Rangers 2024 First Round Pick Making History At University of North Dakota

The New York Rangers 2024 first round pick EJ Emery is already making history.

Emery is set to become the University of North Dakota’s first Black player in more than 30 years this upcoming season.

The 18-year-old chose to attend the University of North Dakota for a number of reasons but it was the family-type atmosphere that really drew him to the school.

“I just felt comfortable there,” Emery said via William Douglas of NHL.com. “The coaches and the fans, and obviously the team, made me feel at home and I know they’re going to look out for me.”

The Rangers selected Emery with the 30th overall selection.

He played 61 games for the U.S. National Development Program last season and recorded 16 assists while he also spent some time in the USHL.

Emery has one main goal in mind as he embarks on the next chapter of his career at the University of North Dakota and that is to win.

“My main goal, main focus, is to win a national championship and do whatever the team needs to do to do that,” Emery said. “Everyone on this team is thinking the same way, just having the mindset of getting better every day and do whatever it takes to go as far as possible.”