Jan. 19, 2017
Nielsen Summer Camp Blog | GoPSUsports Blog on Nielsen | 2017 Hockey Humanitarian Award Nominees
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Senior Sarah Nielsen (Edina, Minn.) has been nominated for the 2017 Hockey Humanitarian Award, as announced by the Hockey Humanitarian Award Foundation on Thursday, Jan. 19. Nielsen is one of 15 student-athletes, and one of five female student-athletes, nominated for the award. She joins David Goodwin of the Penn State men's hockey program on the nominee list.
The Foundation and its long-time lead sponsor BNY Mellon Wealth Management present the award 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.
This past summer, Nielsen spent time at a Young Life camp in her home state of Minnesota. She was paired with Lauren, a child with a disability, and accompanied her around for a week doing various fun activities.
"Words and pictures cannot fully describe my experiences, but they can help capture the essence of our time there," Nielsen said, last fall, of her time at the camp. "I am thankful for the people I met, the opportunity I was given, and the way each camper touched me. The greatest thing I learned from this week is that all people are beautiful and beauty looks differently on everyone."
"I think it fits who she is as a person perfectly," head coach Josh Brandwene said, last fall, on Nielsen's summer camp experience. "She is just such a giving leader. She'll do anything for her teammates, she'll do anything for those around her. It's just the cloth that she's cut from and it comes very naturally to her. That opportunity last summer was honestly a great fit for her."
Nielsen, a nutrition major, is a two-time All-Big Ten Academic Team honoree and a three-time All-CHA Academic Team member.
The finalists will be announced in February. The 2017 recipient will be recognized in a ceremony on Friday, April 7, as part of Frozen Four weekend in Chicago.