NHL Great and BGSU Legend Mike Liut to be Honored as Distinguished Alumni at 2025 Ziggy’s
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Bowling Green State University is proud to announce that Mike Liut, a 1977 graduate and one of the most decorated players in Falcon Hockey history, will be honored as the Distinguished Alumni during the 2025 Ziggy's celebration, held Wednesday night at the Stroh Center.
Liut's impact on BGSU Hockey began in the mid-1970s, helping elevate the program to national prominence. During his collegiate career, the Falcons were consistently ranked among the nation's top ten teams and played in the first NCAA Regional Game ever awarded, held at Michigan. In 1977, Liut was named Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Player of the Year, becoming the first Falcon to earn the award. That distinction paved the way for his induction into the BGSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1983—another first for the hockey program.
After his time in Bowling Green, Liut launched a successful professional career by signing with the Cincinnati Stingers of the World Hockey Association, playing two seasons before the WHA-NHL merger. Over a 15-year pro career that spanned three decades, he starred for the St. Louis Blues and Hartford Whalers, earning accolades as a two-time NHL All-Star, 1981 NHL All-Star Game MVP, and the 1981 Ted Lindsay Award recipient—given to the league's most outstanding player as voted by his peers.
Following retirement from the NHL, Liut earned his Juris Doctorate from the Detroit College of Law (now Michigan State University College of Law) while serving as the NHLPA's first player liaison and coaching at the University of Michigan.
Today, Liut is the Managing Director of Octagon Talent + Properties' Hockey Division, a global athlete representation and marketing powerhouse. A member of the Michigan State Bar Association, his client list includes NHL stars such as Leon Draisaitl, Mikko Rantanen, Jordan Binnington, and former Olympic MVP Ryan Miller.
The Ziggy's event—an annual celebration of BGSU Athletics—will bring together Falcon student-athletes, alumni, coaches, and fans to recognize excellence, tradition, and impact. Honoring Liut as the 2025 Distinguished Alumni is a tribute to his legacy both on and off the ice.
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