Tim Driscoll, commissioner of the Tri-States Collegiate Hockey League, announced today that the league is expanding “North of the Border” to Ann Arbor, MI as it welcomes the University of Michigan Wolverines.

Driscoll revealed the news on this week’s Ohio Hockey Digest On Air Podcast.

"Today I'm thrilled to announce that the University of Michigan will be joining our conference for the 2021-22 campaign," Driscoll told On Air co-hosts Tim Sullivan and Jason Levansuski. "It's a big, big thing for our conference and is the fit we have been holding out for. We were holding out for a premier club and we've done that with the Wolverines." 

Michigan is the 10th member of the league and the third Big Ten school, joining The Ohio State University and Indiana University. It will be the northern-most school in the league, which extends south to Kentucky with the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky.

Driscoll said he was in discussions with Wolverines head coach Ryan Brown for over a year. Brown is in his fifth year with the program and the third as the head coach.

"As you can see from the rankings, the TSCHL teams are up there," said Brown. "No game is going to be an easy game and we are looking forward to the competition and the North-South rivalries with the teams in Ohio."

The Wolverines play out of Yost Arena in Ann Arbor - home to Michigan's nationally-ranked NCAA team, which Brown says is a big pull for prospective players.

Michigan has played TSCHL teams in the past but now those games will have more meaning with league points up for grabs.

"Every time we step foot into Ohio people know who we are and they want to beat us," Brown said. "We feel the same way and are excited for the competition."

"It's huge," Driscoll said of the prospect of bringing the Michigan-Ohio state rivalry to a league that already has some traditional rivalries with four schools from the old CCHA as well as Kentucky-Louisville and Dayton-Xavier, among others.