Michigan State's hockey program announced on Thursday that they have named Massachusetts-Amherst assistant coach Jared DiMichiel (pronounced De-Michael) as the Associate Head Coach under new head coach Adam Nightengale.

DiMichiel was an assistant on the Minutemen's National Championship team in 2021, as well as the team's trip to the Frozen Four in 2019.

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DiMichiel commented on the hire to MSU:

"I'm excited & thankful for the opportunity to work with Adam Nightingale at Michigan State University," said DeMichiel, who will be the program's Associate Head Coach.  "Adam thoroughly impressed me with our conversations & his vision for the future of Spartan hockey. His passion for MSU runs deep & I'm honored to join him. There's a championship history at MSU as well as players moving on to NHL success that I am privileged and enthusiastic to be a part of. We understand it's a process, but our goals are to add to the history of NCAA success while moving our student athletes on to the NHL. We will do everything within our power to build a peak performance culture on and off the ice that will be a source of pride for students, staff, administration, & alumni."

Here are Nightengale's comments about the DiMichiel hire:

"Jared DeMichiel has shown that he can help rebuild a program not only into a national title contender, but to a national champion and perennial power.  His ability to recruit and develop players is a perfect fit for MSU.  The players that he has recruited and developed have received multiple national awards along with moving on to the National Hockey League.  As impressive as his resume is, it's the person he is that we are most excited about adding to our staff.  We look forward to him helping restore our great program to prominence as he has done in his time with UMass."

The MSU hockey program has struggled for a decade.  They have not qualified for the NCAA Tournament since 2011.  And they were 12-23-1 in 2021-22, losing to Michigan in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.

 

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