Though the calender still reads 2015, the University of Minnesota Duluth and head coach Bob Rients are focused on 2017, at least when it comes to recruiting as the team added six players to the 2017 incoming class during the early signing period. Four have signed National Letters of Intent and a fifth to an Acceptance of Admission letter.

A 6-foot-3-inch center fielder from Alexandria, Minnesota, Brayden Amundson signs an Acceptance of Admission with UMD. The Alexandria High School started for the first time in 2015 and will finish up a two-year starting career next season in the outfield. A three-sport athlete, Amundson also started two seasons on the Alexandria football team and one season for the Cardinals basketball program as a forward. He's been selected as Player of the Week in each sport at least once. Off the field, Amundson is a member of National Honor Society. He plans to major in civil engineering at UMD.








A four-year starter as a right-handed pitcher and first baseman, Travis Berg joins the Bulldogs after a four-year career with Eau Claire Memorial High School. The 6-foot-3-inch, 215-pound Eau Claire native enters his senior campaign having earned All-Big Rivers Conference honors in each of the past two seasons. He also started one season in football for the Old Abes as a tight end and defensive lineman. Off the field, he has participated in intramural volleyball and basketball, yoga club, DECA, National Honor Society, and LInk Crew. Berg is currently undecided on a major at UMD.








A 6-foot-6 inch utility player from Barron, Wisconsin, Rece Dietrich brings experience on the mound, at first base, and in the outfield. The southpaw earned first team all-conference honors in the Heart o' North last season and a second team all-league pick in 2013 for the Golden Bears of Barron High School. He will serve as the team's captain entering his senior campaign. He also has three years of starting experience in football as a two-way player  and basketball as a forward and played one season on the soccer team. Off the field, he served as Barron's Student Senate President and participated in National Honor Society and Positive Attitudes for Life (PAL). He is a former teammate of UMD football player Jason Balts. Dietrich plans to major in communications at UMD with a minor in mass media.






Another Wisconsin, native, Chris Saltzmann of Waterford, joins the Bulldogs after a three-year starting career for Waterford Union High School. The 6-foot-3-inch pitcher and outfielder took home All-Southern Lakes Conference, All-Area, and All-County honors during his junior campaign. Entering his senior campaign, he will serve as team captain after leading the team to a conference championship in 2015, hitting .340 with a .516 slugging percentage. Saltzmann also earned All-Conference honors as a forward in basketball and started two seasons for the Wolverines football team as a two-way player.  He plans to major in biochemistry at UMD.








Rounding out the class is 6-foot-5-inch utility man Alex Welder of Rochest John Marshall High School. The Rochester, Minnesota native brings experience starting as a first baseman, outfielder, and pitcher. Leading the Rockets to a Big Nine Conference title in 2014, he has serves as a three-year starter and established program records of 16 double and 30 runs batted in during the 2015 season. Welder also played for Rochester John Marshall's state tournament football team this past season as a tight end and defensive lineman, earning All-District honors in 2015, and played three seasons of varsity hockey in high school. His father Scott Welder played football at the University of North Dakota and was a teammate and friend of Kurt Zuidmulder, the late father of current Bulldog Kole Zuidmulder.  Welder is undecided on a major at UMD.







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