Apr 15, 2025; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; The Minnesota Gophers head coach Bob Motzko leads the crowd in a “Let’s play hockey” cheer before the game between the Minnesota Wild and Anaheim Ducks at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Report: MSU-commit Brooks Cullen expected to follow brother to Minnesota

Originally posted on Minnesota Golden Gophers on SI
By Tony Liebert | Last updated Aug 4, 2025 10:11 AM ET

It came as a surprise to some when Moorehead, Minnesota native Wyatt Cullen verbally committed to the Gophers on Monday, because his older brother Brooks has been committed to Michigan State since November. Well, according to Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald, Brooks could be joining his brother in Dinkytown.

"I'm told Brooks Cullen has de-committed from Michigan State as well. The expectation is that Brooks will end up at Minnesota along with Wyatt," Schlossman posted to X on Monday.

Brooks was an intergral part on Moorehead's State Championship-winning squad in 2025. He finished the season with 23 goals and 25 assists for 48 total points in only 29 games. He finished the 2024-25 season with the Fargo Force in the USHL for 10 games.

Listed at 6-foot, 185 pounds, he's already 18 years old, so he was expected to play one more season in the USHL before making the jump to college hockey in 2026-27. It now sounds like that could happen in Minneapolis rather than East Lansing, Michigan.

Brooks and Wyatt aren't Minnesota hockey legend Matt Cullen's only sons, as the youngest Cullen brother Joey, just wrapped up a Bantam AA season with Moorehead in 2024-25. He's only 15 years old, but recent developments place him firmly on the Gophers' radar.

Gophers hockey has recently struggled recruiting players from Moorehead, due to the closer proximity to Grand Forks and the University of North Dakota. Following a relatively down period of recruiting, if Motzko is able to land Brooks, Wyatt and possibly Joey in the future, it will go down as a significant recruiting win for the program.