The Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League (GLCHL) is an American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division I level ice hockey league. The GLCHL is made up of nine schools, including one in Indiana, one in Illinois, and seven in Michigan.
History The league was announced in late 2009 and began play in the Fall of 2010 with six member teams, all located within the state of Michigan. Eastern Michigan, Michigan-Dearborn and Western Michigan all joined the league after competing as members of the Central States Collegiate Hockey League. Oakland and Adrian College previously competed as ACHA Division 1 Independents. Davenport joined after making the transition from ACHA Division 2 to Division 1. In 2012, Kent State announced they would move from the CSCHL to the league beginning in the 2012–13 season. Indiana Tech and Rochester College joined the league in the 2015–16 season. Before the 2017–18 season Indiana Tech left to join the newly formed NAIA Division. Calvin College moved up from ACHA Division 3 to fill the spot left by Indiana Tech. In 2019, Rochester and Michigan-Dearborn left the conference after the NAIA Division consolidated into the Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC), the all-sport conference for both RU and UMD. In recent years, though, the league has been able to supplement its membership with programs making the transition from ACHA D2 to D1, adding Grand Valley State for the 2020–2021 season, and Purdue University Northwest for the 2022–2023 season.
Adrian College has won the most regular season and playoff titles with seven regular season and five playoff titles.
Format The conference plays a 16-game league schedule, two games against each team—home team alternates each season. In addition team schedules will include other ACHA Division I opponents. The GLCHL holds a league championship tournament at the end of the regular season in February. The winner of the league championship advances to the ACHA National Championships which take place at Centene Community Ice Center in St. Louis, Missouri.
Member schools Current members
InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedLeftPrimary Conderence Central Michigan Universitya Mount Pleasant, Michigan1892Public14,135Chippewas2025?Mid-American (MAC)Northwood UniversitybMidland, Michigan1959Nonsectarian1,344Timberwolves2024?Great Midwest (G-MAC)Oakland UniversitybRochester, Michigan1957Public20,519Golden Grizzlies2010?HorizonSaginaw Valley State UniversitybUniversity Center, Michigan1963Public7,523Cardinals2024?Great Lakes (GLIAC)University of Michigan-FlintFlint, Michigan1956Public7,124Kodiaks2025?Non-NCAA AffiliatedUniversity of ToledoaToledo, Ohio1872Public18,319Rockets2024?Mid-American (MAC)Western Michigan University[a][c]Kalamazoo, Michigan1903Public19,887Broncos2010?Mid-American (MAC) Notes
Former members Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Currentconference Adrian College Adrian, Michigan 1859 United Methodist 1,671 Bulldogs 2010 2024 Michigan (MIAA) Calvin University Grand Rapids, Michigan 1876 Christian Reformed 3,746 Knights 2017 2024 Michigan (MIAA) Davenport University Grand Rapids, Michigan 1866 Nonsectarian 5,384 Panthers 2010 2024 Great Lakes (GLIAC) Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, Michigan 1849 Public 16,294 Eagles 2010 2024 Mid-American (MAC) Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan 1960 Public 24,406 Lakers 2020 2024 Great Lakes (GLIAC) Indiana Institute of Technology Fort Wayne, Indiana 1930 Nonsectarian 7,000 Warriors 2015 2017 Wolverine–Hoosier (WHAC) Kent State University Kent, Ohio 1910 Public 26,822 Golden Flashes 2012 2020 Mid-American (MAC) Dearborn, Michigan 1959 Public 9,500 Wolverines 2010 2019 Wolverine–Hoosier (WHAC) Purdue University Northwest Hammond, Indiana 2016 Public 9,363 Pride 2022 2024 Great Lakes (GLIAC) Rochester College Rochester Hills, Michigan 1959 Churches of Christ 1,100 Warriors 2015 2019 Wolverine–Hoosier (WHAC) Roosevelt University Chicago, Illinois 1945 Nonsectarian 3,725 Lakers 2022 2024 Great Lakes (GLIAC)
Notes
Conference arenas SchoolHockey ArenaCapacityCentral MichiganMartin Ice Arena300NorthwoodMidland Civic Arena1,000OaklandOnyx Rochester Ice Arena750Saginaw Valley StateSaginaw Bay Ice Arena250Michigan-FlintCrystal Fieldhouse Ice Arena350ToledoTeam Toledo Ice House750Western MichiganWings Event Center1,000
Past champions Regular season Tournament Tournament site 2011 Adrian College Oakland The Peak Ice Arena, Romulus, Michigan 2012 Oakland Adrian CollegeArrington Ice Arena, Adrian, Michigan 2013 Adrian College Davenport Patterson Ice Center, Grand Rapids, MI 2014 Adrian College Adrian College ONYX Ice Arena, Rochester, MI 2015 Adrian College Adrian College The Rink, Battle Creek, MI 2016 Davenport University of Michigan-Dearborn University of Michigan-Dearborn Fieldhouse, Dearborn, MI 2017 Adrian College University of Michigan-Dearborn KSU Ice Arena, Kent, OH 2018 Adrian College Adrian College Ann Arbor Ice Cube, Ann Arbor, MI 2019 Adrian College Adrian College Arrington Ice Arena, Adrian, MI 2020 Adrian College Adrian College Patterson Ice Center, Grand Rapids, MI 2021 Adrian College Adrian College Griff's Georgetown, Grand Rapids, MI 2022 Adrian College Grand Valley State Griff's Georgetown, Grand Rapids, MI 2023 Adrian College Adrian College Eagles Ice Center, Grand Rapids, MI 2024 Adrian College Purdue Northwest Farmington Hills Ice Arena, Oakland, MI 2025 Northwood University Northwood University Midland Civic Arena, Midland, MI
National tournament results 2011: #2 Davenport won the 2011 ACHA Men's DI National Championship defeating #1 Lindenwood 3–2 in overtime; #4 Adrian defeated 4–5 in 2ot by #5 Delaware in Quarter-final Round; #11 Oakland defeated 2–6 by #3 Ohio in Quarter-final Round. 2018: #2 ranked Adrian College won the ACHA Men's Div. I National Championship against #5 Illinois, defeating them 8–1.
References
External links GLCHL
See also American Collegiate Hockey Association List of ice hockey leagues