LOOK: Michigan State 2023-2024 Hockey Team Name Captains

Practice is underway for the 2023-2024 Men’s Ice Hockey Season at Michigan State. The skates are sharp, the ice is clean, and expectations are high for the second season under coach Adam Nightingale.

Leading the way for the Spartans will be a quartet of talented captains. The Spartans took to Instagram to announce it in style:

Who are the captains?

Nash Nienhuis - Senior, Defenseman, From Sarnia, Ontario

Nienhuis will officially wear the “C” on his jersey (the other three are technically the “alternate captains”). Despite lining up as a defenseman, Nienhaus is coming off his best offensive season last year, despite injuries requiring him to miss 9 games. Last year’s recipient of the Spartan Fitness Award as well as the Dave Carrier Award (given to the “comeback player of the year”) was an alternate captain as a Junior and takes his rightful place leading this year’s squad.

Nicolas Müller - 5th Year Senior, Forward, From Arisdorf, Switzerland

Müller is an obvious pick to help lead this year’s squad after being named last year’s Outstanding Senior, Outstanding Offensive Player, and being named the Spartan Shield. The leadership displayed by Müller is only matched by his production, leading the team with 34 points (9 goals and 25 assists). As a bonus, Müller has been named to the Academic All Big Ten team the last three years.

Matt Basgall - Sophomore, Defenseman, From Lake Forest, Illinois

Basgall is part of the young core of players that has people very excited about the future of Spartan Hockey. As a true freshman, Basgall played in 38 games and ranked second in defenseman (behind Nienhuis) in overall points (17 - four goals and 13 assists).

Karsen Dorwart, Sophomore, Forward, From Sherwood, Oregon

Another of the young core for this up and coming Spartan squad, Dorwart also skated in all 38 games last year as a true freshman. Dorwart ranked second on the team in goals (10) and third in total points (27). Dorwart Freshman year had some truly exciting moments including two game winners and some determining goals in shootouts.

This team has the feeling of a squad on the cusp of a dominant run. They certainly look confident as they take the ice for the start of practice:

What are your expectations for the upcoming hockey season?