Senior forward Meg Simon (East Grand Rapids, Mich.) of the Middlebury women’s ice hockey program has been named the 2026 recipient of the Hockey Humanitarian Award, which was announced on Friday. The award was presented to Simon during a ceremony at the Park MGM Ballroom in Las Vegas as part of the NCAA Men’s Frozen Four weekend. She was recognized along with the recipients of the Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award, the Mike Richter Award and the Hobey Baker Memorial Award.
For 31 years, the award has been 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 his or her community through leadership in volunteerism. Boston University’s J.P. McKersie was the inaugural recipient of the award in 1996.
Simon, who was a first-time finalist for the award, is the fifth Division III recipient and the first since Delaney Wolf from Saint Mary’s (Minn.) in 2021. Simon is the first Panther in school history and the second NESCAC athlete to join this distinguished group alongside William Bruce from Williams College (2008).
This year’s other finalists for the 2026 award were: senior forward Kara Goulding (Boston College), junior forward Grace Sadura (Minnesota Duluth), senior defender Jayden Sison (Princeton) and senior forward Ryan Tattle (UConn).
“I feel incredibly fortunate to receive the prestigious Hockey Humanitarian Award,” Simon said. “I’m proud to represent my family, Middlebury Athletics, the NESCAC, and Division III as a whole while continuing to bring the magic of hockey to others.”
Simon serves as the Co-Chair of Volunteering for the Middlebury women’s ice hockey program, organizing numerous opportunities for her team to read, play and interact with local students. Through her role, Simon also works with several local organizations, including the Middlebury Amateur Hockey Association (MAHA) and Special Olympics Vermont. She is a member of the Yellow House Community, an organization that provides safe residential housing and meaningful vocational opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
On campus, Simon has held roles as a RADical Health Mentor and President of Middlebury College Access Mentors (MiddCAM), an organization that helps high school students navigate the complex college admissions process. Simon helped orchestrate several initiatives during her January internship with the Middlebury Athletic Communications office, including a free athletic clinic for the community on National Girls & Women in Sports Day.
“When I heard that she had won, I teared up,” said Bill Mandigo, head women’s ice hockey coach. “She cares and reaches out to check on people, and it’s genuine. This is a great honor for an incredible young woman, and she’s earned it.”
Simon appeared in 43 career ice hockey contests and helped the Panthers to back-to-back NCAA Semifinal appearances. The Hockey Humanitarian Award Foundation makes contributions to charities designated by each award finalist and presented a $3,000 check to Special Olympic Vermont Addison County during the ceremony. These contributions are made possible with the support of the award’s partners and donors.
The full list of Hockey Humanitarian Award winners can be found by clicking here.
