Wally Grant (ice Hockey) - University of Michigan

University of Michigan

After graduating from high school, Grant enrolled in at the University of Michigan, where he played four seasons of hockey between 1945 and 1950. He took one year off after his freshman year to serve in the U.S. Army. In 1948, he played on the first NCAA Frozen Four ice hockey championship team. Four teams were selected to play in the first NCAA ice hockey championship, held at the Broadmoor Hotel Ice Palace in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The four teams to play in the inaugural Frozen Four were Michigan, Boston College, Dartmouth and Colorado College. Grant played on Michigan's famous "G" line, which included Wally Gacek and Ted Greer. Each of the three linemates scored a third-period goal in Michigan’s championship win over Dartmouth in 1948. Michigan's hockey title in 1948 capped off a year in which Michigan had also won the National Championship in football, and the conference basketball championship.

Grant was named an All-American three times, in 1948, 1949 and 1950, and captain of the 1950 team. In his four years at Michigan, Grant scored 63 goals and 83 assists for 146 career points. Michigan coach Vic Heyliger called Grant "the best two-way hockey player I have ever seen." Grant was not a large player, but he was fast. He later recalled, "I was 5'8 and 165 pounds, but I was fast enough to get around some of those defensemen. That was my advantage."