MSU hockey’s Adam Nightingale named as a nominee for the Spencer Penrose Award for National Coach of the Year

After a historic season for Michigan State men’s hockey, the rewards for the past season continues to shower down as head coach Adam Nightingale received a nomination, along with nine other NCAA hockey coaches, for the Spencer Penrose Award for National Coach of the Year. The award is gifted by the American Hockey Coaches Association.

The nominees of the award are representatives of those who have won Coach of the Year in their respective conferences, as well as coaches who have helped advance their team into the NCAA Championships, the same tournament where Michigan State lost in the regional finals against the University of Michigan. 

Nightingale was unanimously voted as the Big Ten Coach of the Year after having a historic turnaround during his second season with the Spartans, as well as being a finalist for the award in the 2023 season. His first year at the helm showed an improvement of six wins in a season, and his second season brought seven more wins than the previous season. 

The Spartans, under his second season, won both the Big Ten regular season title as well as the Big Ten Tournament title. He brought the team back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2012, as well as a win in the tournament for the first time since 2008.

The winner of the award will be announced on Wednesday, April 10 and the award will be presented to the winner on May 1 at the Naples Grande Hotel in Naples, Florida during the awards ceremony.