ITHACA, N.Y. — Cornell men's hockey senior defenseman Hank Kempf has been named one of 14 nominees for the 2025 Hockey Humanitarian Award, it was announced by the Hockey Humanitarian Award Foundation on Tuesday afternoon.

The award, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary season, is 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 the community at-large through leadership in volunteerism.

Finalists for the 2025 Hockey Humanitarian Award will be announced in February, while the recipient of the 2025 award will be announced on Friday, April 11, during the weekend of the NCAA Men's Frozen Four in St. Louis, Mo.

Kempf is one of two ECAC Hockey nominees for this year's award, joining St. Lawrence women's hockey graduate student Sarah Thompson. Both of ECAC Hockey's nominees this year were named finalists for last year's award.

Kempf's nomination marks the 10th time a Cornell player has been nominated for the Hockey Humanitarian Award, but is the first player to be nominated multiple times.

After being named a finalist for the 2024 award, Kempf became just the second Cornell men's hockey player to be named a finalist for the Hockey Humanitarian Award, joining Sam Paolini '03, who remains the lone representative from Cornell to win the prestigious award. Alyssa Gagliardi '14 and Morgan Richardson '16, both former members of the Big Red women's hockey team, were also nominated as finalists for the award.
 

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While a member of the Big Red, Kempf has been active within the Cornell and Ithaca communities, aiding a number of non-for-profit organizations that help a diverse array of community members. His efforts have included supporting elementary school children, children with disabilities, and local fundraisers for charities raising funds for cancer research.

He has been involved with the Portal de Belen Foundation, which is a service trip that the Cornell men's hockey team takes to the Dominican Republic. The Portal de Belen Foundation, which was founded in 2001, helps the poor and needy on the Caribbean island. It has since expanded to help children of the poorest of poor in the Dominican Republic improve their quality of life through sustenance and education.

In the summer of 2023, Kempf participated and led the Cornell men's hockey service trip to Monte Plata in the Dominican Republic, where the group spent time building a community service center, distributed clothing, shoes, and food to those in need, and providing computer and school supplies to local schools, and participating in other acts of service. The group also provided sports equipment to the local schools and played baseball nightly with the kids of the community while on the service trip. While on the trip, members of the Cornell hockey program formed lasting relationships with members of the community from the Don Juan Church and nearby schools.

Locally, Kempf has been involved with the Racker Center, which has provided strength-based support for individuals with disabilities and their families. Racker envisions a world where all people know they belong. The Cornell men's hockey team's relationship with the Racker Center and its site for early childhood services. Kempf has actively engaged with, and has been able to get to know, children and learn many of the staff members at the organization.

Kempf has also been involved with the Newfield Schools Mentor Program, where he has been active with the children at the Newfield Schools by reading to them, and has hosted large groups at Lynah Rink and on the Cornell campus, which has included providing tours and skating with the children.

Additionally, Kempf created a fundraiser last season called "Big Red Blocks for Healing", which helped raise money for Kesem, an organization that supports children affected by a cancer diagnosis to a parent.

Kesem provides year-round programs and services to support children at no cost for families while also offering a free one-week overnight summer camp for kids ages 6 to 18 who have been impacted by a parent's cancer. The camp provides a fun atmosphere and experiences to help children escape — even for a short time — the challenges of coping with their parent's cancer diagnosis.

After raising over $30,000 last year, surpassing his initial goal six-fold, Kempf will be bringing the fundraiser back for a second season, running the campaign this year with the help of sophomore forward Ryan Walsh and junior defenseman Jack O'Brien. The entire Cornell men's hockey coaching staff have also aided Kempf in organizing the fundraiser.

To join the campaign, fans are asked to join Cornell's team and pledge a determined dollar amount (minimum of $0.10) for each shot Cornell blocks throughout the 2024-25 season. Fans are also invited to make a one-time donation instead of pledging a specific dollar amount for each blocked shot.
 

2025 Hockey Humanitarian Award Nominees
Student-Athlete	Class	Position	School	Hometown
David Breazeale	Senior	Defense	University of Maine	Grandville, Mich.
Keri Clougherty	Senior	Defense	Boston College	Lynn, Mass.
Kendra Fortin	Senior	Defense	Bemidji State University	Thunder Bay, Ontario
Alex Gagne	Senior	Defense	University of New Hampshire	Bedford, N.H.
Hank Kempf*	Senior	Defense	Cornell University	Wilmette, Ill.
Josh Luedtke	Senior	Defense	St. Cloud State University	Minnetonka, Minn.
Cameron Mannion	Senior	Defense	Stonehill College	Dorchester, Mass.
Raice Szott*	Graduate Student	Defense	Merrimack College	Daysland, Alberta
Sarah Thompson*	Graduate Student	Forward	St. Lawrence University	Ottawa, Ontario
Jacob Truscott	Senior	Defense	University of Michigan	Fort Gratiot, Mich.
Clara Van Wieren	Graduate Student	Forward	Minnesota Duluth	Okemos, Mich.
Makenna Webster	Senior	Forward	The Ohio State University	St. Louis, Mo.
Audrey Wethington	Senior	Forward	University of Minnesota	Edina, Minn.
Luke Wheeler	Senior	Forward	Bowdoin College	Golden, Colo.
NOTE: * - denotes 2024 Hockey Humanitarian Award finalist