Sioux City, Iowa – The National Hockey League (NHL) announced April 4 that Morningside University alum and former Mustangs track and field standout Meredith (Davis) Lang ’02 is one of three finalists for the fifth annual Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award presented by MassMutual, which is given to an individual who – through the sport of hockey – has positively impacted his or her community, culture or society.
The winner will be determined by fan vote and weighted votes from Willie O’Ree, the NHL and MassMutual. Fans are encouraged to continue voting until April 17 at NHL.com/OReeAward. The winner will receive a $25,000 USD prize and the other two finalists will each receive a $5,000 USD prize, each of which will be donated to a charity of their respective choice.
Individuals can vote once a day. The link to do so is https://nhl.jebbit.com/wpcabdaz?draft=true.
(Davis) Lang is being recognized for her work introducing, and encouraging, young girls of color to learn and play hockey. The co-founder of two organizations, Hockey Niñas and Minnesota Unbounded, Lang’s efforts extend beyond Minneapolis. Through the Hockey Niñas, her ability to gather information and share resources makes it easier for anyone who wants to try hockey. Her work has supported families from Mexico to California to New York. Through her work with Minnesota Unbounded, a league comprised entirely of girls and women of color from the players on the ice to the coaches behind the bench, Lang has helped grow the number of competitive girls’ hockey teams from 31 girls in U10 and U12 teams, to more than 50 families from 20 different hockey organizations on U10, U12, U14 teams, as well as pilot programs for U6 and U8 teams.
The Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award presented by MassMutual honors former NHL forward Willie O’Ree, who on Jan. 18, 1958, became the first black player to compete in the League. O’Ree, who lost sight in his right eye at a young age, went on to play professional hockey for 21 years. For more than two decades he has served as the NHL’s Diversity Ambassador, traveling across North America to schools and hockey programs to share his story and experiences as well as to promote messages of inclusion, dedication, and confidence. O’Ree has used hockey as a platform to build character and teach life skills and has used his influence to foster positive values through the sport. In 2018, O’Ree was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
