A MORNINGSIDE UNIVERSITY ALUMNUS IS ONE OF THREE FINALISTS FOR THE FIFTH ANNUAL WILLIE O’REE COMMUNITY HERO AWARD AWARDED BY THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE AND MASSMUTUAL.
O’REE WAS THE FIRST BLACK PLAYER TO COMPETE IN THE NHL, AND THE AWARD IS GIVEN TO AN INDIVIDUAL WHO – THROUGH THE SPORT OF HOCKEY – HAS POSITIVELY IMPACTED THEIR COMMUNITY, CULTURE OR SOCIETY.
MEREDITH DAVIS LANG GRADUATED FROM MORNINGSIDE IN 2002 AND IS BEING RECOGNIZED FOR HER WORK INTRODUCING, AND ENCOURAGING, YOUNG GIRLS OF COLOR TO LEARN AND PLAY HOCKEY.
SHE GREW UP IN MINNEAPOLIS AND PLAYED HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY.
LANG WAS A TRACK STANDOUT AT MORNINGSIDE AND SAYS SHE DIDN’T THINK SHE WOULD GET BACK INTO HOCKEY UNTIL HER SIX YEAR OLD DAUGHTER TOLD HER SHE WANTED TO START PLAYING:
LANG1 OC……HOCKEY IS LIFE. :21
BOTH OF LANG’S CHILDREN BECAME HOCKEY PLAYERS, AND THAT LED HER TO MORE INVOLVEMENT, CO-FOUNDING TWO ORGANIZATIONS, HOCKEY NINAS AND MINNESOTA UNBOUNDED:
LANG2 OC……….WHAT WE WERE DOING. :29
SHE SAYS BOTH ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN EMBRACED BY THE COMMUNITY TO HELP GROW THE NUMBER OF COMPETITIVE GIRLS’ HOCKEY TEAMS:
LANG3 OC……….THAT MISSION. :12
LANG REFLECTS BACK ON WHAT CHALLENGES SHE FACED IN BEGINNING TO PLAY HOCKEY:
LANG4 OC……….2:24
THE WINNER WILL BE DETERMINED BY AN ONLINE FAN VOTE AND WEIGHTED VOTES FROM WILLIE O’REE, THE NHL AND MASSMUTUAL.
FANS MAY VOTE DAILY UNTIL APRIL 17 AT NHL.COM/OREEAWARD.
THE WINNER WILL RECEIVE A $25,000 PRIZE AND THE OTHER TWO FINALISTS WILL EACH RECEIVE A $5,000 PRIZE, EACH OF WHICH WILL BE DONATED TO A CHARITY OF THEIR CHOICE.
