Great Lakes Invitational

The Great Lakes Invitational (GLI) is a four-team National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men's ice hockey tournament held annually at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan, around the New Year's holiday. It was previously held in Detroit as part of College Hockey in the D.

Great Lakes Invitational
SportCollege ice hockey
Founded1965
FounderJohn MacInnes, Jack Paterson, Jack Tompkins
No. of teams4
Venue(s)Van Andel Arena (2022–2023)
Yost Ice Arena/Munn Ice Arena (2021)
Little Caesars Arena (2018–2019)
Joe Louis Arena (1979–2012, 2014–2016)
Comerica Park (2013)
Olympia Stadium (1965–1978)
Most recent
champion(s)
Michigan Tech
Most titlesMichigan (17)
TV partner(s)Fox Sports Detroit

The tournament was born out of a conversation between the general manager of Olympia Stadium, Lincoln Cavalieri, Michigan Tech's long-time coach, John MacInnes, and Detroit Red Wings scout Jack Paterson. The three men were discussing the lack of American-born players in the National Hockey League (NHL) and concluded that a prestigious collegiate tournament could make a difference by promoting interest in hockey among young athletes, as well as the general public. Jack Tompkins, American Airlines vice president, former University of Michigan goalie, and a member of the Detroit Red Wings organization, championed their vision as well, and together in 1965, they founded the Great Lakes Invitational hockey tournament.

The GLI has grown into one of the premier college and holiday sporting events in the country,[citation needed] originating at Detroit's Olympia Stadium. Michigan Tech, the host for the tournament since its inception, added Michigan as a co-host in 1976.[citation needed] The tournament moved into Joe Louis Arena when the Red Wings' new home arena opened in December 1979. In 2017, with the closure of the Joe, the GLI relocated to the new Little Caesars Arena until the 2020–21 season.[1]

Michigan State is traditionally selected as a third participant while the fourth is a different team each season. Northern Michigan was scheduled to be the 2020-21 invitee, but the tournament was cancelled.

The 2013 edition of the invitational was held outdoors at Comerica Park, as part of festivities for the 2014 NHL Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium. Western Michigan defeated Michigan Tech 1–0 in overtime.[2] The outdoor games were originally scheduled for 2012. However, due to the NHL lockout, the Winter Classic and all associated festivities were postponed to 2013–14.[3][4]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Great Lakes Invitational was not held in 2020, marking the first year the tournament has not been played since its inception. On December 27, 2021, Michigan cited player health concerns and backed out of the December 30 game against Western Michigan, COVID-19 was not cited as a reason. However, Michigan played their first scheduled game of the tournament vs. Michigan Tech on December 29. The result of the Western Michigan vs. Michigan game not being played was that no tournament winner was announced.[5]

On June 8, 2022, the tournament field for the 2022 tournament was announced. Ferris State, Michigan State, Michigan Tech, and Western Michigan competed at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. This marks the first year Michigan has not played since 1973.[6][7]

Future GLIs to be held in Grand Rapids include Michigan Tech and Michigan State each year as host schools. 2023 features Ferris State and Alaska. 2024 Western Michigan and Northern Michigan. 2025 Ferris State and Miami of Ohio. 2026 Western Michigan and Notre Dame.

Yearly results

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Season Champion Runner-up Third place Fourth place Jack Tompkins Trophy (MVP)
2023 Michigan Tech Michigan State Alaska Ferris State Jack Works, MTU
2022 Western Michigan Ferris State Michigan Tech Michigan State Jason Polin, WMU
2021 Played as a showcase, no tournament standings.
2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2019 Michigan Tech Michigan Michigan State Ferris State Logan Pietila, MTU
2018 Lake Superior State Michigan Tech Michigan Michigan State Diego Cuglietta, LSSU
2017 Bowling Green Michigan Tech Michigan Michigan State Lukas Craggs, BGSU
2016 Western Michigan Michigan Tech Michigan Michigan State Colt Conrad, WMU
2015 Michigan Michigan Tech Northern Michigan Michigan State Kyle Connor, UM
2014 Michigan Michigan State Michigan Tech Ferris State Steve Racine, UM
2013 Western Michigan Michigan Tech Michigan State Michigan Lukas Hafner, WMU
2012 Michigan Tech Western Michigan Michigan Michigan State Pheonix Copley, MTU
2011 Michigan Michigan State Boston College Michigan Tech Kevin Clare, UM
2010 Michigan Colorado College Michigan State Michigan Tech Luke Glendening, UM
2009 Michigan State Rensselaer Michigan Michigan Tech Brett Perlini, MSU
2008 Michigan Michigan State Michigan Tech North Dakota Louie Caporusso, UM
2007 Michigan Michigan Tech Providence Michigan State Billy Sauer, UM
2006 Michigan State Michigan Harvard Michigan Tech Bryan Lerg, MSU
2005 Colorado College Michigan State Michigan Michigan Tech Joey Crabb, CC
2004 Michigan State Michigan New Hampshire Michigan Tech Jim Slater, MSU
2003 Boston College Michigan State Michigan Michigan Tech Joe Pearce, BC
2002 Boston University Michigan Michigan State Michigan Tech Sean Fields, BU
2001 North Dakota Michigan State Michigan Michigan Tech Tim Skarperud, UND
2000 Michigan State Michigan Tech Boston College Michigan Ryan Miller, MSU
1999 Michigan State Michigan Michigan Tech Lake Superior State Shawn Horcoff, MSU
1998 Michigan State Michigan Northern Michigan Michigan Tech Mike Gresl, MSU
1997 Michigan State Michigan Michigan Tech St. Lawrence Mike Weaver, MSU
1996 Michigan Lake Superior State Michigan State Michigan Tech Brendan Morrison, UM
1995 Michigan Michigan State Michigan Tech Northern Michigan Brendan Morrison, UM
1994 Michigan Michigan State Michigan Tech Cornell Brendan Morrison, UM
1993 Michigan Michigan State Michigan Tech Notre Dame David Oliver, UM
1992 Michigan Northern Michigan Michigan State Michigan Tech Cam Stewart, UM
1991 Michigan Michigan Tech Michigan State Harvard Steve Shields, UM
1990 Michigan Maine Michigan Tech Michigan State Steve Shields, UM
1989 Michigan Michigan State Michigan Tech Northern Michigan Scott Sharples, UM
1988 Michigan North Dakota Michigan State Michigan Tech Todd Brost, UM
1987 Wisconsin Michigan State Michigan Michigan Tech Dean Anderson, UW
1986 Western Michigan Michigan Michigan State Michigan Tech Bill Horn, WMU
1985 Michigan State Rensselaer Michigan Michigan Tech Don McSween, MSU
1984 Michigan State Michigan Tech Michigan Bowling Green Bob Essensa, MSU
1983 Michigan State Michigan Tech Northern Michigan Michigan Dan McFall, MSU
1982 Michigan State Michigan Tech Michigan Notre Dame Dale Krentz, MSU
1981 Notre Dame Michigan Tech Michigan Michigan State Dave Laurion, ND
1980 Michigan Tech Michigan Michigan State Harvard Paul Fricker, UM
1979 Michigan Tech Michigan Wisconsin Michigan State Murray Eaves, UM
1978 Michigan Tech Ohio State Boston University Michigan John Rockwell, MTU
1977 Michigan Tech Michigan Lake Superior State Western Michigan Dave Joelson, MTU
1976 Michigan Tech Michigan Brown Bowling Green Greg Hay, MTU
1975 Michigan Michigan Tech Boston University Pennsylvania Stu Ostlund, MTU
1974 Michigan Tech Michigan Harvard Yale Robbie Moore, UM
1973 Michigan State Michigan Tech Boston College Pennsylvania Tom Ross, MSU
1972 Harvard Michigan Tech Boston University Michigan Dave Hynes, Har
1971 Michigan Tech Michigan State Dartmouth Notre Dame Ian Williams, ND
1970 Michigan Tech Michigan Colgate Brown Mike Usitalo, MTU
1969 New Hampshire Michigan State Michigan Tech Princeton Larry Smith, UNH
1968 Michigan Tech Wisconsin Michigan State Michigan Bill Watt, MSU
1967 North Dakota Michigan Tech Michigan State Western Ontario Roger Bamburak, UND
1966 Michigan Michigan State Michigan Tech Western Ontario Mel Wakabayashi, UM
1965 Toronto Michigan Tech Boston University Colorado College Henry Monteith, UT

Team records

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Team Titles Runner-up Third place Fourth place Years participated
Michigan 17 14 13 6 50
Michigan State 12 15 14 8 49
Michigan Tech 12 17 12 16 57
Western Michigan 4 1 0 1 6
North Dakota 2 1 0 1 4
Lake Superior State 1 1 1 1 4
Wisconsin 1 1 1 0 3
Colorado College 1 1 0 1 3
Boston University 1 0 4 0 5
Boston College 1 0 3 0 4
Harvard 1 0 2 2 5
New Hampshire 1 0 1 0 2
Notre Dame 1 0 0 3 4
Bowling Green 1 0 0 2 3
Toronto 1 0 0 0 1
Rensselaer 0 2 0 0 2
Northern Michigan 0 1 3 2 6
Ferris State 0 1 0 3 4
Maine 0 1 0 0 1
Ohio State 0 1 0 0 1
Brown 0 0 1 1 2
Alaska 0 0 1 0 1
Colgate 0 0 1 0 1
Dartmouth 0 0 1 0 1
Providence 0 0 1 0 1
Penn 0 0 0 2 2
Western Ontario 0 0 0 2 2
Cornell 0 0 0 1 1
Princeton 0 0 0 1 1
St. Lawrence 0 0 0 1 1
Yale 0 0 0 1 1
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References

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  1. ^ "GLI gets extension; UM-MSU at LCA on Feb. 10". The Detroit News. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  2. ^ "WMU hockey wins Great Lakes Invitational with gritty 1-0 win over Michigan Tech at Comerica Park". MLive. December 29, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  3. ^ "College hockey's Great Lakes Invitational moved from Comerica Park to Joe Louis Arena". Live. November 3, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  4. ^ Doyle, T. J. (October 4, 2012). "NHL Lockout could alter plans for 2012 GLI". SB Nation Detroit. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  5. ^ "Michigan cancels GLI game with Western Michigan due to 'health and welfare protocols within the Wolverines' program'". USCHO.com. December 27, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  6. ^ "Michigan Tech hosting 56th GLI in Grand Rapids". Michigan Tech Athletics. June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  7. ^ Silva, Richard (June 8, 2022). "Great Lakes Invitational moves to Grand Rapids; Michigan hockey not in field". The Detroit News. Retrieved June 8, 2022.