Category: Alumni

From “Tech/UP Pride” on Facebook

“For years I had MITECHU as my plate here in NC” – Bill H.

“I have my Michigan Tech Alumni frame around my NC plate.” – Richard H.

“Going to have to look into a custom plate for Tech now that I’m in SC! Awesome” – Denise L.

From “Broomball: A Tech Tradition” on Alumni News

“I started at Tech in fall of 1982, and I played plenty of broomball in those years!” – Wendy E.

“I started at Tech in the fall of ’86, and I remember playing broomball then, in organized leagues. It may not have been for Winter Carnival, tho.” – Chris B.

“Broomball was a Winter Carnival competition in the late 1960’s. I know because I was the goalie on the winning team in 67 or 68. We won the “championship game” in a shootout. It was played on the ice at Dee Stadium with brooms tightly taped with black hockey tape. My broom, with date carved into the handle, was taken home as a keepsake and thrown out by my mother as ‘trash'” – Rich S.

“Played in ‘86 through ‘90 on teams made up of people from our dorm (go DHH!). Rink was where the Rosa Center is now. Still have the jersey. Only real rules at the time was how many inches of bristles needed to show below the duct tape on your broom. That and no using it as a bat against other players. Was pretty rough but a lot of fun.” – Todd A.

From “Winter Carnival/Alumni Broomball” on Facebook

“Would love to. We summer in Houghton and winter in Florida…..always enjoyed carnival” – Steve C.

With three dedicated rinks, scoreboards, and live webcams, broomball has become one of Tech’s top traditions. According to this site, broomball began on campus in the early 1990s. Do you still have your broom? Comment below about your broomball experience.

Itching to get back in the game?
The 11th annual Alumni-Student Broomball Tournament is scheduled for Winter Carnival (February 7-8). Register here by January 16.

Editor Update — Feb. 10, 2020
Thanks to notes from many alumni (see below), we can report that, yes, broomball has been played by Tech students as far back as the 1950s. IRHC Broomball began in the 90s and continues to thrive. See how you can support a great broomball experience for our students.

From “Color Timeline” on Facebook

“Spent many a day on the slopes in my freshman and sophomore years.” – Daniel H.

“This is where I learned to ski in 1964/65. Took advanced skiing from Fred Lonsdorf in 1967.” – Darrell J.

From “MTU Night” on Facebook

“I never watched hockey until a roommate told me how much fun games at MTU were. He was right! The best weekends were the NMU-MTU games. One game in Houghton followed by a road trip to Marquette for the next nights game, or vice versa! Great times that created even greater memories.” – Mike E.

“Wrangling up tickets to any home game we could get our hands! It was always a great night too watch hockey as an undergrad with friends, and even better if they won. As a figure skater I was part of the team the conditioned with them back in the late 90’s and performed between periods.” – Danielle M-C.

“My favorite Tech hockey memories were watching Tony Esposito and Al Karlander play. Watching these guys play made a lifelong hockey fan. Steve Yzerman has to my favorite all time Red Wing. Go Wings!” – Russ W.

“My favorite MTU moment was not only beating NMU for the WCHA championship in their own barn, but out-cheering an entire arena of NMU fans with a busload of misfits and a handful of pep band kids. Nothing feels sweeter than that.” – Glory C.

“MTU is where I first learned hockey, and attended many games while a student. Even went to some road games at NMU and the GLI. Great times with friends and the pep band!” – Lee B.

“My favorite memory of MTU Hockey was being a season ticket holder with my t hen boyfriend and now husband of 23 years. Great memories for us both!” – Kris D.

“My favorite Michigan Tech hockey memory was my first GLI game which was also my last game at Joe Louis Arena before it closed. We played (and beat) U of M. Sat just down from the Huskies Pep Band.” – Kristen J.

“Favorite MTU hockey moment was a few years ago with the WCHA championship at the Mac. That place was packed with as many people as possible. When we scored that goal in OT, I’m pretty sure I was jumping and cheering for at least 15 minutes. I don’t think that moment will ever be topped for me.” – Martin D.

“My favorite memory of Tech hockey was attending my first Tech hockey game while in High School during the mid 70’s and the excitement of the whole arena chanting to ZUKE ZUKE ZUKE who was fun to watch.” – Lorrie G.

“As a small child I sat behind the goal, against chain link fence instead of glass, and saw Tony Esposito lose his last game at Michigan Tech and Dee Stadium. As he walked through the crowd to get to the locker room he had tears streaming down his face. Indelibly etched memory many years later.” – Bruce B.

From “Return on Investment” on Facebook

“My mom and dad got the ultimate ROI… and they were almost as proud as I was!” – Jan B.

“No surprise there!!!” – Jay A.

“I don’t need to win the lottery. I graduated from Michigan Technological University.” – Gerald G.

From “Holiday Break” on Facebook

“Counting the minutes until everyone was ready to hit the road…the anticipation of being home, sleeping in, and going to GLI over the break.” – Brian W.

“Bumming a ride with friends to get to the Chicago burbs. Stopping at Hilltop for the big cinnamon roll and eating it on the way.” – Craig M.

“Riding with six of us in a large car but only one cassette tape listened to repeatedly: the Guess Who, No Sugar Tonight will forever remind me of that trip freshman year” – Becky S.

“Driving home in a snow storm every time.” – Jeff P.

“Coming back one winter we had to take 94 between Munising and Marquette. Came across a car of students that had missed a turn. Straight into very deep snow. Two carloads stopped, we lifted the car out of the snow and onto the road.” – Herbert H.

“Following tail lights on 28 heading into Munising on our way back to Tech, Thanksgiving, 1966. What a ride that was from the Bridge to Baraga. The afternoon after returning I went to the AD building for a transfer application, but I threw it away when I got back to the apartment.” – Morey N.

“Making south across the mighty Mac a few short hours before it was shut down due to high winds. Not sure what we would have done otherwise.” – Brad V.