MARSHFIELD, Mass. – The New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) recently announced the All-Academic team recipients in the men’s and women’s divisions for the 2024-25 season. To be eligible for All-Academic recognition, a student must carry a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA and have completed one full year at their current institution by the beginning of the hockey season. Student-athletes who were freshmen or first-year transfers during the 2024-25 season were not eligible.
 
On the women’s side, all ten NEHC institutions were represented, with a total of 158 student-athletes earning the honor. Elmira had a league-high 20 student-athletes honored, while Salve Regina University followed closely behind with 19 honorees. Albertus Magnus College had 18 student-athletes represented.
 
On the men’s side, all 11 NEHC institutions were represented with 207 student-athletes in total, earning the honor. New England College, Norwich University, and Salve Regina University led the way with twenty-two honorees each. Elmira had 17 student-athletes represented.
 
For the Soaring Eagles, the following women’s ice hockey student-athletes were recognized with NEHC All-Academic honors: Alayna Toole ’26 (Jr., Criminal Justice), Katie Manning ’25 (Sr., Psychology), Erika Goleniak ’25 (Sr., Business Administration), McKenzie Schmidt ’25 (Sr., Nursing), Piper Andrews ’26 (Jr., Business Administration), Emily Lenzen ’24 (Gr., Business Administration), Mandy McCarrick ’26 (Jr., Accounting), Sabrina Shvartsman ’25 (Sr., Psychology), Sophie Compeau ’25 (Sr., Psychology), MK Boyle ’26 (Jr., Finance), Lydia Walsh ’27 (So., Biochemistry), Bri Conger ’27 (So., Biology), Gabby Dougherty ’26 (Jr., Business Administration), Emily Finach ’26 (Jr., Criminal Justice), Sophie Gregory ’26 (Jr., Adolescence Education: Social Studies), Leonie-Louise Kuehberger ’25 (Sr., Environmental Science), Anna Lugge ’27 (So., General Studies), Mo McBride ’27 (So. Biology), Emma Morel ’26 (Jr. Biology), and Shira Wein ’27 (So., Business Administration).
 
On the men’s side, the following student-athletes were recognized with NEHC All-Academic honors: Joel Pavey ’25 (Sr., Criminal Justice), Kyle Curtin ’26 (Jr., Business Administration), Brody Haynes ’26 (Jr., Business Administration), Tyler Schwindt ’26 (Jr., Business Administration), Ryan Reifler ’24 (Gr., Finance), Carter Wisely ’25 (Sr., Business Administration), Matt York ’26 (Jr., Business Administration), Chance Gorman ’24 (Gr., Business Administration), Bailey Krawczyk ’24 (Gr., Finance), Nathan Young ’25 (Sr., Biology & Business Admin), Shane Haviland ’24 (Gr., Business Administration), Cole Tucker ’25 (Sr., Business Administration), Birch Gorman ’27 (So., Finance), Cameron Manley ’26 (Jr., Psychology), Kenny Maxwell ’27 (So., Business Administration), Stephan McDonald ’27 (So., Finance), and Shane Miller ’25 (Sr, Finance).
 
 
The complete list of NEHC All-Academic winners can be found through the link above.

June 13, 2025

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Michigan State

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State has signed coach Adam Nightingale to a multi-year contract extension. The Spartans have won back-to-back regular-season and conference tournament championships.

“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,” MSU athletic director J Batt said. “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.”

Nightingale is 69-35-9 in three season so far. 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. Last season Michigan State finished 26-7-4, making their second consecutive and 29th overall NCAA Tournament appearance. Michigan State received a No. 1 seed for the second consecutive season and was the No. 2 seeded team in the tournament overall, before losing in the first round to Cornell.

“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.”

For the first time since the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons, MSU has posted consecutive total home attendance numbers over 100,000. There were 17 sellouts at Munn Arena last season.

The 2024 Big Ten Coach of the Year, Nightingale recently served as an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2025 IIHF World Championships, 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 (USNTDP) 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 in Faribault, Minnesota, 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 and was an assistant captain.

Instagram @casey_obrien / Via instagram.com

Her more personal achievements include being a three-time finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award, which is given to the top female college ice hockey player each year. She finally won the award at the end of this past season (and gave a great speech afterwards.)

What could possibly be left for her to achieve? Becoming a professional. For O’Brien, joining the PWHL is part of a dream that extends back to her childhood.

“When I was five or six, I had chalkboards in my room with years written on them, and they were Olympic years,” said O’Brien. “I knew from a young age I wanted to be an Olympian and play hockey.”

She was born in New York City, into a family of five that included older brothers Jack and Max. As many younger siblings do, O’Brien looked up to her older brothers and emulated their enjoyment of sports. She credits her older siblings for getting her into hockey and developing her competitive streak.

O’Brien’s parents, Erika and Jamie, were athletes. Erika played squash at Yale while Jamie ran track at Bates. They quickly realized their children’s athletic potential and decided to move the family to Milton, MA when O’Brien was 9.

The most transformative decision that O’Brien made early in her career was enrolling at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, the elite prep program in Minnesota.

“With all the big names that went there, like [Brianna] Decker, I was like, I need to go here. This place is my dream,” said O’Brien.

Though she initially applied to join the prep school in eighth grade, she ended up waiting until her sophomore year to attend. “I think it was good that I waited those two years because even when I went as a sophomore, I did get really homesick,” said O’Brien. “I adjusted, but it definitely took a bit. I think it was well worth it because I knew my dream was to get as good as I could at hockey, and Shattuck was the place to do it.”

Regular messages from home and trips to see games were the main ways in which her family supported her in those years. To this day, O’Brien remains close with her family. Her parents attended nearly every Wisconsin game last season. The ones they couldn’t be in person, they watched online.

Ultimately, O’Brien made her name at Wisconsin, winning national championships and developing into a very dangerous player on the ice. “Knowing how talented every single player on the team was, I was just trying to be a sponge and learn as much as I could,” O’Brien explained. “Without Wisconsin, without the teammates that I had … I don’t think I would be anywhere near the player I am today … that’s where I really rounded out my game and learned that being a 200-foot center is more valuable than just offense.”

At 19 years old, Michal Sindelka is the third-youngest player on the Mahoning Valley Scrappers roster. He’s also further from home (4,370 miles) than any of his teammates.

Such a combination of youth and distance from family would typically cause a bit of anxiety for most teenagers.

Yet Sindelka feels right at home while at Eastwood Field.

“I’m just thrilled to be playing baseball, that’s what I love to do,” Sindelka said. “It’s tough at times, I always miss my family. But my goal has always been to play professional baseball. That’s why I’m here. That’s what keeps me focused while so far from home.”

Sindelka hails from the Czech Republic. For the past three years, he attended the PDG Academy in Fredericksburg (VA) while taking online courses to complete his high school education.

Born in a country where baseball is almost an afterthought, Sindelka became interested in the sport while watching his father play softball. Sindelka began playing baseball at the age of six, and it immediately evolved into an obsession.

“I wanted to learn everything there was to know about the sport,” Sindelka said. “While other kids my age were playing ice hockey, I was doing everything I could to get a baseball game together.”

Sindelka arrived in America three years ago unable to speak the English language. He says he “just picked it up along the way,” and now speaks fluent English.

“I spent a lot of time with some really great host families,” Sindelka said. “The fact that my classes were online made the transition a bit easier.”

Sindelka says there is “no comparison” between the brand of baseball played in the Czech Republic and the United States. He noted that sports are not offered in high school or college. Instead, athletes play club sports outside of school.

“Here, sports are treated more like a professional level even at the high school and college level compared to back home,” Sindelka said. “As far as baseball, in particular, the hitting back home is not that bad, but the pitching is not that good. Because we don’t have a lot of pitchers, the velocity is not there.

“Back home, we sort of baby the pitchers so they don’t get injured, just because there aren’t many pitchers to go around.”

Sindelka, who also plays for the Czech Republic National Team, had the opportunity to play back home in front of his family for 10 days last month. In the fall, he’ll enroll at Chipola Community College in Florida.

In the meantime, he’s grateful for the opportunity to showcase his talents in the MLB Draft League for several reasons.

“First of all, I’m excited that my family will get to watch my games online, it’s something they haven’t been able to do to this point,” Sindelka said. “And I’m very excited to have the opportunity to showcase my talents to Major League teams.

“My goal has always been to play professionally in America. I know I still have a long way to go, but I’ve already made huge strides and I hope to continue toward my goal.”