From cheering on the Huskies hockey team to enjoying delicious pickled eggs, alumni and friends in the West Michigan area have been enjoying a variety of events this winter! If you’d like to follow along with what is happening in the West Michigan area, check out the West Michigan Alumni Facebook Page.
Husky Pregame Social: MTU Hockey at Ferris State — November 2024
Kicking off the season, West Michigan Huskies gathered in Big Rapids for a pregame social ahead of Michigan Tech’s matchup against Ferris State. Around 80 alumni and friends met at Cranker’s Brewery, where they enjoyed good company and an exciting game preview from Head Coach Joe Shawhan before he headed off to pregame meetings and warm-ups.
The energy carried over to the rink, where the Huskies came out strong, scoring three goals in less than a minute during the first period. They held their lead through the second and third, skating away with a 3-1 victory and improving to 4-0 in CCHA play. Goaltender Derek Mullahy was outstanding in net, stopping 36 shots in one of the season’s standout performances.
It was a fantastic way to start the season—thanks to everyone who joined us!
Great Lakes Invitational Pregame Social and Hockey Games — December 2024
As the holiday season approached, West Michigan Huskies kicked off GLI weekend with a pregame social at Peppino’s Bar and Grille on Ionia, hosted by Michigan Tech Alumni Board members Tonya Moore-Bouchard ’96, Steve Williams ’86, Emma Zawisza ’12 ’16, and Daniel Madrid ’10.
Around 250 Huskies gathered to enjoy a special Michigan Tech menu featuring delicious pizza, Husky-themed food, and drinks. After socializing, the group made the short walk to Van Andel Arena, where the tournament began with Michigan Tech taking on Western Michigan. The game went into overtime, with the Broncos winning 4–3.
Tech faced Northern Michigan on Monday and claimed third place with a thrilling 4-3 overtime win. Michigan State defeated Western Michigan in the final to become the 2024 Great Lakes Invitational champions. Van Andel Arena was sold out with 10,000 fans each day and will host GLI again in December 2025.
Thank you to everyone who joined us—we hope to see you next year!
Pickled Egg Tasting Contest — March 2025
The annual pickled egg-tasting contest at Schmohz Brewery in Grand Rapids drew over 45 attendees and featured 12 delicious entries. With so many great flavors, choosing winners wasn’t easy! In the end, Lori Crouch took first place, followed by Scott Schnau ’82 in second and Mike DeJonge ’65 in third. The top three received prizes from the Office of Alumni Engagement at Michigan Tech.
Attendees enjoyed plenty of pickled eggs, Schmohz beer, and alumni camaraderie. Jim Couch ’90 organized the event with help from his daughter, Jenna ’18, and the Office of Alumni Engagement provided door prizes for guests.
