Lansing Sun

Michigan State University has secured the No. 4 ranking in both the USCHO.com and USA Hockey/The Rink Live national preseason polls. This ranking equals MSU's highest during the 2023-24 season and is its best since November 12, 2007, when the Spartans were ranked No. 3.

MSU concluded the 2023-24 season as the No. 5 team in both national polls and returns with 17 letterwinners from last year's team, which had a record of 25-10-3 and advanced to the NCAA regional final.

The Spartans, who were regular-season and tournament champions in 2024, have been selected as the Big Ten preseason favorite. Three players received pre-season First Team All-Big Ten honors: goaltender Trey Augustine from South Lyon, Michigan; forward Karsen Dorwart from Sherwood, Oregon; and forward Isaac Howard from Hudson, Wisconsin. Additionally, Joey Larson from Brighton, Michigan received an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention.

Despite losing three forwards and two defensemen who played over 30 games last season, MSU will integrate nine newcomers (two transfers and eight freshmen) to support their veteran players.

Under second-year head coach Adam Nightingale, who was named Big Ten Coach of the Year, MSU achieved its first-ever Big Ten regular-season championship in 2024 and its first regular-season conference title since 2001. The Spartans won the Big Ten Tournament with a dramatic overtime victory against Michigan at Munn Ice Arena. They earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for their first bid since 2012 and reached the NCAA Regional Final for the first time since 2008.

The Big Ten Conference placed four other teams in the preseason national top 20 rankings by USCHO.com and USA Hockey/The Rink Live: Minnesota (6/5), Michigan (7/8), Wisconsin (10), and Notre Dame (19).