Fitzgerald prefaced the announcement by clarifying that being a captain of this football team is “viewed upon as the highest honor you can have as a Spartan.”

Of those six captains, two will command the offense, three will guide the defense and one will man the special teams unit.

Fitzgerald opened by revealing redshirt sophomore quarterback Alessio Milivojevic and fifth-year center Trent Fraley as offensive captains. 

Throughout the offseason, Fitzgerald has consistently praised Milivojevic’s attitude on and off the field, particularly his leadership qualities. 

“I think it’s the highest honor possible that you can have as a teammate because it’s obviously voted by the players,” Milivojevic said. “(I’m) just grateful that my teammates look at me that way, and (I’m) happy that I can make an impact.”

Senior linebacker Jordan Hall is the only player to remain a captain for two consecutive years and will once again anchor the middle of the defense for the Spartans. Hall earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors in 2025 and will look to build his résumé while leading the linebacker room again.

Fifth-year safety Nikai Martinez is another returner, but 2026 will mark his first season as a captain. Alongside Martinez, fifth-year rush end and No. 1 jersey recipient Kenny Soares Jr. will lead the defensive line.

Each of the three captains will oversee a core positional group of the defense — defensive line, linebacker and secondary.

The final captain selected was junior punter Rhys Dakin. Dakin has already established himself as one of the more talented punters in the Big Ten, and will look to lead this special teams unit this fall.

Fitzgerald made it clear that it wasn’t just these six players who received votes. Many others received consideration but ultimately fell short.

“There were more guys that received votes,” Fitzgerald said. “I think there were five on both sides of the ball beyond the captains that were named … so I think that just shows the depth and the breadth of the leadership on the team.”

Despite tying the 1998 record for the most captains on an MSU team, one aspect is the number of transfer players selected as captains. Only three of the six captains were Spartans last season, a reflection of the new-look college football landscape. 

“It’ll definitely be a new experience for them, but I think it just speaks a lot to those guys who were voted in without playing a snap here,” Hall said. “They’ve come in in January and worked their tails off to lead the best they can be and be the best teammate they can be.”