Michigan State's Matt Basgall moves the puck against Minnesota during the first period on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025, at Munn Arena in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Spartan Duo Earns Academic All-America Honors

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Tom Cavanaugh | Last updated Jul 11, 2025 5:19 PM ET

A pair of Michigan State Spartans earned prestigious honors earlier this week as senior defenseman Matt Basgall and junior goaltender Trey Augustine were both named College Sports Communication Academic All-American honorees.

Augustine was named as a first-team pick, the first to receive the honor since former Spartan netminder Jeff Lerg in 2009. Basgall was tabbed as a third-teamer. The pair was not only impressive on the ice but in the classroom as well. They are the only two Spartans to be named to the Academic All-American list.

Academic Weapons ✅

Trey Augustine and Matt Basgall have been named @CollSportsComm Academic All-Americans!

Augustine is the first first-teamer for MSU since Jeff Lerg in 2009, while Basgall was named to the third team#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/JttDzjh3ie
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) July 9, 2025

Augustine is coming off a phenomenal sophomore season with the Spartans, winning Big Ten Goaltender of the Year and first team All-Big Ten with a .929 save percentage and a 28-10 record. Nobody was better than Augustine last season, the 2023 Detroit Red Wings draft selection.

Even while dominating the net for one of the best teams in the country, Augustine was still dominating in the classroom as well. If that was not enough, the kid also went and took home a gold medal for the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship and all-time winning goalie in Team USA history (12).

Basgall was also a standout on and off the ice. He received first-team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Tournament Team honors, and he was a Big Ten Defense Player of the Year finalist, and Academic All-Big Ten. He notched a career-best six goals with 20 assists and 45 blocked shots. Basgall is a true star defenseman.

The Spartans suffered a few big losses when top 2026 NHL prospect Gavin McKenna decided to commit to Penn State over MSU, and the nation's top player last year in forward Isaac Howard will be joining the NHL ranks as he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers, now on a three-year, entry-level deal.

While stacking wins and being back-to-back Big Ten champions, MSU still finds a way to put an equal amount of effort into their schoolwork, which helps them stay on the ice. The best quality is availability, and that would not happen without a strong GPA.

The priorities are in place for guys like Augustine and Basgall because playing hockey is not a lifetime activity. There will come a day when the skates are hung up, and you must rely on your knowledge to continue being successful.

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