Arguably the highest individual honor in the sport of college ice hockey, the Hockey Humanitarian Award bridges the gender gap between the men’s and women’s game and any perceived talent gap between divisions. Annually presented to the athlete that best demonstrates the highest qualities of humanity, the award has become a symbol for everything that is right with college athletics, and it is an honor just to be nominated for the award, or to be selected as one of the five annual finalists.

First given to Boston University’s J.P. McKersie in 1996, the prestigious award was claimed in back-to-back seasons by Hockey East athletes in 2003-04 (Northeastern goaltender Chanda Gunn) and 2004-05 (Boston College defenseman Sarah Carlson.) A total of six Hockey East players have received the award, most recently Boston College’s Brooks Dyroff in 2011, and has had nine other award finalists.