Photo by: DEL RIO IMAGES 2023
Nienhuis Named Hockey Captain
8/30/2023 12:03:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
East Lansing, Mich. -- Head coach Adam Nightingale has announced the captains for the 2023-24 season. Senior defenseman Nash Nienhuis (Sarnia, Ontario) will wear the captain's "C", with fifth-year Nicolas Müller (Arisdorf, Switzerland) and sophomores Matt Basgall (Lake Forest, Ill.) and Karsen Dorwart (Sherwood, Ore.) serving as alternate captains.Â
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"These four players embody what it means to be a Spartan," said the second-year head coach. "They are humble, hard-working guys who will continue the tradition of hard work in our program."
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Nienhuis is a veteran of 90 Spartan games and is coming off a career-best offensive season (4-15-19) despite missing nine games with injury. He was an alternate captain as a junior, and last year was the recipient not only of the Spartan Fitness Award but also the Dave Carrier Award, which acknowledges the "comeback player" who overcame injury or adversity during the season. He was an Academic All-Big Ten pick who also earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors.Â
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Müller is another player coming off a career-best offensive season and earned three team awards at season's end: Outstanding Offensive Player, Outstanding Senior, and the Spartan Shiel . He was the team's leading scorer, posting 34 points (nine goals, 25 assists), which ranked 14th in the Big Ten in points per game (0.89). He was also MSU's top point producer with 15 points (2g, 13a) on the man advantage.
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Basgall and Dorwart both emerged in leadership roles in their first seasons in Green and White in 2022-23.  Basgall played in all 38 Spartan games as a first-year blueliner and was also on the MSU power play, ranking second among Spartan defensemen in points (17), tallying four goals and adding 13 assists. He was third on the squad in power play points (2-7-9) and led the team with 54 blocked shots, which was tied for eighth in the Big Ten and sixth among freshmen nationally.
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Dorwart was voted the team's Outstanding Rookie at the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign. He skated in all 38 games and ranked second on the team in goals (10) and third in points (27) and assists (17). He was second among power play scorers (4-6-10) and was a team-best +10 on the season.Â
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"These four players embody what it means to be a Spartan," said the second-year head coach. "They are humble, hard-working guys who will continue the tradition of hard work in our program."
Â
Nienhuis is a veteran of 90 Spartan games and is coming off a career-best offensive season (4-15-19) despite missing nine games with injury. He was an alternate captain as a junior, and last year was the recipient not only of the Spartan Fitness Award but also the Dave Carrier Award, which acknowledges the "comeback player" who overcame injury or adversity during the season. He was an Academic All-Big Ten pick who also earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors.Â
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Müller is another player coming off a career-best offensive season and earned three team awards at season's end: Outstanding Offensive Player, Outstanding Senior, and the Spartan Shiel . He was the team's leading scorer, posting 34 points (nine goals, 25 assists), which ranked 14th in the Big Ten in points per game (0.89). He was also MSU's top point producer with 15 points (2g, 13a) on the man advantage.Â
Basgall and Dorwart both emerged in leadership roles in their first seasons in Green and White in 2022-23.  Basgall played in all 38 Spartan games as a first-year blueliner and was also on the MSU power play, ranking second among Spartan defensemen in points (17), tallying four goals and adding 13 assists. He was third on the squad in power play points (2-7-9) and led the team with 54 blocked shots, which was tied for eighth in the Big Ten and sixth among freshmen nationally.
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Dorwart was voted the team's Outstanding Rookie at the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign. He skated in all 38 games and ranked second on the team in goals (10) and third in points (27) and assists (17). He was second among power play scorers (4-6-10) and was a team-best +10 on the season.Â
Players Mentioned
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