2021-22 Men's Ice Hockey Roster
Roster
Nienhuis, Nash
G
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Jersey Number 4
Nash Nienhuis
- Position:
- D
- Height:
- 5-10
- Weight:
- 178
- B/T::
- L
- Class:
- Sophomore
- Hometown:
- Sarnia, Ontario
- Prev School:
- Omaha (USHL)
Bio
2023-24 (SENIOR):
Recipient of MSU's prestigious Chester Brewer Leadership Award ... Team Captain ... Big Ten All-Tournament Team ... Academic All-Big Ten ... Was voted the team's Dr. John Downs Outstanding Defensive Player and the Bill Burgess Outstanding Senior and was also the recipient of the Blue Line Club President's Award as the senior with the highest grade-point average ... Surpassed his career best in points (24) and scored more goals (9) than he had in his first three seasons combined ... Matched his career best in assists (15) ... Finished a +20, good for second on the team ... Blocked 30 shots, third among Spartan blueliners ... Shared the team lead and tied for third in the Big Ten in game-winning goals (4) ... Recorded a goal and an assist in the opener against Lake State (10/7) ... Tallied a shorthanded goal and racked up a pair of assists in the two-game set against Canisius (10/19-20) ... Had a goal and an assist in the sweep at Ohio State (11/3-4) ... Had the game-winner and three blocked shots in the sweep-clinching game against No. 1 Wisconsin (11/17) ... Extended his goal-scoring streak to three games with a goal in each game at Minnesota (11/24-26) ... Picked up an assist in the opener at home against Notre Dame (12/8) ... Recorded an assist in the GLI semifinal vs. Ferris State (1/28) and was a season-best +4 ... Delivered a goal and an assist (+3) in a road sweep at Penn State (1/12-13) ... Had an assist and was a +3 in the Duel in the D win over Michigan (2/10) ... Scored the game-winner in the B1G semifinal win over Ohio State (3/16) ... Assisted on two of the five goals in the B1G Championship game (3/23) ... Scored a third-period goal in the NCAA Tournament against Western Michigan to start MSU’s comeback (3/29).
2022-23 (JUNIOR):
College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Selection ... Academic All-Big Ten ... Alternate captain ... Was the recipient of both the Spartan Fitness Award and the newly-formed Dave Carrier Award, which was created in honor of the Spartans' longtime athletic trainer and acknowledges the "comeback player" who overcame injury or adversity throughout the season ... Skated in 32 of 38 games ... Had a 19 points on four god als and 15 assists, career bests in all three categories ... Scored twice on the power play and two of his goals stood as game-winners ... Blocked 21 shots ... Assisted on Daniel Russell goals in both games of the Bowling Green series (10/7-8) ... Potted a pair of power play goals in MSU’s 8-4 victory over LIU (10/22) ... Assisted on Jagger Joshua’s goal in a 1-1 tie at Notre Dame (10/29) ... Had a pair of assists in each of the two games of the Wisconsin series at home (11/4-5) ... Had an assist and a pair of blocked shots in the sweep at Miami (11/25-26) ... Had an assist on a Jeremy Davidson goal in the Minnesota series and added two blocked shots (12/2-3) ... Had the primary assist on Jagger Joshua’s goal at Michigan (12/10), tying his career best total of 11 in a season ... Returned to the lineup at Minnesota (1/27-28) after missing seven games, and blocked three shots in the finale ... Picked up an assist in the home game vs. Michigan to tie his single-season career best in points (2/10) ... Tied his career best with his third goal and established a new season best in points (15) with a goal in the finale at Wisconsin ... Tallied a goal, an assist, and was a +3 with three blocked shots in the B1G quarterfinal series at Notre Dame (3/3-5).
2021-22 (SOPHOMORE):
Academic All-Big Ten and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar ... Was the recipient of the team’s Most Improved Player award ... Had three goals and 14 points, second-most among defensemen and more than tripled his freshman-season output ... Blocked 33 shots ... Had a pair of assists in the second game vs. Air Force (10/9) ... Recorded the assist on Mitchell Mattson’s goal at Michigan (11/5) ... Had two assists in the 5-2 win over Wisconsin (11/20), tying his career high ... Surpassed his freshman season assist total with an assist on a Mitchell Lewandowski goal at Penn State (12/4) ... Scored his first collegiate goal against Minnesota (1/7) ... Scored his first collegiate goal in the Friday game against Minnesota and then had an assist on Jeremy Davidson’s PPG in the Saturday rematch (1/7-8) ... Had three blocked shots in the Ohio State series at Munn (1/21-22) ... Blocked three shots in the Minnesota series (2/4-5) ... Had a career offensive weekend with a pair of assists at Michigan, and then two goals and an assist against the Wolverines at LCA (2/11-12) ... Had a pair of blocked shots and led all defensemen in shots on net (7) in the Notre Dame series (2/18-19) ... Recorded three blocked shots and was a +1 in the Penn State series (2/25-26).
2020-21 (FRESHMAN):
Winner of the team’s Outstanding Rookie Award … Skated in all but two games as a freshman … His four assists were tied for the most among Spartan rookies … Picked up his first collegiate assist in a 5-1 win over Penn State on Jan. 4 … Recorded points in consecutive games with an assist at Wisconsin on Jan. 30 and then two helpers the next time out vs. Arizona State on Feb. 14 … Had 16 blocked shots and two penalty minutes.
PRIOR TO MSU:
Voted to the All-USHL Second Team in 2020 … Played three seasons in the USHL … Led all USHL defensemen in assists with 30, while his 32 points tied for seventh among all league blueliners and ranked fourth for the Omaha Lancers in 2019-20 … Was named the USHL Defenseman of the Week on Jan. 7 after putting up six assists over a three-game span … Started the 2019-20 season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks before being dealt to Omaha for the final 27 games … Put up 13 points (2g, 11a) for Muskegon in 2018-19 … Began his USHL career with Muskegon in 2017-18 where he recorded six assists in 58 games … Played two seasons for the Sarnia Legionnaires of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League before jumping to the USHL.
PERSONAL:
Son of Kraig and Lisa Nienhuis ... Has one brother, Ryder ... Graduated from St. Patrick’s High School in Sarnia, Ontario ... Father, Kraig, played college hockey at Rensselaer (1982-85), winning a NCAA title in 1985 ... Father also played 16 professional seasons in both the NHL and Europe, and also represented Austria in the 1996 IIHF World Championships ... Advertising major.
Recipient of MSU's prestigious Chester Brewer Leadership Award ... Team Captain ... Big Ten All-Tournament Team ... Academic All-Big Ten ... Was voted the team's Dr. John Downs Outstanding Defensive Player and the Bill Burgess Outstanding Senior and was also the recipient of the Blue Line Club President's Award as the senior with the highest grade-point average ... Surpassed his career best in points (24) and scored more goals (9) than he had in his first three seasons combined ... Matched his career best in assists (15) ... Finished a +20, good for second on the team ... Blocked 30 shots, third among Spartan blueliners ... Shared the team lead and tied for third in the Big Ten in game-winning goals (4) ... Recorded a goal and an assist in the opener against Lake State (10/7) ... Tallied a shorthanded goal and racked up a pair of assists in the two-game set against Canisius (10/19-20) ... Had a goal and an assist in the sweep at Ohio State (11/3-4) ... Had the game-winner and three blocked shots in the sweep-clinching game against No. 1 Wisconsin (11/17) ... Extended his goal-scoring streak to three games with a goal in each game at Minnesota (11/24-26) ... Picked up an assist in the opener at home against Notre Dame (12/8) ... Recorded an assist in the GLI semifinal vs. Ferris State (1/28) and was a season-best +4 ... Delivered a goal and an assist (+3) in a road sweep at Penn State (1/12-13) ... Had an assist and was a +3 in the Duel in the D win over Michigan (2/10) ... Scored the game-winner in the B1G semifinal win over Ohio State (3/16) ... Assisted on two of the five goals in the B1G Championship game (3/23) ... Scored a third-period goal in the NCAA Tournament against Western Michigan to start MSU’s comeback (3/29).
2022-23 (JUNIOR):
College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Selection ... Academic All-Big Ten ... Alternate captain ... Was the recipient of both the Spartan Fitness Award and the newly-formed Dave Carrier Award, which was created in honor of the Spartans' longtime athletic trainer and acknowledges the "comeback player" who overcame injury or adversity throughout the season ... Skated in 32 of 38 games ... Had a 19 points on four god als and 15 assists, career bests in all three categories ... Scored twice on the power play and two of his goals stood as game-winners ... Blocked 21 shots ... Assisted on Daniel Russell goals in both games of the Bowling Green series (10/7-8) ... Potted a pair of power play goals in MSU’s 8-4 victory over LIU (10/22) ... Assisted on Jagger Joshua’s goal in a 1-1 tie at Notre Dame (10/29) ... Had a pair of assists in each of the two games of the Wisconsin series at home (11/4-5) ... Had an assist and a pair of blocked shots in the sweep at Miami (11/25-26) ... Had an assist on a Jeremy Davidson goal in the Minnesota series and added two blocked shots (12/2-3) ... Had the primary assist on Jagger Joshua’s goal at Michigan (12/10), tying his career best total of 11 in a season ... Returned to the lineup at Minnesota (1/27-28) after missing seven games, and blocked three shots in the finale ... Picked up an assist in the home game vs. Michigan to tie his single-season career best in points (2/10) ... Tied his career best with his third goal and established a new season best in points (15) with a goal in the finale at Wisconsin ... Tallied a goal, an assist, and was a +3 with three blocked shots in the B1G quarterfinal series at Notre Dame (3/3-5).
2021-22 (SOPHOMORE):
Academic All-Big Ten and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar ... Was the recipient of the team’s Most Improved Player award ... Had three goals and 14 points, second-most among defensemen and more than tripled his freshman-season output ... Blocked 33 shots ... Had a pair of assists in the second game vs. Air Force (10/9) ... Recorded the assist on Mitchell Mattson’s goal at Michigan (11/5) ... Had two assists in the 5-2 win over Wisconsin (11/20), tying his career high ... Surpassed his freshman season assist total with an assist on a Mitchell Lewandowski goal at Penn State (12/4) ... Scored his first collegiate goal against Minnesota (1/7) ... Scored his first collegiate goal in the Friday game against Minnesota and then had an assist on Jeremy Davidson’s PPG in the Saturday rematch (1/7-8) ... Had three blocked shots in the Ohio State series at Munn (1/21-22) ... Blocked three shots in the Minnesota series (2/4-5) ... Had a career offensive weekend with a pair of assists at Michigan, and then two goals and an assist against the Wolverines at LCA (2/11-12) ... Had a pair of blocked shots and led all defensemen in shots on net (7) in the Notre Dame series (2/18-19) ... Recorded three blocked shots and was a +1 in the Penn State series (2/25-26).
2020-21 (FRESHMAN):
Winner of the team’s Outstanding Rookie Award … Skated in all but two games as a freshman … His four assists were tied for the most among Spartan rookies … Picked up his first collegiate assist in a 5-1 win over Penn State on Jan. 4 … Recorded points in consecutive games with an assist at Wisconsin on Jan. 30 and then two helpers the next time out vs. Arizona State on Feb. 14 … Had 16 blocked shots and two penalty minutes.
PRIOR TO MSU:
Voted to the All-USHL Second Team in 2020 … Played three seasons in the USHL … Led all USHL defensemen in assists with 30, while his 32 points tied for seventh among all league blueliners and ranked fourth for the Omaha Lancers in 2019-20 … Was named the USHL Defenseman of the Week on Jan. 7 after putting up six assists over a three-game span … Started the 2019-20 season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks before being dealt to Omaha for the final 27 games … Put up 13 points (2g, 11a) for Muskegon in 2018-19 … Began his USHL career with Muskegon in 2017-18 where he recorded six assists in 58 games … Played two seasons for the Sarnia Legionnaires of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League before jumping to the USHL.
PERSONAL:
Son of Kraig and Lisa Nienhuis ... Has one brother, Ryder ... Graduated from St. Patrick’s High School in Sarnia, Ontario ... Father, Kraig, played college hockey at Rensselaer (1982-85), winning a NCAA title in 1985 ... Father also played 16 professional seasons in both the NHL and Europe, and also represented Austria in the 1996 IIHF World Championships ... Advertising major.
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