Kason Muscutt has been around the game of hockey ever since he can remember. It’s a game that taught him character, leadership, and a strong work ethic. Those traits have helped the University View Academy Class of 2023 graduate earn his way to the top of Division I hockey with a scholarship to compete for top-ranked University of Michigan.
The son of Karen and Scott Muscutt, Kason immersed himself in the game of hockey as a young kid in Shreveport, getting on the ice as early as the age of two. His father was the first player to sign a contract with the Shreveport Mudbugs when the team launched in 1997. He played three seasons on the ice before becoming the head coach and eventually the general manager for the Mudbugs.
That meant Kason grew up at the ice rink daily. He loved it, and some would say he couldn’t get enough of it.
“I can’t even remember my first time on the ice. I was so young,” Kason joked. “I was playing in a competitive league by the time I was four years old. As long as I can remember, skates have been my second pair of shoes.”
Muscutt enrolled at University View Academy in the sixth grade when hockey started to get slightly more competitive. In order to challenge himself against the best, Muscutt needed the flexibility that UVA offered to travel around the country and play hockey.
“I wanted to play hockey at a high level, and to do that, I had to travel a lot,” Muscutt said. “UVA was the absolute perfect setup for my situation. There was an accountability level to it. I’m extremely grateful for UVA because it really was exactly what I needed to be where I’m at today.”
Muscutt, an honor roll student, took advantage of the Early College & Career Academy during his time at UVA. During his senior year, Muscutt was able to earn college credits through his dual enrollment class that he took, which helped him know what to expect heading into college.
“I was able to learn what a real college class was like, and the kind of work it takes to get there,” Muscutt noted. “With UVA, you have so much more freedom, and you’re not in a typical class setting. It’s perfect to get you ready for college.”
“In college, you have a lot of in-class stuff, but you still have work to do outside of class time. There’s where UVA helped me – it created that accountability and discipline for myself.”
Muscutt spent time playing in junior hockey leagues during his time at UVA. He lived out a lifelong dream as a UVA senior when he suited up for his hometown Shreveport Mudbugs during the 2022-23 season in the North American Hockey League.
“It’s a dream come true {to play for the Mudbugs},” Muscutt said in an interview with a Shreveport TV station back in 2023. “I can’t even explain how cool it is. I get chills every single time. People ask for my favorite hockey team, and it’s always been the Mudbugs.”
He then spent two and a half seasons in the United States Hockey League with the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders and Sioux City Musketeers before he got the call from the University of Michigan in January 2026 to join the team midyear.
“The experience {at Michigan} has been absolutely unbelievable so far,” Muscutt said. “It blew my expectations out of the water. I immediately felt like I was a part of the team.”
“It’s special here. Everyone is so competitive and loves winning. Playing games here is absolutely unbelievable. The support that these people have for you is a different level of passion. It’s something I’ll never take for granted as long as I live.”
Muscutt and the top-ranked Michigan Wolverines are one of four teams left in the NCAA Division I hockey tournament. Muscutt will head to Las Vegas with Michigan this week for a semifinal matchup against the University of Denver on Thursday, April 9.
Muscutt will always carry a part of Louisiana with him wherever he goes. It’s where he grew up. It’s where he made memories. And that’s exactly why he loves giving back to the community in Shreveport. Every summer, he runs youth hockey camps at Hirsch Coliseum to spread his love for the game.
“That’s why I play this game,” Muscutt noted. “So that I can leave the city of Shreveport better than I found it. I love being able to impact the people that had such a huge impact on me.”
“Whenever the kids come to these camps, they look up to me. They value what I say because I’m living out the life that they want to live. That’s what they are striving to do one day.”
University View Academy is Louisiana’s premier tuition-free K-12 online school. We offer a flexible, personalized education choice for residents across Louisiana that is powered by state-certified teachers and supported by in-person Micro Academies.