MSU Selected Third In Preseason B1G Hockey Poll

Michigan State hockey was selected third by the conference coaches, as announced on Monday when the Big Ten announced its preseason polls and all-conference teams on Monday.

2023-24 B1G Preseason Poll

The Spartans were picked behind 2023 regular-season (Minnesota) and tournament (Michigan) champions in advance of the 2023-24 campaign. Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Penn State, and Ohio State followed in that order.

This ties the highest team ranking in the Big Ten preseason poll for Michigan State – the 2015-16 team was also selected third.

Two Spartans earned pre-season honorable mention accolades, and both are Spartan and Big Ten newcomers. In fact, the pair are the only two players to make the 18-member preseason honors list who did not play at their current school in 2022-23.

Goaltender Trey Augustine (South Lyon, Mich.) earns his first All-Big Ten recognition and is one of the most decorated freshmen in the country thanks to his accolades with Team USA and in the USNTDP. He is also the only freshman among the 18 pre-season All-Big Ten selections. Augustine backstopped Team USA to a gold medal at the IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship in May 2023 behind a 2.85 GAA as well as earning a silver medal (playing for then Team-USA coach Adam Nightingale) in May 2022 at the World Championships. He earned a bronze medal at the 2023 U18 World Junior Championship in Nova Scotia in January 2023 with a 1.61 GAA and .934 save percentage and is a candidate for 2023 USA World Junior squad.

Also earning preseason accolades was sophomore Joey Larson (Brighton, Mich.) came to MSU after a year at Northern Michigan, where he posted 27 points on 13 goals, six of which came on the power play. He was a CCHA All-Rookie Team selection and was also named to the Tim Taylor National Rookie of the Year watchlist while skating for the Wildcats.

Michigan State opens its 2023-24 campaign in just under two weeks, when it hosts Lake Superior State on Oct. 7-8 in a pair of matinee (4 pm) games at Munn Ice Arena. Tickets are available online through the Spartan Ticket office, or calling 517-355-1610.

Players Mentioned

Trey Augustine

Joey Larson

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