East Lansing, Mich. - Michigan State’s three-week search for its next head hockey coach ended on Tuesday with the hiring of Adam Nightingale.

Nightingale, a 2005 graduate of Michigan State, spent the past two seasons as a head coach with USA Hockey’s National Team Developmental Program.

Prior to joining the NTDP for the 2020-21 campaign, he worked three seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, most recently serving as assistant coach for the 2019-20 season. While with the Red Wings, he was promoted from video coach to assistant coach.

Nightingale, 42, is the eighth head hockey coach in Michigan State history, replacing Danton Cole, who was fired on April 12.

"Spartan hockey is a source of pride for the University, the East Lansing community, and the entire state of Michigan,” Nightingale said in a university press release on Tuesday. "I'm extremely thankful and humbled to have the opportunity to lead at Michigan State University.”

Nightingale is the first major hire for first-year Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller.

"Adam has a passion for the school and the program, and his combination of skill development, player development and recruiting ties promise to make the next era of Spartan hockey a successful chapter in the storied history of a proud program,” Haller said in the press release.

Nightingale interviewed with Michigan State in mid-April, prior to traveling to Germany to serve as head coach for Team USA in the IIHF 18-and-under World Championship, where he led the Americans to a silver medal finish.

Nightingale had a second interview with Michigan State in recent days, cementing his candidacy.

Minnesota State head coach Mike Hastings and Providence head coach Nate Leaman were researched, but financial terms were not going to be met. Sources say Hastings is in line to be a top candidate to succeed Bob Motzko as head coach at the University of Minnesota.

Western Michigan head coach Pat Ferschweiler and American International University head coach Eric Lang were also considered by Michigan State. Sources tell SpartanMag that Lang interviewed for the job.

As a Spartan alum and head coach for the USNTDP, Nightingale shares a similarities to Cole in his path to the Michigan State coaching job, facts which likely hurt his candidacy at the outset. But Nightingale’s energy and vision for the program impressed Haller and his search team.

"Spartan hockey has a rich tradition and an engaged alumni base which cares deeply about their program,” Haller said. “Throughout this process, Spartan alums proved to be an invaluable resource to me. I put together an advisory group of alumni including some former All-Americans and NHL players, who played a significant role in helping me develop the criteria to identify the right coach for sustained success for Michigan State hockey. Beyond the advisory group, I had conversations with several other alums, including many with NHL experience as players, coaches and in the front office. Beyond Spartan alumni, I also connected with several members of the hockey community at both the professional and collegiate level, each of whom recognized MSU's great history and the importance of this hire to the program. It all played a role in helping me develop a better understanding for the college hockey landscape and the qualities our next coach needed to possess.

"Criteria such as skill development, strong recruiting ties, style of play, respect throughout the hockey community and an ability to holistically develop student-athletes on and off the ice became the focus and guideposts for the search. Being a former Spartan player was not a requirement for either me or the advisory group. That was something that was very clear. My focus was finding the right fit based upon the developed criteria. In a thorough search, one which included conversations with some successful current head coaches, Adam matched all the established criteria.

"One thing rang very clear throughout this process. Michigan State is one of the premier college hockey programs in the country. Everyone, from alumni to our loyal fans, has high expectations each and every year. I hope they're all smiling today because the future is bright for Spartan hockey. We will take the ice this fall in a renovated Munn Ice Arena, and across the board there is a renewed commitment to the program. Perhaps most importantly, Adam brings a thorough understanding of where we are as a program, and a clear plan for what's required to once again reach championship heights."

Nightingale will be formally introduced at a press conference on Monday, May 9.

"We will hire a staff that is well equipped to support our student-athletes and will be committed to developing them as a person, not just a hockey player,” Nightingale said. “We want to bring in high-level players with aspirations to work hard and help them develop to the point where they have the opportunity to play in the National Hockey League.

"Our staff will put a premium on player development so that we can play an exciting and skilled brand of hockey. We will continue the traditions of hard-working student-athletes who are standouts not only on the ice, but also in the classroom and in our community. We look forward to building the program back to where our proud alumni and fan base know it should be, which is the top of college hockey."

“Spartan hockey is a source of pride for the University, the East Lansing community, and the entire state of Michigan. I'd like to thank Athletic Director Alan Haller, Deputy Athletic Director Jennifer Smith and everyone involved in the search process for the opportunity to come back home and once again be a part of this storied program."

For the last two seasons, Nightingale has served as head coach at the USNTDP. He guided his current team to a silver medal at the U.S. Under-18 Men's World Championships last week.

Nightingale’s USNTDP U-18 squad played 15 games against Division I college teams throughout the 2021-22 campaign, going 8-7 and recorded an additional three wins over Division III schools. His roster boasts 22 Division I commitments.

Prior to his time with the USNTDP, the Cheboygan, Michigan, native spent four seasons on NHL staffs. From 2017-20, he was a member of the Detroit Red Wings organization. As an assistant coach in 2019-20, he was responsible for player development, pre-scouting opponents and running the penalty kill. He worked as the video coach for his first two years in Detroit, a role he also held for the Buffalo Sabres in 2016-17.

Before joining the pro ranks, Nightingale served as head coach of the Shattuck-St. Mary's 14U (Bantam) Team in Faribault, Minnesota, for two seasons (2014-16), leading the team to a national championship in 2016 as well as two years (2008-10) as the head coach of the Shattuck midget AA squad.

Between his stints at Shattuck, Nightingale was the director of hockey operations at Michigan State, serving at his alma mater overseeing all team video as well as team travel.

As a player at Lake Superior State and Michigan State, Nightingale played 118 games, totaling 37 points (18 goals, 19 assists). At MSU, he served as alternate captain for two seasons, and won the Spartan Fitness Award in 2004.

Nightingale played parts of four seasons in the ECHL with the Gwinnett Gladiators, Greenville Grrrowl and Charlotte Checkers.

Nightingale's family includes his wife, Kristin, and three children, Trevor, Emmerson and Keeton.