Michigan State has announced that head hockey coach Adam Nightingale has signed a multi-year contract extension.
Entering his fourth season at the helm in 2025-26, Nightingale has guided Michigan State hockey to back-to-back Big Ten regular-season and conference tournament titles and a 69-35-9 overall record. His .650 career winning percentage ranks second in program history behind Ron Mason’s .687. MSU’s conference titles in 2023-24 and 2024-25 marked the third time in program history that the Spartans won conference championships in consecutive seasons (1984-85/1985-86 and 1988-89/1989-90 in the CCHA). The Spartans became the first school to win back-to-back Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles in the same seasons.
“I’m appreciative of the support the board of trustees and president Kevin Guskiewicz have demonstrated with today’s announcement of a new contract for Adam Nightingale, helping to ensure he leads the Spartan hockey program for many years to come,” said J Batt, Michigan State VP and director of athletics, in a statement. “Under Coach Nightingale’s guidance, Michigan State has returned to its position as one of the elite programs in college hockey, creating incredible excitement both within the hockey community and throughout all of our loyal supporters. Coming off back-to-back Big Ten championships, there’s a buzz that even greater things are on the horizon.
“Personally, I can’t wait to experience the excitement of the sold-out crowds at Munn Ice Arena this winter, in what could be a truly special season.”
Last season Michigan State finished 26-7-4, making their second consecutive and 29th overall NCAA tournament appearance, which ranks seventh all-time among NCAA Division I schools. Michigan State received a No. 1 seed for the second consecutive season and was the No. 2-seeded team in the tournament overall.
“My family and I are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to represent Michigan State University,” said Nightingale. “To coach at an institution like this and be part of the East Lansing community is a privilege and an awesome responsibility. The support our program receives, from president Kevin Guskiewicz, the board of trustees, director of athletics J Batt and the entire Spartan family, will never be taken for granted, and we make sure our players and staff understand that on a daily basis. We look forward to continuing to make our university, alumni and community proud.”
In three seasons, Nightingale has produced 11 all-Big Ten selections, four All-Americans, a Big Ten player of the year, a Big Ten defensive player of the year, a Big Ten goaltender of the year and a Hobey Baker Award winner. This past season, Isaac Howard became the third Spartan all-time to win the Hobey and the fourth to win USA Hockey’s Jim Johannson College Player of the Year award.
In three seasons under Nightingale, Michigan State has put together one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college hockey history. For the first time since the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons, MSU has posted consecutive total home attendance numbers exceeding 100,000. Michigan State’s combined home attendance of 111,434 in 2024-25 was the highest by the program since 2007-08 and ranked seventh nationally. MSU’s average home attendance of 6,555 last season, which included 17 sellouts, ranked sixth nationally and was the highest average attendance since 2001-02 (which included attendance figures from the Cold War game at Spartan Stadium). Under Nightingale, the Spartans have sold out 42 of their last 43 contests at Munn, including 31 straight.
In addition to stellar home attendance, Michigan State played in two of the top four highest attended games of the entire collegiate hockey season when it took on Wisconsin at Wrigley Field (24,788) and Michigan at Little Caesars Arena (19,515) where the Spartans won a second consecutive Duel in the D trophy.
Success has also come for the Spartans off the ice where this past season student-athletes posted a cumulative 3.425 team GPA, the highest in program history.
The 2024 Big Ten coach of the year, Nightingale recently served as an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2025 IIHF World Championship where the United States brought home gold for the first time in 92 years.
Prior to his return to East Lansing, Nightingale was head coach of the United States National Team Development Program (NTDP) for two seasons (2020-22) and was an assistant coach for the Detroit Red Wings (2019-20). Nightingale got his start in the NHL as a video coach for the Buffalo Sabres (2016-17) and Red Wings (2017-19). Before joining the professional ranks, Nightingale served as head coach of the Shattuck-St. Mary’s 14U team for two seasons (2014-16), leading the team to a national championship in 2016.
Nightingale’s collegiate playing career concluded with his two seasons at Michigan State (2003-05) where in 67 games, he totaled 37 points (18 goals, 19 assists) and served as alternate captain. The Spartans took home a Great Lakes Invitational title and qualified for the NCAA tournament in 2004. Nightingale first returned to MSU as director of hockey operations (2010-14) where he oversaw all team video and travel.
