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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). Maine's Jim Leger was another Hockey East winner, receiving the award for the 1999-2000 season. Northeastern's Missy Elumba became the fifth recipient in HEA history in April of 2009. She was presented the award at the Men's Frozen Four in Washington, D.C. at the Verizon Center. Hockey East has also had seven Hockey Humanitarian finalists and had seven total finalists spanning four consecutive seasons between 2002-03 and 2005-06.

MISSION STATEMENT

In an era of ever-increasing ego display, when so many of today's athletes are sending the wrong message to our children and when success often seems measured solely by dollar signs and contract signings, it is time to call attention to individuals who embody all that is, and can be, right with sport. While the media often seem preoccupied with the antics of players after the whistle or outside the game - all the while decrying the absence of better role models for our youth - the Hockey Humanitarians want to put sports, and all of its participants, in the proper perspective. And, while team games, by definition, encompass both teamwork and the contributions of the individual to the success of the group as a whole, we want to acknowledge the accomplishments of personal character, scholarship, and the giving of oneself off the ice to the larger community as well. The Humanitarian Award is meant to be seen as a true measure of a person's worth, not just as an athlete, but as someone who embodies those values that merit our recognition.

It is our hope that in some small way such a display will have a positive influence on future generations of hockey players. We feel an obligation to help our children find the proper balance as they confront deciding who their role models are and what values they should embrace in this increasingly complex world. Our foundation believes there are Humanitarians to be found in programs everywhere and that it is time for many in the media to reconsider their focus on the frequently destructive and selfish behavior of those athletes who often receive too much of our attention. We feel that the great majority of us share the values represented by The Humanitarian Award and that the time has come for this message to be more widely disseminated.

HOCKEY HUMANITARIAN AWARD WINNERS (Hockey East winners in bold)
1996-97	J.P. McKersie, Boston University
1997-98	Erik Raygor, Wisconsin
1998-99	Kristine Pierce, Rochester Inst. of Technology
1999-00	Jim Leger, Maine
	(Finalist: Craig Brown, UMass Lowell)
2000-01	Jason Cupp, Nebraska-Omaha
2001-02	Rocky Ray Reeves, Buffalo State
2002-03	Sam Paolini, Cornell
	(Finalist: Chanda Gunn, Northeastern)
2003-04	Chanda Gunn, Northeastern
	(Finalist: Patrick Foley, New Hampshire)
2004-05	Sarah Carlson, Boston College
	(Finalist: Peter Trovato, Massachusetts)
2005-06	Eric Leroux, Princeton
2006-07	Kristin Savard, Yale
	(Finalists: Janelle Armitage, Connecticut; Jaime Sifers, Vermont)
2007-08	William Bruce, Williams College
	(Finalists: Janelle Armitage, Connecticut; Missy Elumba, Northeastern)
2008-09	Missy Elumba, Northeastern

NU's Missy Elumba was the fifth Hockey East player to win the prestigious Hockey Humanitarian Award, after she was a repeat finalist in 07-08.

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