Jun. 19—GRAND FORKS — Sawyer Riffle, a kicker from Brainerd, Minn., was hoping to catch the eye of UND head football coach Eric Schmidt during last week’s prospect camp.
Shawn Kostich, the veteran special teams coach for the Fighting Hawks, told Riffle to kick the ball over Schmidt’s head across the field.
“I hit it 78 yards over his head on the kickoff,” Riffle said. “I then immediately see (Schmidt) walk over, and he shakes my hand. He says ‘I’m excited about you and your future.'”
Riffle caught enough attention of the UND coaching staff to draw a scholarship offer. He then committed to the Fighting Hawks and becomes the 14th member of the 2026 recruiting class.
“I’ve really had great interactions with UND,” Riffle said. “Both Kostich and Schmidt seem genuine. They showed how much they cared about me coming to UND.”
Riffle, who’s 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, is the No. 1-ranked kicker in Minnesota for 2026 according to Kohl’s Kicking.
“I’ve always wanted to go to North Dakota,” Riffle said. “I really started to get serious (about kicking) after my sophomore season.”
Riffle was originally a soccer player. A football coach in Brainerd spotted him hitting free kicks and asked him to kick for the football team.
In his first field-goal attempt of all-time, he connected on a 47-yard make as a freshman. That remains his career long.
At that point, Riffle was still playing soccer. However, concussion problems led to the end of his soccer career.
“I’m a firm believer in everything happens for a reason,” Riffle said. “I got my last concussion I could stand to still be in a contact sport. I didn’t want to risk my future, because at that point, I knew I had something special (as a kicker). It’s the best decision I made.”
Riffle is the third Minnesota native in the 2026 class for the Fighting Hawks, joining edge Brody Woods of Cold Spring and offensive lineman Brady Goihl of Melrose Area.
UND spent spring ball with four kickers on the roster.
UND’s starting kicker C.J. Elrichs is a junior in 2025. Elrichs was 14-for-19 on field goals in his first full season as starter in 2024. He had a long of 47 yards and was 44-for-45 on extra points.
Sophomore Sam Klestinski of Madison, Wis., redshirt freshman Kenten Laughman of Shawnee, Kan., and Easton Choate of Syracuse, Utah, also remain on the UND roster.
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