COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Hockey will recognize 12 deserving individuals at its President’s Awards Dinner on Friday, June 6, at the Denver Marriott Tech Center as part of its four-day Annual Meeting that begins on June 4.
Honorees include Tom Barnett (Buffalo, N.Y.) with the Wm. Thayer Tutt Award and Jeff Jackson (South Bend, Ind.) with the Distinguished Achievement Award.
Other award winners include Dr. Alan Ashare Excellence in Safety Award honoree Dr. Dennis Sullivan (Falmouth, Maine), Chet Stewart Award recipient, the late Tony Mariconda (Oklahoma City, Okla.), John Beadle Adult Member of the Year, Rob Jenkins (Louisville, Ky.) and Kelly Clymer (Plano, Texas) with the Walter Yaciuk Award.
Annual Award Winners
Player of the year honorees include, Adult Player of the Year Stacey Hochkins (White Lake, Mich.) Bob Allen Women’s Player of the Year Hilary Knight (Sun Valley, Idaho), Jim Johannson College Player of the Year Isaac Howard (Hudson, Wis.), Dave Peterson Goaltender of the Year Ryan Cameron (Berwyn, Pa.), Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year Will Zellers (Maple Grove, Minn.) and the Disabled Athlete of the Year, John O’Connell (Toms River, N.J.)
In addition, USA Hockey will also honor a group of individuals with service awards during the President’s Awards Dinner. For the full list, click HERE.
Wm. Thayer Tutt Award – Tom Barnett
Growing up in the heart of Buffalo, New York, the love of the game was instilled in Tom Barnett from a young age. Like many, his journey began as a kid skating around the rinks of Western New York. His passion for the game stemming from his father, Donald, who was a goaltender on Canisus University’s inaugural team back in 1949, teaching Tom about the game.
Barnett followed in his father’s footsteps, enrolling at Canisus, playing goalie for the Griffins, before graduating in 1979.
When the time came for Barnett’s own sons to start their youth hockey journey in the early 2000s, it was the disenfranchisement with the ‘win at all costs’ mentality that he encountered at local programs that inspired Barnett to make a change that would shape the youth hockey landscape in Western New York over the next two decades.
In 2001, Barnett founded the Buffalo Shamrocks Hockey Club, a club that was the antithesis to those in the area, focused on welcoming players of all abilities and creating an environment that prioritized inclusion and accessibility just as much as development and being competitive.
What started as just 30 players in the beginning has now grown to over 300, with robust learn-to-skate and learn-to-play programs, the Shamrocks have built a reputation as one of the leaders in youth hockey, in large part to Barnett’s leadership and vision.
Barnett was named the inaugural recipient of the NHL’s Mark Messier Youth Leadership Award in 2009 and was recognized for his extraordinary commitment to youth hockey and his deep devotion to teaching young players the importance of sportsmanship, team play and personal responsibility.
Off the ice, Barnett’s impact on the game is felt in NHL rinks around North America, suiting up some of the best and brightest in the NHL. The founder of Tom Barnett New York, a bespoke custom clothing and suit company that first opened in 1990, Barnett has garnered a reputation of quality and craftsmanship that’s built an impressive clientele.
A welcoming face when children enter the rink, Barnett can still be found most days on the ice before sunrise, helping instill the love of the game in the next generation, the foundation of his legacy and vision that have touched so many in Western New York and beyond.
Distinguished Achievement Award – Jeff Jackson
A two-time Spencer Penrose Coach of the Year award winner, Jeff Jackson’s journey began in Roseville, Michigan. Growing up in the local rinks of a hockey-crazy town, it was inevitable that hockey would play a key role in Jackson’s future, especially after attending Michigan State University for college.
Upon graduation in 1979, Jackson’s path was clear, he jumped into coaching, beginning what proved to be a legendary career behind the bench.
He spent two years in the North American Hockey League, before arriving at Lake Superior State in 1986, a school of just 1,600 students located in the upper peninsula of Michigan, as an assistant coach. After four seasons, including an NCAA title in 1988, Jackson took the reigns as head coach in 1990.
During his six-year tenure as head coach for the Lakers, Jackson’s teams appeared in three national championship games, winning the title in 1992 and 1994, along with two CCHA regular season championships and four CCHA Mason Cup trophies.
In 1996, an opportunity arose to influence the development and advancement of the game in the United States when he was named the inaugural head coach of the newly formed USA Hockey National Team Development program.
During his four years with the NTDP, Jackson served as the head coach for the silver medal-winning 1997 U.S. Junior National Team, the highest finish for a U.S. team at the time, as well as an assistant for the 1998 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team.
After leading the NTDP, Jackson spent two seasons as the head coach of the Guelph Storm, and one season as assistant coach for the New York Islanders, before South Bend came calling.
Arriving at the University of Notre Dame in 2005, Jackson found immediate success. During a 20-year tenure behind the bench, the Fighting Irish made 12 NCAA tournament appearances, including four NCAA Frozen Fours and two national title game showings in 2008 and 2018.
Between Notre Dame and Lake Superior State, Jackson racked up a dominating 601 wins at the collegiate level and retired at the conclusion of the 2025 season with the ninth most wins in NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey history and most among active coaches.
Walter Yaciuk Award – Kelly Clymer
Kelly Clymer has been a prominent figure in Texas hockey as a player, coach, and volunteer since he first took the ice as a child in 1968, before an organized hockey association even existed in the area.
Three years later, the Dallas Junior Hockey Association was formed, and Clymer played there, as well as for two seasons for Dallas Metro Hockey Association and Mid Cities Hockey Associatio. When he turned 19, he went to North Texas University and joined the hockey team for his last two years of college.
After the conclusion of his playing career, the Dallas native began coaching inline hockey in Texas when his son was born, before transitioning back to the ice in 1999 as a coach with the Texas Aces Hockey Club. One year later, Clymer made the move to the Dallas Junior Hockey Association as an assistant coach.
Over the course of the next 23 seasons, Clymer coached at every level for DJHA, but spent a majority of his coaching career teaching players at the U18 level before retiring on 2023.
In 2003, he joined the USA Hockey Coaching Education Program as a Coach Developer, where he led coaching clinics and educated the next generation of coaches, helping them attain USA Hockey certification.
He also played a large role in the transition to Cosmo Clarke as Coach-in-Chief of the Rocky Mountain District in 2020, who named Clymer Associate Coach-in-Chief.
Clymer retired from coaching in 2023 with an undeniable imprint on the sport in Dallas and across Texas and Oklahoma. He was instrumental in the growth of the game in the area throughout his career, and made profound impacts on players and coaches alike who came under his tutelage.
Chet Stewart Award – Tony Mariconda
A champion of officiating, Tony Mariconda made a lasting impression on hockey in over four decades as an on and off-ice official, across all levels of the game. A champion of hockey in the state of New Jersey, Mariconda was a staple in the hockey community, serving as an official, coach and mentor to many.
An official since 1973, Mariconda served a variety of leadership roles in the officiating space during his tenure wearing the stripes. He was the Atlantic District supervisor of officials from 1983-1999, before transitioning to the referee-in-chief role for the Atlantic District starting in 1999.
A staunch advocate for development, Mariconda served as camp director for many USA Hockey Officiating camps both regionally and nationally and served as an officiating program evaluator in the Atlantic District from 1993. In addition, he held leadership officiating roles with the New Jersey Youth Hockey League, Atlantic Women’s Hockey League and Atlantic/Metropolitan Junior Hockey League.
He also served on the Officiating Program Seminar Committee for many years, helping produce the USA Hockey Seminar Instructor Program and was a key stakeholder in the production of the original USA Hockey Officiating Evaluation Program.
The Glen Rock, New Jersey, native’s career as an off-ice official began in 1982, when the New Jersey Devils hired him during the team’s inaugural season, to serve on its off-ice officiating crew. During his nearly 30 years with the team, he worked as a goal judge, timekeeper and scorer.
In 1999, the Devils honored Mariconda with the Dr. John J. McMullen Service to New Jersey Hockey Award, bestowed annually to an influential figure who served the sport of hockey throughout the state.
Mariconda held roles as a scorekeeper on the off-ice officiating crew for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, the 1996 World Cup of Hockey and countless Stanley Cup Playoff series.
A sports enthusiast, he also spent time as an official for youth and semi-pro football, baseball and softball in the Garden State, working to advance youth sports while serving as a high school science teacher until his retirement in 2000.
Mariconda passed away in 2011 after a courageous battle with cancer, but his legacy and impact on both the sport and officiating community will live on for generations.
Dr. Alan Ashare Excellence in Safety Award – Dr. Dennis Sullivan
Dr. Dennis Sullivan has served USA Hockey and the sport at large for multiple decades. He has acted the team physician for 25 international tournaments for Team USA since 1999, including multiple Under-17 Five Nations tournaments and Hlinka Gretzky Cups, as well as the 2008 IIHF Men’s World Championship and 2002 Deutschland Cup.
Sullivan has also served as the team physician for two American Hockey League teams. He first worked with the Maine Mariners between 1987-1992 before holding the same role with the Portland Pirates from 1993-2010. His dedication to safety in the sport of hockey was highlighted when he served as a member of the AHL’s working group on mandatory face shields in the league.
Sullivan earned his medical degree at Cornell University Medical College in 1978, completing his residency in general surgery at New England Deaconess in 1981 and his residency in orthopedic surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery in 1985.
Following residency, Sullivan completed his fellowship in orthopedic surgery in 1982 at the Hospital for Special Surgery before going on to do a fellowship in sports medicine at the University of Toronto in 1985. He has been board certified in orthopedic surgery since 1988.
The Portland, Maine, native has worked in orthopedic surgery at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center since 1986. Sullivan joined Central Maine Health Orthopedics in 2024, which is part of Central Maine Health system based in Lewiston, Maine.
John Beadle Adult Member of the Year – Rob Jenkins
Rob Jenkins, a longtime advocate of adult hockey in the state of Kentucky, has displayed unwavering support in USA Hockey’s quest to grow the sport.
After beginning his playing days as a roller hockey player, Jenkins first took the ice as an adult learning to skate in Louisville. Taking a liking to ice hockey, he saw an opportunity to create a league for adult players similar to himself, prioritizing creating a welcoming and fun environment for all. Jenkins founded the Louisville Adult Hockey Players Association (LAHPA) in March of 1999 and since then, has been instrumental in the growth of the sport in his community over the last quarter century.
Prior to Jenkins’ involvement, the Louisville adult hockey scene featured four teams and roughly 40 total players. As of May 2025, LAHPA has grown to over 58 teams spread across 14 divisions, helping nearly 500 players pursue the sport at the adult level in their community.
Jenkins also helped form the LAHPA’s Never Ever League, an adult league specifically designed for people that have never played ice hockey before. In addition to a place to play, the league provides participants off-ice instruction, on-ice instruction, on-ice skill sessions and instructional game time.
The Royal Oak, Michigan, native didn’t grow up playing hockey, however, his love for the game has been displayed in his commitment to expanding the sport at all levels in his community for over 25 years. Through his work with USA Hockey and LAHPA, Jenkins continues to be a staunch advocate for hockey in the Bluegrass State.
Adult Player of the Year – Stacey Hochkins
Stacey Hochkins — a former collegiate hockey player and current assistant coach at Lawrence Tech University and Orchard Lake Saint Mary’s and Saint Catherine’s High School — has continued to connect with the game as an avid adult hockey player.
Hochkins laced up her skates to take part in the 2025 USA Hockey-Long Drink Adult Women’s National Championships in Wesley Chapels, Florida, with the Foundry 13 Little Caesars Women’s Hockey Team, leading her team to the 21+ Tier I division championship title.
The New Boston, Michigan, native, who played for the College of the Holy Cross from 2008-12, has helped grow the Little Caesars Women’s Hockey program from humble beginnings. The program has gone from just nine players in 2021 to 32 players at the 2025 event, enough for two full teams.
Hochkins’ love for the sport goes beyond playing. She just finished her first season as an assistant coach for Lawrence Tech University’s ACHA Division II women’s hockey program, and also completed her second campaign as an assistant coach with the joint team of Orchard Lake Saint Mary’s and Saint Catherine’s, a prep school based in the Detroit suburbs, who skate in the Michigan Girls High School Hockey League.
Bob Allen Women’s Player of the Year – Hilary Knight
It was a record-breaking year for Hilary Knight, who once again rewrote the record books, captaining the U.S. Women’s National Team to the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship title.
Knight, who led the team in points (9) and assists (7) throughout the tournament, tallied at least a point in all but one of Team USA’s games, including an assist on the opening goal in the gold medal game, a 4-3 overtime victory over Canada. Her nine points were best for third-most of the tournament, while her seven assists were second-most in the field.
The Sun Valley, Idaho, native’s final of three assists during the U.S.’ 5-0 preliminary-round victory over Switzerland, marked her 50th career Women’s Worlds assist, breaking the IIHF all-time Women’s World Championship assist record.
Knight now holds the IIHF all-time Women’s World Championship scoring (120), goals (67) and assists (53) records.
With a gold medal this season, she is the most decorated player in IIHF World Championship history with 10 career gold medals and 15 medals overall.
A difference maker on the ice, Knight’s inspired play and steady leadership helped the U.S. earn its 11th all-time Women’s World Championship title. She was also named one the U.S.’ Three Best Players of the Tournament for her showing.
As the captain of the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s Boston Fleet, Knight led the PWHL in points (29) and was second in the league in goals (15) through the conclusion of the league’s regular season.
Knight also represented the U.S. during the 2024-25 Rivalry Series, recording three goals in four games, a tally that led all skaters in the series.
Disabled Athlete of the Year – John O’Connell
John O’Connell has been a hockey player since he was seven years old. His life-long love for the sport was fostered as a young child growing up in New York City, playing with his brother in rinks across all five boroughs. After playing high school hockey in Connecticut, he put the sport
on hold to pursue a career as a U.S. Air Force pilot during college, but his enthusiasm for the game never wavered during his time away from the rink.
When he was stationed for duty in Michigan after receiving his commission from the U.S. Air Force, he found his way back onto the ice, joining a local weekly adult pickup league. Later in his career, O’Connell relocated to San Antonio, Texas, and he started the Armed Forces Hockey Team, allowing him to skate and play alongside his fellow airmen. O’Connell talked about hockey so much in San Antonio that he was given the call sign ‘Slapshot’ by his commanding officer.
After 20 years as a commercial airline pilot, a condition that caused him to lose his vision abruptly ended his flying career, but in a full- circle moment, he once again found a home at the hockey rink after doctors told him that people with vision loss who participate in sports are less likely to suffer from balance problems.
Today, O’Connell is a member of USA Hockey’s Warrior and Blind hockey disciplines, playing on the New Jersey Warriors and with New York Metro Blind Hockey. In 2024, at the USA Hockey Warrior National Championship, O’Connell and his New Jersey Warriors teammates went unbeaten to take home the Tier 5 National Championship. He’s also skated at USA Hockey’s Blind Classic with New York Metro Blind Hockey over the years.
Off the ice, O’Connell is a passionate advocate for people with visual impairments and disabled veterans, twice appearing before the New Jersey State Senate to push legislature that would provide transportation for veterans who need help to get to appointments, run errands, or get to the hockey rink. He was appointed to the New Jersey Commission for the Blind State Rehabilitation Council and was elected to the board of directors for the Blinded Veterans Association, for which he a member of the Adaptive Sports and Recreation Committee.
Jim Johannson College Player of the Year – Isaac Howard
Isaac Howard, a junior forward for Michigan State University, earned the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, presented annually to the top player in NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey. He had a breakout season with the Spartans in 2024-25, serving as both a premier goal scorer and elite distributor.
Howard led Michigan State to the Big Ten championship and 26 victories, the most for the program since the 2007-08 season.
He led the nation in points per game, averaging 1.41 over 37 contests. He also finished the season in the nation’s top 10 in total points (52) and goals (26). In Big Ten Conference play, the First Team AHCA All-America honoree, led the conference in scoring with 16 goals and 17 assists in just 24 games and was honored as Big Ten Men’s Hockey Player of the Year for his efforts.
The Hudson, Wisconsin, native made his presence known in the Big Ten Tournament, recording three goals and two assists in two games. Howard scored the game-winning goal in double overtime against Ohio State to help the Spartans clinch their second straight conference tournament title. He was named Big Ten Tournament MVP.
On the international stage, Howard was named to the U.S. Men’s National Team that took home gold at the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Championship in Stockholm, Sweden, and Herning, Denmark.
Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year – Will Zellers
A game-changing talent, Will Zellers displayed excellence on the ice for the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers this season.
Zellers, a forward, led the USHL in points per game (1.37) and shooting percentage (20.6%) during the 2024-25 season, becoming the first ever Gamblers skater to take home USHL Forward of the Year honors. The Maple Grove, Minnesota, native recorded 44 goals and 27 assists in just 52 games and was also named a First Team All-USHL.
Zellers also led the league in game-winning goals (7) and was sixth in power play goals (10), helping lead the Gamblers to a spot in the 2024-25 USHL Playoffs.
On the international stage, he helped lead the U.S. Junior Select Team to the 2024 World Junior A Challenge title in Camrose, Alberta, recording a pair of goals and three assists in five games with Team USA.
Dave Peterson Goaltender of the Year – Ryan Cameron
Ryan Cameron was a standout between the pipes for the Lone Star Brahmas of the North American Hockey League during the 2024-25 season, helping lead the program to the overall NAHL regular-season title and South Division championship.
Across 30 regular-season contests, the Pennsylvania native led the NAHL in shutouts (9), save percentage (.948) and goals-against average (1.24) to go along with a 21-6-1 (W-L-OTL) record.
Cameron’s stellar play carried into the 2025 Robertson Cup Playoffs, where he posted a .939 save percentage, 1.67 goals-against average, and three shutouts with a record of 8-2-0 (W-L-OTL), taking the Brahmas to the Robertson Cup championship game.
Additionally, the Boston College commit donned the red, white and blue for Team USA on several occasions in 2024-25, playing in four games for the U.S. Under-18 Select Team at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August in Edmonton, Alberta. He also played one game for the U.S. Under-17 National Team of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program.
Source: usahockey.com