Gabbie Hughes Wins 2023 Hockey Humanitarian Award

Hughes is the first-ever Bulldog to win the humanitarian award.

DULUTH, Minn.- It was a day to remember for UMD graduate forward Gabbie Hughes on Friday.

Hughes won the 2023 Hockey Humanitarian Award for her involvement with Sophie’s Squad. Sophie’s Squad is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the mental health of athletes from the youth level to college.

Just this past season, the Bulldogs hosted a hockey hits back Sophie’s Squad mental health awareness game and Hughes has been at many high school games as well sharing the organization’s message.

She says she excited to take home the award and knows it means bigger things for Sophie’s Squad.

“It’s a huge honor to be recognized for the efforts and the amount of stuff I have done for Sophie’s Squad and the sacrifices I’ve made. It’s nice to be recognized for that but it’s not just about me winning this award, I’m extremely excited for what it brings for Sophie’s Squad and mental health awareness all around,” said Hughes.

Hughes is the first-ever Bulldog to win the humanitarian award.