Minot High award-winning goalie JJ Dufner and track and field standout Mikkail Nehring joined the pack on Monday when they signed their letters-of-intent to compete as the newest members of the St. Cloud State University Huskies.

On a snowy Monday afternoon at Minot High’s Magic City Campus, seniors JJ Dufner and Mikkail Nehring were on cloud nine after signing their letters-of-intent to continue their distinguished athletic careers at St. Cloud State University.

In front of family, friends, coaches, and teammates, Dufner and Nehring put pen to paper, solidifying their commitments and making themselves the newest members of the Huskies athletic program.

Taking over the starting goalkeeper role his sophomore year, Dufner has served as the keystone of a brick-wall Magi defense that has been pivotal in the team’s back-to-back WDA boys’ soccer regular season and tournament championships.

This past season, Dufner earned a spot on the All-WDA Boys’ Soccer Team after leading the West Region with nine shutouts and accumulating 117 saves in the process.

In addition to his contributions on the pitch, Dufner spent time on the gridiron as well, working as a place kicker for the Magi football team.

When asked about what he brings to the Huskies men’s soccer program, Dufner stated, “Even though I will be a freshman next season, eventually I look forward to being a leader for the team.”

Along with anticipating one day spearheading the St. Cloud State defense, he also mentioned his excitement regarding getting to know all of his future teammates.

“They have a lot of international players from around the world, and players from different states, so getting to know everyone will be really fun,” explained Dufner.

For Nehring, she takes her versatile track and field abilities to St. Cloud State where she looks to utilize her impressive jumping ability, in tandem with her speed, to aid the Huskies in competing for championships.

Excelling in the 100-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles, and triple jump, Nehring’s dual-threat talents have made her not only a key contributor when it comes to the Majettes track and field team’s success, but also an integral part of St. Cloud State’s game plan for winning titles in the years to come.

Akin to Dufner, Nehring’s skill-set has played a large role in her success as a multi-sport student-athlete while at Minot High, as she capitalized on her leaping ability to help rack up wins for the Majettes volleyball team before focusing her training specifically towards track and field.

Reminiscing on her early days on the track, she recalled, “I started out in sixth grade and ran a few relays, and it wasn’t really my thing. However, I started high jumping and I really liked it.”

Nehring continued, “I didn’t start triple jumping until my sophomore year and I absolutely fell in love with it. As far as hurdles, I have been doing them for about six years and I have always loved it.”

Taking into consideration the many factors that came into play when deciding upon St. Cloud State, Nehring gushed the most about her future teammates and the welcoming environment she found when visiting the campus.

“There is such a family aspect at St. Cloud. When I took my tour, I met up with my future teammates and I felt like I was already best friends with them, which was super exciting.”

With only months left until their time at Minot High draws to a close, both Dufner and Nehring seem poised to make their presence felt as they begin writing the next chapter of their academic and athletic stories as Huskies.