Lake Superior State Lakers - Misplaced Pages

Intercollegiate sports teams of Lake Superior State University Athletic teams representing Lake Superior State University

Lake Superior State Lakers

University	Lake Superior State University
Conference	Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Central Collegiate Hockey Association
NCAA	Division II
Athletic director	Tory Lindley
Location	Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Varsity teams	12
Basketball arena	Bud Cooper Gymnasium
Ice hockey arena	Taffy Abel Arena
Other venues	Norris Center Complex
Nickname	Lakers
Colors	Royal blue and gold
Website	www.lssulakers.com

The Lake Superior State Lakers (LSSU Lakers) are the athletic teams that represent the Lake Superior State University, located in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sporting competitions. The Lakers compete as members of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference for 12 of 13 varsity sports, with the men's hockey team (the only team that competes at the Division I level) playing in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. The Lakers have been members of the GLIAC since 1972.

Sports sponsored

Men's sports	Women's sports
Basketball	Basketball
Cross country	Cross country
Golf	Golf
Ice hockey	Tennis
Tennis	Track and field
Track and field	Volleyball
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor

Ice hockey

Main article: Lake Superior State Lakers men's ice hockey

The Lakers have appeared in 10 NCAA Division I ice hockey tournaments and won three national championships (1988, 1992, and 1994) at that level. LSSU also won two men's NAIA national championships in 1972 and 1974 while playing in that association. The Lakers have taken the CCHA regular season title four times (1974, 1988, 1991, and 1996) and have also won the CCHA conference tournament four times (1991, 1992, 1993, and 1995). Many of these teams' players have gone on to play professionally in the NHL and other professional leagues. LSSU also has a Division III club hockey team, which plays in the American Collegiate Hockey Association.The Taffy Abel Arena where the Lakers' play is named after Clearance "Taffy" Abel. It is named after him because when the University got the donation to renovate the arena from the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, it was in the contract that they would get to name the arena. They chose Taffy Abel because he is from Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., a legendary hockey star, and a Native American.

Ice Hockey National Championships

**1972 NAIA Tournament Results**
Round	Opponent	Score
Final Four	Wisconsin-Superior	12-2
Championship	Gustavus Adolphus	9-3

**1974 NAIA Tournament Results**
Round	Opponent	Score
Round 1	Concordia College	7-1
Final Four	St. Thomas	9-2
Championship	Bemidji State	4-1

**1988 NCAA Tournament Results**
Round	Opponent	Score
Round 1 (Game 1)	Merrimack	3-4
Round 1 (Game 2)	Merrimack	5-0
Frozen Four	Maine	6-3
Championship	St. Lawrence	4-3 (OT)

**1992 NCAA Tournament Results**
Round	Opponent	Score
Quarterfinals	Alaska Anchorage	7-3
Semifinals	Minnesota	8-3
Frozen Four	Michigan State	4-2
Championship	Wisconsin	5-3

**1994 NCAA Tournament Results**
Round	Opponent	Score
Quarterfinals	Northeastern	6-5 (OT)
Semifinals	Michigan	5-4 (OT)
Final Four	Harvard	3-2 (OT)
Championship	Boston University	9-1

LSSU has also been national runners-up four times on the national stage in ice hockey. LSSU finished second in the 1968, 1969 and 1970 NAIA national championships and lost 5-4 to Maine in the 1993 NCAA ice hockey national championship.

Men's basketball

The LSSU men's basketball team captured the 1976, 1978, 1996, 2014 and 2015 GLIAC regular season titles. In 1996 they also won the GLIAC tournament championship along with an NCAA tournament berth. In 2009, 2014 and 2015, the men's team captured the GLIAC North Division Championship along with an NCAA tournament berth.

Women's basketball

LSSU's women's basketball team found success in the early part of the decade. They were the 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 GLIAC North Division regular season champions. The LSSU women's basketball team also took home the GLIAC conference tournament championship in 2003 and 2004.

Running

Main article: Lake Superior State Lakers cross country

LSSU is home to a cross country and track & field program.

Tennis

LSSU is home to men's and women's tennis teams. In 2004 and 2006, LSSU's men's tennis teams qualified for the NCAA Division II National Championships for the first and second time in school history. In 2006 and 2007 LSSU's women's tennis teams qualified for the NCAA Division II National Championships for the first and second time in school history.

Former teams

Football history

LSSU briefly fielded a football team from 1948 to 1950 when the university was known as Sault Tech.

Club teams

LSSU Rugby Football Club

LSSU also briefly fielded a club men's rugby team, 'The Black Sheep', from 2006 to 2009. Despite enthusiasm among students, the team folded due to lack of support from the administration.

References

Lake Superior State University Graphics Standard and Editorial Style Guide (PDF). April 1, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
^ Ice Hockey – Lake Superior State University Lakers
"GLIAC Women's Basketball All-Time Standings" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 25, 2008. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
Soo Tech had a short, but colorful football past :: Hornets' inaugural season was its best

External links

Official website

v t e Lake Superior State University
Facilities	Taffy Abel Arena
Athletics	Cross country Ice hockey
Media	WLSO

v t e Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Current members	Davenport Panthers Ferris State Bulldogs Grand Valley State Lakers Lake Superior State Lakers Michigan Tech Huskies Northern Michigan Wildcats Parkside Rangers Purdue Northwest Pride Roosevelt Lakers Saginaw Valley State Cardinals Wayne State Warriors
Affiliates	Augustana University Vikings Concordia Golden Bears St. Cloud State Huskies

v t e Central Collegiate Hockey Association
Current members	Augustana Vikings Bemidji State Beavers Bowling Green Falcons Ferris State Bulldogs Lake Superior State Lakers Michigan Tech Huskies Minnesota State Mavericks Northern Michigan Wildcats St. Thomas (Minnesota) Tommies
Venues	Midco Arena (Augustana) Sanford Center (Bemidji State) Slater Family Ice Arena (Bowling Green) Ewigleben Arena (Ferris State) Taffy Abel Arena (Lake Superior State) MacInnes Student Ice Arena (Michigan Tech) Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center (Minnesota State) Berry Events Center (Northern Michigan) St. Thomas Ice Arena (St. Thomas)
Seasons	1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
Former members	Alaska Nanooks Kent State Golden Flashes Miami RedHawks Michigan Wolverines Michigan State Spartans Nebraska–Omaha Mavericks Notre Dame Fighting Irish Ohio Bobcats Ohio State Buckeyes Saint Louis Billikens Illinois–Chicago Flames Western Michigan Broncos
Awards	MacNaughton Cup Mason Cup All-CCHA Teams Best Defensive Defenseman Best Defensive Forward Coach of the Year Defenseman of the Year Forward of the Year Goaltender of the Year Player of the Year Rookie of the Year Tournament MVP All-Tournament Teams
NCAA MacNaughton Cup CCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament (Champions, Mason Cup) Joe Louis Arena (former conference tourney site)

v t e Western Collegiate Hockey Association men's ice hockey
Teams in the final season	Alabama–Huntsville Chargers Alaska Nanooks Alaska Anchorage Seawolves Bemidji State Beavers Bowling Green Falcons Ferris State Bulldogs Lake Superior State Lakers Michigan Tech Huskies Minnesota State Mavericks Northern Michigan Wildcats
Venues in the final season	Propst Arena (Alabama–Huntsville) Carlson Center (Alaska) Seawolf Sports Complex (Alaska Anchorage) Sanford Center (Bemidji State) Slater Family Ice Arena (Bowling Green) Ewigleben Arena (Ferris State) Taffy Abel Arena (Lake Superior State) MacInnes Student Ice Arena (Michigan Tech) Mankato Civic Center (Minnesota State) Berry Events Center (Northern Michigan)
Other previous teams	Colorado College Tigers Denver Pioneers Michigan Wolverines Michigan State Spartans Minnesota Golden Gophers Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs North Dakota Fighting Hawks Notre Dame Fighting Irish Omaha Mavericks St. Cloud State Huskies Wisconsin Badgers
Championships and awards	Broadmoor Trophy MacNaughton Cup Champions All-WCHA Hockey Teams Individual awards Most Outstanding Player in Tournament All-Tournament Teams
Seasons	1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

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Lake Superior State Lakers