Former Michigan Tech coach Sertich dies; Michigan’s female star chooses Wisconsin
Mike Sertich, the longtime University of Minnesota Duluth hockey coach who led the Bulldogs to the 1984 NCAA title game, died Thursday of pancreatic cancer. He was 77 years old.
Sertich, a former Duluth defenseman, led the Bulldogs from 1982 to 2000, compiling a 350-328-44 record in 18 seasons. In the 1984 championship game in Lake Placid, New York, Duluth lost 5-4 to Bowling Green in the fourth overtime.
Sertich, the 1984 NCAA Coach of the Year, coached Hall of Famer and former Detroit Red Wings forward Brett Hull as well as Hobey Baker Award winners Tom Kurvers, Bill Watson and Chris Marinucci.
Sertich, who led the Bulldogs to three WCHA regular season titles and two playoff championships, also coached Michigan Tech from 2000 to 2003, compiling a record of 25-69-9.
In 2000, he became the only in-season coaching change in Michigan Tech’s 100-plus-year history. Sertich replaced Tim Watters, who was fired after a 1-7-1 start and a 4-34-0 record in 1999.
In the 2002/03 season, the Huskies played with the 2.03 meter tall and 113 kilogram NHL player John Scott, who scored five goals in 286 games of his career, was selected to the 2016 NHL All-Star Game and named Most Valuable Player.
Sertich was also a teacher and assistant coach in Grand Rapids under Gus Hendrickson when they won the state high school title in 1975. Hendrickson then moved to Duluth, and Sertich followed him as an assistant.
First woman to score a goal for Michigan
Slovakian phenomenon Nela Lopusanova was the first woman to score a Michigan-style lacrosse goal.
Her breakthrough on the international stage came as a 14-year-old at the 2022 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, where she was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player with nine goals and twelve points in five games.
The highlight of the tournament was this “Michigan” goal against Sweden in the quarter-finals.
Lopusanova, now 16, announced on Instagram that she will join the University of Wisconsin Badgers, which also includes Cassie Hall of South Lyon and Kirsten Simms of Plymouth.
“I am extremely proud and honored to announce my commitment to play Division 1 hockey at the University of Wisconsin,” Lopusanova wrote. “I want to thank my family, coaches and friends for helping me make my dreams come true!”
Hlinka Gretzky Cup
Westland’s Travis Hayes had an assist for Team USA in its 6-3 loss to Sweden in the bronze medal game of the Hlinka Gretzky Cup at Rogers Arena in Edmonton on Saturday.
Canada won the title for the third consecutive year with a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic in the gold medal game.
