'Committed on the spot': Horace standout Carter Evanson finds future basketball home at UND

HORACE The West Fargo Horace boys basketball team now has its first-ever NCAA Division I product.

Six-foot-three guard Carter Evanson announced his commitment to the University of North Dakota mens basketball program over the weekend as part of the 2026 recruiting class.

I almost kind of committed on the spot, thats how good I felt there, Evanson told The Forum Monday.

But I didnt want to commit on an emotion trip, so I waited a couple of weeks and then gave (head coach Paul Sather) a call and told him I wanted to be a (Fighting) Hawk.

Evanson put together a first team all-state campaign as a junior this past season, leading Horace with 25.2 points, 4.9 assists and 3.4 steals per game.

Those numbers also ranked No.

2 in Division AA in scoring average, No.

2 in steals per game and tied for No.

5 in assists per game.

The two-time all-conference pick also helped Horace to its best season to date in its brief history.

The Hawks finished 18-6 overall in 2024-25, including 13-3 in the Eastern Dakota Conference for a runner-up finish in the regular season standings.

Evanson said he fielded collegiate offers from UND and North Dakota State, as well as Division II Jamestown, UMary and Minot State.

It was a priority, Evanson said, to stay relatively close to home, while being far enough away to get the true college experience.

I wanted to go far enough to where Im (away from home) a little bit, but also close enough where I can watch my little brother grow up.

Hes 12 years old, so hes in the middle of middle school right now.

But I want to watch him grow up as a high school kid and watch his high school career, because hes going to be great.

UND finished 12-21 overall last season with a 5-11 mark in the Summit League.

Sather will enter his seventh season as head coach of the program in 2025-26.

Ive heard nothing but great things from Coach Sather and UND, Evanson said.

I know four 2025s that committed and love (Sather), love the program and everything like that.

Evanson said he even had a conversation with Bismarck native and former Fighting Hawks standout Treysen Eaglestaff, who averaged 28.1 points per game in his three seasons with the program before transferring to Big 12 school West Virginia in the offseason.

Ive talked to (Eaglestaff) about UND and he said its an awesome place to go to, Evanson said.

He loves Coach Sather, loves the program and the culture.

Theres a few guys there now who also love Coach Sather and the program and have said nothing but great things about it.

What stuck out the most on Evansons visit was the presence of the coaching staff and the feeling of being wanted by the program.

My relationship with the coaches, it was awesome, Evanson said.

They were all good guys and they were all there on the visit.

Every single coach was there, that was pretty cool.

They didnt just want me as a player, they want me as a person and to build me up from there.

Although still undecided, Evanson said hes looking into studying exercise science when he gets to campus for the 2025-26 school year.

In the meantime, hes got some unfinished business with his high school Hawks, who came one game shy of qualifying for the Division AA state tournament for the first time.

Im so ready for next season, Evanson said.

We have a great squad.

We lost one (starter), Brady (Westphal), but he was a big part of our team.

He was really good for us and hes up at (Minnesota) Crookston now.

We might even be better than last year.

Everyone has been in the gym right now in the summer.

Everyone is getting better and better.

Its been awesome.

Weve been having a lot of open gyms and workouts started (Monday) and everyone looks good, so Im pumped.

Evanson is the second basketball player from Horace to hit the D-I ranks behind Jaiden Haile, who will head to Gonzaga this fall after helping the Hawks girls to the Division AA state championship in March.

He said its an honor to be the first boys player from Horace to go D-I, but knows he wont be the last.

Its cool to lay the foundation down there, Evanson said.

But I think the classes below me, and so on and so forth, are going to be great players.

I know there will definitely be a few Division I players coming up pretty soon.

Its pretty cool to just lay the foundation..

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