MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – JWU (Providence) men's ice hockey captain Davis Bone is amongst 12 nominees for the 2026 Hockey Humanitarian Award, which 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.

Official Press Release

Earlier this season, Bone was named to the NCAA Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), where he will serve a one-year term which began on January 18. As a member of the committee, the San Diego, California native is expected to perform a myriad of tasks, including sustaining and advancing the association's mission, traditions, values and reputation; regularly participate in committee meetings and conference calls; and serve as an advocate for the Association.

"I feel truly honored to be acknowledged amongst such an incredible group of student-athletes and people across all three divisions of men's and women's NCAA hockey," said Bone. "It was especially meaningful to learn that my coach, Eric Graham, believed I was worthy of this nomination. It was completely unbeknownst to me, making this recognition even more humbling. I see myself as a small part of advancing the missions and goals of tremendous organizations that I've had the privilege to work with, including Team IMPACT and the Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. I am also deeply honored that my work in pancreatic cancer research has been recognized as part of this humanitarian effort, allowing me to combine my academic coursework with research that aligns closely with my future aspirations in treatment innovation and advancement of human health."

Bone has nine points through the team's first 18 games (1-8-9) this season and 34 points (14-20-34) in 75 career outings for the Wildcats entering this weekend.

"Davis has been in a leadership position since his sophomore year and is incredibly deserving of this honor for the way he represents himself, our program, and Johnson & Wales University on and off the ice," said head coach Eric Graham. "He is a role model as a person and a student, carrying a 4.0 grade point average as a double major in biology and biomedical engineering. He is extremely organized and time efficient, which allows him to have success as a student while providing strong operational and administrative support for the team. As a player, he is extremely detail-oriented, receives feedback well, and sets a strong example for his teammates through strong work ethic and practical application. Finally, he has a strong leadership personality. He is not overly vocal but leads by example on the ice and the way he carries himself around campus and the community. Davis never shies away from a difficult conversation with his teammates or coaches. His transparency and ability to connect with his peers authentically ensures there is strong communication throughout the team."

The nominees consist of eight Division I and four Division III student-athletes across 11 institutions:

• Jack Blake, Bowling Green
• Davis Bone, JWU (Providence)
• Kara Goulding, Boston College
• James Hagens, Boston College
• Kelly Howe, William Smith
• Tyler Mahan, RIT
• Grace Sadura, Minnesota-Duluth
• Meg Simon, Middlebury
• Jayden Sison, Princeton
• Ryan Tattle, UConn
• Alex Tracy, Minn. St.-Mankato
• Brendan Vettraino, Misericordia

Finalists for the 2026 Hockey Humanitarian Award will be announced in February. This year's recipient will be announced on Friday, April 10 during the NCAA Men's Frozen Four weekend in Las Vegas. Sarah Thompson of St. Lawrence (Syracuse '24) was honored as the 2025 Hockey Humanitarian Award recipient. Boston University's J.P. McKersie was the inaugural recipient of the award in 1996.