Lambton Shores, Ontario and the U17 Four Nations Tournament in Ann Arbor (the U.S. placed second at all three of those tourneys) ... starred with the Hill-Murray High School varsity as an eighth and ninth grader before departing for Ann Arbor ... topped the 2013-14 Pioneers in scoring en route to securing a All-Classic Suburban Conference citation... was an All-Classic Suburban Conference honorable mention honoree the previous year for the Minnesota State High School Class AA State Tournament runnerup Pioneers ... his grandfather, Tom Anderson, was a UMD forward during the early 1950s.

Jarod Hilderman (D • 6-0 • 200 • 4/11/97 • Kamsack, Saskatchewan • Fargo Force/USHL) -- Joined the Fargo Force blue line battalion this fall following a two-year run with the British Columbia Hockey League's Pentiction Vees ... leads all Force defensemen in scoring through the season's opening 14 games with four points (all assists) ... is a Fargo teammate of fellow 2016-17 UMD recruit Riley Tufte ... played an integral role in the Vees' conquest of both the 2015 Fred Page Cup (BCHL playoff champions) and Western Canada Cup and their advancement to the semifinal round of the RBC Cup (Canadian junior A national championship) ... his  22-game BCHC playoff scoring line included seven points (one goal and six assists) ... broke into the BCHC ranks in 2013-14 and was chosen the Vees' Most Improved Player after a one-goal, seven-assist debut season ... his two years in Penticton were spent with another future Bulldog -- goaltender Hunter Miska  ... his uncle, Bob Hilderman, played hockey at Concordia College (Moorhead, Minn.) in the late 1970s ... is a 2015 graduate of Penticton Secondary School.

Hunter Miska (G • 6-1 • 175 • 7/7/95 • North Branch, Minn. • Dubuque/USHL) -- Returned to United States Hockey League warfare in 2015-16 to tend goal for the Dubuque Fighting Saints ... has appeared in 10 of Dubuque's opening 14 games and has a 9-1-0 record, a 2.43 goals against average and a .912 saves percentage to show for it ... those nine wins lead all USHL puckstoppers ... spent a pair of rewarding seasons with the British Columbia Hockey League's Pentiction Vees prior to his arrival in the USHL ... went 34-9-3 with five shut outs in 46 regular season outings during his farewell Vee season (2014-15) and topped the BCHL in both goals against average (1.88) and saves percentage (.923) ... received the BCHL's Top Goaltender award and teamed with partner Brendan Barry to claim the Wally Forslund Memorial Trophy as the league's top netminder duo ... landed that same honor the previous year with Oliver Mantha ... also was named a 2014-15 BCHL First Team All-Star and the Vees' Most Valuable Player after backstopping them to the BCHL playoff title (Fred Page Cup) and the Western Cup ... allowed just 10 goals in five games at the five-team Western Cup while being selected the tournament's Most Valuable Player ... made 34 regular season appearances as a BCHL rookie in 2013-14 and posted a 2.26 goals against average and a .915, good enough to earn him a league Second Team All-Star honor ... was a member of the USA Hockey Team Development program for two years (2011-13) ... played in 38 games over that span ... compiled a 10-13-0 record with the Under-17s in 2011-12 and was 3-7-2 the following winter with the Under-18s ... competed in the 2012 All-American Prospects Game in Buffalo, N.Y. ... his international tournament experience includes the 2011 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, the 2012 Under-18 World Junior Tournament and a pair of Four Nations Tournaments (2011 and 2012)  ... is a 2013 graduate of North Branch High School ... started two years for the Vikings before singing on with the USNDP prior to his junior year ... attained All-Two Rivers Conference selection during his final prep go around (2010-11)  ... holds the distinction of reigstering the first shutout in Vikings' history (2009) ... also lettered in baseball and tennis at North Branch High School.

Riley Tufte (F • 6-5 • 215 • 4/10/98 • Ham Lake, Minn. • Blaine High School) -- Is about to embark on his senior year at Blaine High School and will serve as the Bengals' team captain for a second consecutive season ... had five goals (all on the power play) -- and six points in 12 games with the United States High School's Fargo Force this fall .... capped off a stellar 2014-15 season by securing Minneapolis Star Tribune All-State (second team), St. Paul Pioneer Press All-Metro East and All-Northwest Suburban Conference (for the second year in a row) recognition ... amassed 51 points, including 23 goals, in 24 games with the 2014-15 Bengals ... suited up for the U.S. select team  at the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup in Breclav, Czech Republic and Piestany, Slovakia, where he played under head coach Derek Plante, a former UMD assistant and 1992-93 All-American center ... was the No. 1 overall pick (by Fargo) in the 2014 USHL draft ... skated in the 2015 CCM All-American Prospects Game for Team Roenick and played against another member of the 2016-17 UMD recruiting class, Joey Anderson ... his older brother, Gavin, is a senior forward at Gustavus Adolphus College and two of his uncles -- Ross and Todd Dahl -- both played hockey at the University of Wisconsin-Superior ... another uncle, Craig Dahl, was the head men's hockey coach at St. Cloud State University for 18 seasons before stepping down in 2005.

All signings are contingent upon admission to UMD and compliance with NCAA rules, including certification by the NCAA Clearinghouse.