Jake Ratzlaff commits to Minnesota

Minnesota has received its first verbal commitment from a player born in 2002. Rosemount, MN defenseman Jake Ratzlaff announced his decision Thursday (July 20, 2017) that he intends to play hockey for the Gophers.

Honored & excited to announce my commitment to play hockey at the University of Minnesota!! Thanks to everyone that helped me! #gogophers 〽️

— Jake Ratzlaff (@ratzlaff_15) July 20, 2017

Ratzlaff, who shoots right, is also the first verbal since Scott Bell was hired as Minnesota's assistant coach in June. He spent this week among the best in his age group participating in USA Hockey's Boys Select 15 Camp.

A physically developed player for his age, he would be eligible to arrive on campus in fall 2020 at the earliest.

Ratzlaff joins others making a verbal commitment prior to suiting up in a high school hockey game. While being a move that becomes more and more frequent as the recruiting game gets younger and younger, the Gophers technically held off compared to recent years. Normally the team's first in an age group ends up coming earlier in the spring than after Model and Select Camps.

Recent first verbal commitments to Minnesota by birth year:
2002: Jake Ratzlaff (7/20/17)
2001: Kaden Bohlsen (4/18/16)
2000: Jaxon Nelson (4/16/15)
1999: Brannon McManus (4/27/14)