The field for the 2004 College Hockey Humanitarian Award, presented annually to “college hockey’s finest citizen,” has been whittled to five finalists.
This year’s finalists are:
Dan Boeser — Wisconsin, Sr.
Patrick Foley — New Hampshire, Sr.
Chanda Gunn — Northeastern, Sr.
Derek Nisula — Babson, Sr.
Mark Persick — Canisius, Jr.
Gunn and Foley are finalists for the second straight year. Last year’s award was won by Cornell’s Sam Paolini.
The announcement of this year’s recipient will be made Friday, April 9 in Boston. It will be part of the festivities surrounding the Frozen Four.
This will mark the ninth year the Award will be presented. Boston University goalie J.P. McKersie received the initial Humanitarian Award in 1996. Michigan defenseman Blake Sloan was the 1997 recipient, while Wisconsin’s Erik Raygor was the 1998 Humanitarian. In 1999, RIT defenseman Kristine Pierce became the first woman, and first non-Division I player, to receive the Award. Maine’s Jim Leger won the Award in 2000, while Jason Cupp from Nebraska-Omaha was the 2001 recipient. In 2002, the Humanitarian Award winner was Buffalo State’s Rocky Reeves.
