GRAND FORKS — At Caledonia High School (Minn.), Coby Hammell plays all over the field. On offense, he’s a wide receiver. On defense, he might start a game at defensive end and finish the game at safety.
The UND football program, though, sees a linebacker.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Hammell committed to the Fighting Hawks as a linebacker last week, pushing the program’s 2027 recruiting class to 10 members.
Hammell had an offer from South Dakota, as well as six offers from some of the strongest Division II programs.
“I’ve been up there several times the last few years with camps and visits,” Hammell said. “I’ve gotten really comfortable with them. The whole coaching staff was huge for me and how much they believed in me as a player and person.”
UND athletics has held strong ties to Caledonia in recent years. Former offensive coordinator Isaac Fruechte, who left UND this past offseason to take a job at his alma mater Minnesota, is from Caledonia, where his dad is a long-time basketball and football coach.
Eli King, who starred the last few seasons for the men’s basketball program at UND, is also from Caledonia.
UND football’s defensive line has featured a couple of former Caledonia standouts in the last 10 years with Casey Schultz and Zeke Ott.
Hammell has other ties to Grand Forks. His mom, Jamie Polovitz Hammell, is a Grand Forks native. His dad, Jed Hammell, played baseball and football at Southwest Minnesota State.
“It felt like the best place to develop as a player and student,” Hammell said. “It covers everything I look for academically in the healthcare field. I relate it a lot to my high school. They’ll do whatever they can to make me the best version of myself. That’s what I need.”
Hammell said linebacker isn’t completely new to him, despite his high school versatility.
“I see that as a great spot to develop and work at,” Hammell said. “I feel like I’ll adjust just fine.”
Hammell also competes in basketball and track and field at Caledonia. His basketball team finished as Section runner-up to Goodhue this past season, while he recently ran 11.04 seconds in the 100 to win a conference track meet.
The feedback from recruiters was that they liked this track background mixed with his size.
“A lot of the versatility and they like how much they think I can improve,” Hammell said. “I’ve been gaining weight while getting faster. They like that I come from a good high school, and they can trust that … the hard work ethic.”
Hammell is the fifth Minnesota prep in UND’s 2027 recruiting class, joining Minnetonka quarterback Caden Gutzmer, Minnetonka cornerback Jonah Cummings, Shakopee linebacker Andrew McGee and Hastings tight end Marlowe Strain.
