Gophers lose second recruiting target to Dusty May and Michigan

Joseph Hartman is the second recruit this cycle to commit to the Wolverines after visiting the Gophers.

Jan 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Dusty May reacts during the first half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Four-star, Gainesville, Florida guard Joseph Hartman took an official visit to Minnesota two weeks ago, but he verbally committed to Michigan on Wednesday. He joins Quinn Costello as the second Gophers' target in the 2026 class to commit to the Wolverines.

NEWS: 4⭐️ Joseph Hartman has committed to Michigan, he tells @Rivals.

The 6-5 shooting guard is the No. 61 overall recruit in the 2026 class, per Rivals. https://t.co/svbQ7qsx78 pic.twitter.com/JRN11OqK9Q

— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) October 1, 2025

Subscribe: Sign up to receive the free Gophers On SI newsletter

Niko Medved and the Gophers' staff have built a solid 2026 recruiting class. In-state standouts Nolen Anderson (Wayzata) and Cedric Tomes (East Ridge) were first to commit before intriguing DRC native big man Mpoyi joined the class last month.

Minnesota's class currently ranks as the ninth-best in the country, according to 247Sports. It's likely missing the consensus four-star recruit to sustain that ranking when more top prospects continue to commit.

"Possibility for one more. Potentially. It's gotta be the right guy," Medved said when asked if they plan to add another player. "We've got some guys that have visited that we really, really like, so we'll see where that goes. After that, we're pretty happy with the class that we have."

With Hartman now off the board, the only other notable player who has taken an official visit to Minnesota would be East Coast, four-star guard Lucas Morillo. He would be the type of player who could change the outlook of the Gophers' class, but he is also being pursued by top programs such as Illinois, Texas and UCLA.

With Costello and Hartman choosing Michigan over Minnesota, is Dusty May quietly building a rivalry with Niko Medved? Probably not, but it's a fun narrative to build with two of the best young head coaches in the conference. The Wolverines obviously have a lot more cache and resources when it comes to recruiting against the Gophers, so it's probably better not to look too far into the trend. May's class ranks third-best in the country after the addition of Hartman.

Minnesota will play in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this season on February 24. We'll see if the battles between May and Medved on the recruiting trail spill onto the court.