Before the trophies and roaring Munn Ice Arena crowds, Adam Nightingale’s hockey world was a frozen pond in Cheboygan, Michigan. Skates laced tight, cheeks stung red by the winter air, he and his brothers battled for bragging rights. It was there, on that rough northern ice, that he learned lessons he still carries as Michigan State University’s head coach—chief among them, that “hockey is what you do, it’s not who you are.”
In Cheboygan, effort mattered more than accolades, and how you treated people mattered most of all. Today, Nightingale blends that small-town humility with championship-level ambition, shaping both a winning program and the young men who play for it.
Playing the Right Way
Sports were a family affair. Nightingale’s parents, both athletes themselves, raised their children with competitive spirits, and sports were a part of everyday life. So much so, all three Nightingale brothers have found their way to careers in sports—specifically, hockey. Adam’s older brother, Jason, is the Buffalo Sabres’ assistant director of amateur scouting, and his younger brother, Jared, played professionally for nearly 10 years and now coaches for the Rockford IceHogs, an affiliate team for the Chicago Blackhawks. But for the Nightingale boys, the focus was never really about reaching the pros. “We were definitely competitive kids,” said Nightingale. “But our parents emphasized doing our best, treating people right, and finding what we were passionate about.”
The Road to Green and White.
And Back Again
Nightingale followed his passion for hockey to Lake Superior State University before transferring to Michigan State University for two years. Wearing the Spartan jersey was more than an athletic milestone; it was almost prophetic. Years later, returning as head coach at MSU was a full-circle moment.
Nightingale was hired in 2022, inheriting a hockey program that had won only 12 games the previous season.
In just his second season as head coach, Nightingale guided MSU to both the Big Ten regular-season and tournament championships—the first time in program history that the team captured both titles in the same year. He also earned 2024 Big Ten Coach of the Year honors. Still, he’s quick to share the credit. “We’ve got great players, great staff, great people. Championships are a team effort,” he said.
Finding His Path to Coaching
Coaching wasn’t part of a grand plan. After graduating from college and four seasons in the minors, with his first child on the way, Nightingale left the game for a job with a construction company to secure health insurance. But the pull of the rink never faded.
He began teaching economics and coaching hockey at a boarding school, where he discovered the deep satisfaction of mentoring young athletes.
“Coaching is about relationships,” said Nightingale. “I’ve been the guy on the power play, and I’ve been the guy not on the ice when we’re one goal down. Part of coaching is getting your players to see the value of every role.”
Lessons From the North
Nightingale’s approach to coaching is steeped in the values of rural Michigan—humility, resilience, and community. “There’s a humility in northern Michigan,” he said. “It’s never about your job title or money. It’s about how you treat people.”
Growing up in a small town also meant accountability. “If you want something, you have to work for it,” he said. “There’s a little bit of a chip on your shoulder. Which I think can be a positive thing for an athlete.”
That mentality resonates with his current Spartan players, fostering a culture of competitiveness and continuous improvement. “When something doesn’t go our way, we figure out why and get better,” he said.
Full Circle
Now, behind the bench at Munn Ice Arena, Nightingale carries both the tradition of Spartan hockey and the lessons learned on Cheboygan ice.
When the noise of the season fades and the ice lies quiet again, it’s easy to see how that boy from Cheboygan grew into a coach who still plays for all the right reasons.
“Being here,” Nightingale said, “just feels like right.”
