Gophers Land All-American Defenseman From Minnesota State in Transfer Portal

New Gophers head coach Brett Larson has made a significant splash with the addition of Minnesota State transfer defenseman Evan Murr, according to multiple reports on Monday.

COMMITMENT: Minnesota State D transfer Evan Murr will transfer to the Gophers, according to multiple reports.

He earned 2nd-Team All-American honors after recording 30 points (10G, 20A) in 2025-26. HUGE pickup. One year of eligibility remaining. https://t.co/WQzAYPOz2b pic.twitter.com/1XvSAd5j0X
— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) April 13, 2026

Hailing from Stilwater, Minnesota, Murr has been one of the most consistent defensemen in the CCHA over his three seasons with the Mavericks. He had 26 points (6 goals and 20 assists) as a freshman, 27 points (7 goals and 20 assists) as a sophomore and most recently 30 points (10 goals and 20 assists) last season.

As a two-time CCHA Defenseman of the Year and 2025-26 second-team All-American, Murr was one of the top players available in the transfer portal when things officially opened on Monday. He will have one season of eligibility left to play with the Gophers.

Minnesota lost notable defensemen Leo Gruba, Max Rud and Finn McLaughlin to the transfer portal on Monday. They're set to completely revamp that position with the expected returns of Jacob Rombach, John Whipple and Axel Begley, along with the additions of incoming freshman Mace'o Phillips and Axel Lofgren. Murr immediately becomes the most experienced option on the roster.

Murr is 23 years old, and he'll turn 24 in February. He will provide the Gophers' new look roster with some much-needed experience heading into year one for Larson. He's likely the first of a few additions this offseason. They're also strongly linked to St. Cloud State transfer Tanner Henricks and Tarin Smith from the WHL as defensemen.

Larson is quickly adopting the transfer portal strategy with the Gophers. Minnesota added just two traditional transfers last offseason, and that number should look quite small compared to this year's class. Many people criticized Bob Motzko and the past coaching staff's roster building strategy. There's an early indication that Larson and the new staff with agressively look to add talent from any level going forward.