Ka kammala wannan magana: Messier ya shiga Jami'ar Jihar Michigan, yana bin gurbin babban ɗan'uwansa Mitch. Ya buga wa Spartans wasa na shekaru hudu kuma ya kasance zaɓaɓɓen All-Star na farko na CCHA a shekararsa ta ƙarshe a 1991-92. Bayan shekara ta biyu, Messier ya zaba ta New York Rangers a cikin
1989 NHL Entry Draft, 118th gaba ɗaya. A lokacin da yake tare da Spartans wasu daga cikin abokansa sun hada da Rod Brind'Amour, Kip Miller, Jason Woolley, Bryan Smolinski da Rem Murray.