Grace Sadura is a 2023 Minnetonka graduate who is one of 14 nominees for the 2026 Hockey Humanitarian Award. PHOTO COURTESY OF UMD ATHLETICS
Minnesota State goalie Alex Tracy also nominated
The Hockey Humanitarian Award Foundation announced 12 nominees for the 2026 Hockey Humanitarian Award on Tuesday afternoon. The award is presented annually to college hockey’s finest citizen — a student-athlete who makes significant contributions not only to his or her team but also to the community-at-large through leadership in volunteerism.
Minnesota’s lone nominee is Grace Sadura, a senior at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Sadura graduated from Minnetonka High School in 2023.
Alex Tracy, who is from Illinois, but plays at Minnesota State University in Mankato, was also nominated.
Gabbie Hughes, a Centennial grad who also played at UMD and who now plays in the PWHL for Ottawa, won the award in 2023.
The following are this year’s nominees:
| Name | Cl. | Pos. | School | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jake Blake | Sr. | D | Bowling Green State University | Manhattan Beach, Calif. |
| Davis Bone | Sr. | F | Johnson & Wales University | San Diego, Calif. |
| Kara Goulding | Sr. | F | Boston College | Belmont, Mass. |
| James Hagens | So. | F | Boston College | Hauppauge, N.Y. |
| Kelly Howe | Sr. | F | Hobart and William Smith Colleges | Deerfield, Mass. |
| Tyler Mahan | Sr. | F | Rochester Institute of Technology | Calgary, Alta. |
| Grace Sadura | Sr. | F | University of Minnesota Duluth | Chanhassen, Minn. |
| Meg Simon | Sr. | F | Middlebury College | East Grand Rapids, Mich. |
| Jayden Sison | Sr. | D | Princeton University | Paoli, Pa. |
| Ryan Tattle | Sr. | F | University of Connecticut | Port Moody, B.C. |
| Alex Tracy | Sr. | G | Minnesota State University | Mankato Evergreen Park, Ill. |
| Brendan Vettraino | Sr. | F | Misericordia University | Clayton Township, Mich. |
Finalists for the 2026 Hockey Humanitarian Award will be announced in February. This year’s recipient will be announced on Friday, April 10th during the NCAA Men’s Frozen Four weekend in Las Vegas.
Sarah Thompson of St. Lawrence (Syracuse ’24) was honored as the 2025 Hockey Humanitarian Award recipient. Boston University’s J.P. McKersie was the inaugural recipient of the award in 1996.
