GLI to Remain in Grand Rapids Through 2026

The venerable Great Lakes Invitational has found a new regular home, at least for the next few seasons.

It was announced last week that the GLI will continue to be played at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich., where it was contested last year after more than a half-century of being played largely in the Detroit area. The new agreement runs through 2026, with the tournament to be played in the month of December. 

Next year's field will include Ferris State, Michigan Tech, Western Michigan and first-time participant Alaska (Fairbanks). Last year's participants included Ferris State, Michigan State, Michigan Tech, and Western Michigan, with WMU winning the tournament.

The GLI fields for the following three seasons are as follows:

2024 - Michigan State, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan, Western Michigan

2025 - Ferris State, Miami, Michigan State, Michigan Tech

2026 - Michigan State, Michigan Tech, Notre Dame, Western Michigan

Michigan, which holds the record with 17 GLI championships, is not scheduled to participate in any of the upcoming years, after also sitting out last season for the first time since 1973.

Home of the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins since its opening in 1996, the VAA seats 10,834 spectators for hockey. It has also hosted several NCAA men's hockey regionals in its existence, along with several non-tournament college contests.