Former Goalie of the Year in Minnesota Founded Youth Hockey Summer Camp,
Will Pursue Teaching Career
Former University of St. Thomas goaltender Maggie Malecha has been named the 2026 recipient of the annual College Hockey Inc. Scholarship, presented by JLG Architects. Malecha will receive the $2,500 postgraduate scholarship given annually to the NCAA men’s or women’s hockey student-athlete who helps build the game through their support of the next generation of hockey players.
The scholarship is awarded in honor of JLG founder Lonnie Laffen, a passionate college hockey supporter who passed away in 2020.
A native of Northfield, Minn., Malecha appeared in 21 career games for the Tommies from 2022-23 through 2025-26 and was a three-time selection to the WCHA All-Academic Team. She was also named a WCHA Scholar-Athlete as a senior and earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise science from St. Thomas in 2026.
While already balancing the responsibilities of a Division I student-athlete, Malecha still found time to give back to the hockey community. In an effort to provide more youth hockey opportunities for local players, Malecha built a summer hockey program from scratch in her hometown of Northfield during the summer of 2024. Approximately 120 registrants participated in Malecha’s inaugural camp, a number that ballooned to 175 the following summer.
Malecha’s responsibilities at the helm of her summer program included coordinating ice time, building age-specific curriculum, hiring and organizing staff, communicating with families, and managing operations. Additionally, Malecha built scholarship opportunities into her camp model, prioritizing affordability and accessibility for families.
During the 2025-26 hockey season, Malecha also joined the Northfield High School hockey staff as a goalie coach for both the girls’ and boys’ programs.
“We were extremely impressed with this year’s group of applicants for our scholarship. However, Maggie’s application stood out due to her dedication to volunteerism and her active community service,” said College Hockey Inc. Executive Director Sean Hogan. “We couldn’t be more honored to award Maggie the College Hockey Inc. Scholarship, as she truly embodies the spirit of being a collegiate student-athlete.”
“JLG is proud to present this year’s College Hockey Inc. Scholarship to Maggie Malecha, an exceptional student-athlete who continually demonstrates leadership in growing the game,” saidMichelle Mongeon Allen, CEO of JLG Architects. “Building a youth hockey program from the ground up, coaching at the high school level, and pursuing a career in education, all while competing as a Division I student-athlete, speaks to the kind of character and dedication this scholarship was created to recognize.”
Mongeon Allen continued: “For nearly four decades, the drive and integrity of student-athletes like Maggie have inspired our firm’s work designing collegiate, community, and professional arenas. We are believers in the power of college hockey and the community leaders it shapes. Maggie embodies the spirit of this scholarship, and we are honored to support her next chapter.”
Malecha plans to begin her teaching career during this upcoming year while pursuing her master’s degree in education at the University of St. Thomas.
Malecha was the winner of the Let’s Play Hockey Senior Goalie of the Year Award in 2022 after her great career at Northfield High School. She was presented a Minnesota Wild jersey by Kalli Funk of the Minnesota Wild.
“I’m very grateful to College Hockey Inc. and JLG Architects for providing me with this scholarship,” Malecha said. “I’m honored to have been part of the foundation of the Division I program at St. Thomas. Being there from the beginning gave me life lessons, lifelong memories, lasting friendships, and a way to invest in the next generation of players. I’m thankful to be recognized with this award, and I am committed to continuing to give back to the game and community that have given me so much in this next chapter of my life.”
The College Hockey Inc. Scholarship, presented by JLG Architects, is open to any NCAA hockey player (men’s or women’s, any division) who has exhausted their collegiate eligibility. Applications require a written essay on the student-athlete’s contributions to the youth hockey community, which could be accompanied by videos, photos, or other supplemental information. The winner is selected by representatives from College Hockey Inc. and JLG Architects.
Past Recipients
2020: Breanna Scarpaci, Boston University
2021: Michael Korol, Norwich University
2022: Brooke Leone, Augsburg University
2023: Stephanie Martin, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
2024: Emma Guzdek, Wilkes University
2025: Audrey Wethington, University of Minnesota
2026: Maggie Malecha, University of St. Thomas
About College Hockey, Inc.
Formed in 2009, College Hockey Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and growing NCAA Division I men’s and women’s hockey to prospective players and fans through extensive marketing and informational efforts.
About JLG Architects
JLG Architects doesn’t just design sports facilities — we build epic arenas of energy where championships are won, crowds roar, and athletes rise to the occasion. As the nation’s premier expert in hockey arena design, JLG delivers high-performance athletics and unrivaled fan experiences. Backed by a powerhouse team—including the nation’s only Certified Ice Rink Manager/Certified Ice Technician Architect and former NHL player Architect—we break the ice to design game-changing venues that bring people together.
JLG Architects has been recognized as one of the Top 25 Sports Facility Architecture Giants in the U.S. by Building Design+Construction, the Best Ice Hockey Arena Architects in the Upper Midwest U.S. by Global 100, and one of 50 Most Admired Companies in America by MSN Money. JLG is the Preferred Architecture Partner of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, Atlantic Hockey America, the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference, and the Western Collegiate Women’s Hockey Association.
