Al Renfrew Al Renfrew was a hockey player ( left wing ) at the University of Michigan in the late 1940s and a college hockey coach with Michigan Technological University ( 1951 - 1956 ) , the University of North Dakota ( 1956 - 1957 ) , and the University of Michigan ( 1957 - 1973 ) . Renfrew had a storied career as a player , coach and administrator at the University of Michigan , including NCAA championships as both a player and coach . He was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor in 1986 . College hockey player . A native of Toronto , Renfrew came to the University of Michigan in 1945 . He played four years with the Michigan hockey team , and was selected as the team captain as a senior . As a freshman in 1946 , he drew attention when he scored two goals separated by only seven seconds in a game against Michigan Tech . He was the leader of the Wolverines 1948 team that won the NCAA hockey championship . He scored 25 goals in 1948 , including four in a game against Minnesota : " Al Renfrew , Michigan ' s speedy left winger , scored four times to lead the assault . " The Wolverines finished the 1948 season by bearing Dartmouth College , 8 - 4 , in the first NCAA ice hockey championship held in March 1948 in Colorado Springs , Colorado . Renfrew scored 91 goals and 172 points , as the Wolverines went 70 - 18 - 6 while Renfrew was playing . Renfrew finished his playing career as the second leading point scorer in the history of Michigan hockey . He graduated from the School of Education in 1950 and later married the sister of his coach , Vic Heyliger . College hockey coach . After graduating from Michigan , Renfrew became the hockey coach at Michigan Tech in Houghton , Michigan , from 1951 - 1956 and at North Dakota for one year . In May 1957 , Renfrew ' s former coach and brother - in - law Vic Heyliger retired as Michigan ' s hockey coach , and Renfrew accepted the job as Heyliger ' s replacement . As the coach of the Wolverines hockey team from 1957 - 1973 , Renfrew had a record of 223 - 206 - 11 and one national championship . The national championship as coach came in 1964 season , when Michigan had a record of 24 - 4 - 1 . Renfrew ' s 1964 team , behind the leadership of captain Gordon Wilkie and by Mel Wakabayashi ’ s two goals , beat Denver 6 - 3 in their home arena to capture the programs seventh NCAA title . With the win Al Renfrew also became the first person to play on a NCAA championship college hockey team and later coach a national champion . Including his six years as coach at Michigan Tech and North Dakota , his overall record as a coach was 288 - 286 - 13 . When Renfrew retired as coach in May 1973 , 200 of his friends held a testimonial dinner and presented him and his wife with a two - week trip to Hawaii . After retiring as the hockey coach in 1973 , Renfrew worked for many years as the manager of the U - M ticket office . The " M " Club Banner . Aside from his contributions to the Michigan hockey program , Renfrew and his wife Marguerite are credited in some accounts as the individuals responsible for the football tradition of the " M " Club banner at Michigan Stadium . The tradition started in 1962 with Michigan players racing out of the tunnel and leaping into the air to touch the " Go Blue : M Club Supports You " banner while the Marching Band plays " The Victors . " Renfrew reportedely asked his wife to make two flags to drape over the football lockerrooms to cheer on the team . She made two flags , with a neighbor , and the Block M was designed by Bob Hoisington , an Engineering Dean , to make sure it was correct . They handmade the flags , which was not an easy feat at the time . Originally , the M Club members hung the banners the lockerroom , and the banners were later moved to the tunnel and then the stadium . After the games , the flags came back home to the Renfrews ' home and were hung at their house . Later , the flags were changed to a banner . Awards and honors . In 1986 , Renfrew was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor . He has also received the 1990 Hobey Baker Legends of College Hockey Award , presented each year to an individual who has made great contributions to college hockey , and the 1992 John " Snooks " Kelley Founders Award , given each year to a person in the coaching profession who has contributed to the overall growth and development of the sport of ice hockey in the United States . The " Friends of Al Renfrew " have established an endowed room and board scholarship at Michigan for an ice hockey player .