Van Andel Arena, Michigan Tech, and Michigan State have signed a four-year extension to keep the Great Lakes Invitational Championship in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at Van Andel Arena, home of the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins.
The 57th annual tournament will take place December 28-29, 2023, opening with Michigan Tech vs. Alaska and Michigan State vs. Ferris State.
“We are excited to continue this great partnership with Van Andel Arena and Michigan State University,” said Michigan Tech VP of Athletics and Recreation Suzanne Sanregret. “The GLI is one of the top college hockey leagues in the country, and with the success of the first tournament at Van Andel Arena in 2022, we are excited to sign this four-year extension.”
Future teams to compete in the GLI against the Huskies and Spartans are Northern Michigan and Western Michigan in 2024, Miami and Ferris State in 2025, and Western Michigan and Notre Dame in 2026.
Michigan Tech has won the GLI 11 times in 56 tournaments, and was awarded the MacInnes Trophy most recently in 2019. Michigan has 12 GLI titles in 48 tournaments. Ferris State would make its fourth tournament appearance and were runners-up in 2022 for the first time in program history. Alaska will play in its first GLI in 2023.
Ticket packages will go on sale in September at VanAndelArena.com.
The Great Lakes Invitational was first played in 1965 after the idea for the tournament was conceived and implemented by Michigan Tech coach John MacInnes, Olympia Stadium GM Lincoln Cavalieri, and Detroit Red Wings scout Jack Patterson.
The tournament has been held at Olympia Stadium (1965-1978), Joe Louis Arena (1979-2012, 2014-16), Comerica Park (2013), Little Caesars Arena (2018-19), and Van Andel Arena (2022). The 2020 GLI Championship was canceled by COVID-19 and teams played a non-championship exhibition-style event in 2021.