Watertown, SD — Watertown Shamrocks goaltender JJ Salajko officially announced his commitment to continue his academic and hockey career at Michigan State University.
“When Michigan State offered, I knew it was something I couldn’t turn down,” Salajko said of his commitment. “They checked every box for me. Strong academics, high level hockey, and a coaching staff that I trust to not only develop me on the ice, but off the ice as well.”
Salajko becomes the fourth currently rostered player to have an NCAA Division 1 commitment, joining Daniel Halonen (Michigan Tech), Andrew Smulkstys (Alaska Fairbanks), and Erick Comstock (Augustana).
Salajko hails from Columbus, OH and is in his first year with the Shamrocks organization. Added from the Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL) in November, Salajko has appeared in 16 contests for Watertown compiling a 6-7-0-1 record with a 3.77 goals against average and an .886 save percentage. He collected his first win for the Shamrocks on November 29th in an 8-2 victory over the Minot Minotauros.
“JJ did a great job for us this season,” Shamrocks Head Coach and General Manager said. “He is very detailed in his preparation and approach to the game. He showed up to the rink ready to work every day and it’s good to see that he’s being rewarded for his efforts with a commitment to Michigan State.”
The 2006-born goaltender has spent time previously with Waterloo, Port Colborne (GOJHL), and Kingston (OHL). He developed as a youth player while playing AAA hockey for both the Ohio Blue Jackets and Little Caesars. He stands at 6’2″ and is a southpaw in the net, catching with his right hand.
The Michigan State Spartans compete in the Big Ten Conference at the Division 1 level. In the 2025-26 season, the Spartans were the Big Ten regular season champions finishing with a 16-6-2 record (26-9-2 overall). They advanced to the NCAA tournament taking down UConn 2-1, before falling in the regional final.