GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Nanooks hockey program will be at Van Andel Arena for the 2023 Great Lakes Invitational this season. The 57th annual tournament will take place on December 28-29, 2023, and will showcase three Michigan schools and the Alaska Nanooks. 

The 'Nooks will kick-off the GLI with a battle against the Michigan Tech Huskies and Michigan State versus Ferris State will follow. The winners will play for the GLI Championship the following day while the two losing teams will battle it out for third-place. 

"We are excited about the opportunity to play in such a historical tournament like the Great Lakes Invitational." Said head coach Erik Largen, "We are honored to be one of the guest teams and can't wait to compete for a trophy during the middle of the season."

Michigan Tech has won the GLI 11 times while appearing in 56 tournaments. Their most recent win for the MacInnes Cup came back in 2019. Michigan State has won it 12 times in 48 tournament appearances and Ferris State will be making its fourth appearance. They finished as the 2022 runner-up, their best finish ever. Alaska will be participating in the GLI for the first time in program history.

Tickets 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 General Manager Lincoln Cavalieri, and Detroit Red Wings Scout Jack Paterson. The tournament has been played at Olympia Stadium (1965-78), Joe Louis Arena (1979–2012, 2014–16), Comerica Park (2013), Little Caesars Arena (2018-19), and Van Andel Arena (2022). COVID-19 canceled the 2020 GLI and teams played a non-tournament showcase-style event in 2021.

For more information on the Alaska Nanooks hockey program, follow @NanooksHockey on Instagram or Twitter, or like the Alaska Nanooks Hockey team page on Facebook. The rest of the Nanooks schedule is set to be announced in the coming weeks.