The starting goaltender for Head Coach Adam Nightingale and MSU, 18-year-old Trey Augustine is a Michigan born and raised kid, growing up just an hour from East Lansing in South Lyon, MI.

“I think that growing up in Michigan, you get the feeling that hockey’s a big deal here. . .” Augustine said. “Everyone just loves hockey and loves the game and I think it’s a great community."

Growing and learning on the ice from a young age, Augustine began his development playing for the Honeybaked League, then switching to play for the US National Team Development Program in his early years. The jump from Triple-A to junior league was a big one, he said. Still, Augustine had his family nearby, who was always a help in his milestone transition.  

Augustine said having his close family nearby, aunts, uncles, grandparents and his parents, was something that meant a great deal to him, along with always having the proper hockey resources accessible.

MSU Goaltender Coach Jared DeMichiel said Augustine’s parents, Ken and Yvette, have done their job of ensuring he has the right mindset to handle things on and off of the ice.

“Ken and Yvette, he’s lucky to have those genes, but the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree with his parents,” DeMichiel said. “They’ve instilled good values on him and he’s obviously trending in a very positive direction.”

In the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Augustine was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round. For any Michigan hockey player growing up, playing for the historic Red Wings' franchise is on their radar. But hearing his name called, Augustine said, was surreal. 

“I saw (the Red Wings) had a couple picks lined up in a row and just had a feeling that maybe one of these could be me,” Augustine said. “Hearing Kris Draper call my name, this guy I watched growing up playing for the Red Wings, just comes back full circle.”

Along with his new connection to legendary forward Draper, Augustine attended Detroit's development camp for the past two summers, working around players like Hall of Fame forward Pavel Datysuk and Swedish defenseman Nicklas Kronwall.

When it was time for Augustine to announce his college decision, there came a slight twist. He was originally was committed to the University of Michigan, but coaching changes in Ann Arbor opened his mind back up to his future in college hockey, leading him to donning a green and white sweater.

"I still think it's the best decision I ever made," Augustine said.

A Spartan fan growing up, Augustine said playing at Munn has been "unreal" and everyone around campus has been supportive of the team. He earned the starting goalie job as a freshman and now heads into his second year, one where the Spartans have national title hopes. 

Augustine is "cool as a cucumber," DeMichiel said.

“His personality is who he is between the net and who he is as an athlete. I think it’s who he is as a person, too,” DeMichiel said. ”He’s an unreal person, an unreal son, an unreal teammate."

For the Spartans and Augustine, his first season was just the beginning of what the program feels it can deliver, with expectations high for what’s to come.

“I think there are higher expectations for us now, and I love that,” Augustine said. “I love being expected to win every night. I think that’s important for our group.”