Fighting Irish junior defenseman Spencer Stastney was named a Preseason Second Team All-Big Ten selection, the conference announced on Monday (Nov. 9). The Irish begin their 2020-21 campaign this weekend versus Wisconsin at home with 7 p.m. starts on Friday and Saturday.
Senior defenseman Matt Hellickson earned Honorable Mention honors while Notre Dame was selected to tie for third – all of which was determined by a vote of the league’s head coaches.
2020-21 Big Ten Preseason Poll
1 — Minnesota
2 — Michigan
3t — Notre Dame
3t — Ohio State
5 — Wisconsin
6 — Michigan State
7 — Penn State
A fifth round (131st overall) selection by Nashville in the 2018 NHL Draft, Stastney has earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in each of his first two seasons.
Hellickson, who will serve as an alternate captain this season, was named an honorable mention selection after also being named a 2019 honorable mention All-Big Ten selection at the conclusion of his junior season. His 117 games played represent a consecutive games played streak, as he has not missed a game in his Irish career. He also was 2018-19 and 2019-20 Academic All-Big Ten selection, and was selected in the seventh round, 214th overall, by the New Jersey Devils in the 2017 NHL Draft.
Each Big Ten team will play a 24-game conference schedule, plus an additional four games per school against Arizona State University hosted at Big Ten venues.
- After hosting the Badgers and then completing final exams, Notre Dame will hit the road for a two-game series at Michigan (Nov. 27-28).
- The Irish will then play host to Arizona State (Dec. 3-4), Ohio State (Dec 12-13) and Michigan State (Dec. 19-20) before the winter break.
- Additional start times, broadcast coverage, attendance policies and the remainder of the schedule will be announced at a later date.
notredame.rivals.com
