# 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.
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, originating at Detroit's Olympia Stadium. Michigan Tech, the host for the tournament since its inception, added Michigan as a co-host in 1976. 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.
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. 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.
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. In 2021, instead of the usual "tournament" format, there was a "showcase" scheduled with four set games (UM-MTU, MSU-WMU, UM-WMU, and MSU-MTU). 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.
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.
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

| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Third place | Fourth place | Jack Tompkins Trophy (MVP) |
| 2024 | Michigan State | Western Michigan | Michigan Tech | Northern Michigan | Luca Di Pasquo, MSU |
| 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. | Played as a showcase, no tournament standings. | Played as a showcase, no tournament standings. | Played as a showcase, no tournament standings. | Played as a showcase, no tournament standings. |
| 2020 | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | 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

| Team | Titles | Runner-up | Third place | Fourth place | Years participated |
| Michigan | 17 | 14 | 13 | 6 | 50 |
| Michigan State | 13 | 15 | 14 | 8 | 50 |
| 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 |

## Gallery

* Michigan State and Northern Michigan before the 2015 consolation game
* Michigan Tech and Michigan before the 2015 championship game
* A face-off during the 2015 championship game
* Michigan with the MacInnes Cup after winning the 2015 GLI
* Michigan posing with the GLI banner after winning the 2015 tournament