With her dad playing professional hockey, Meg Simon ’26 moved over 50 times growing up. Between trade deals and being called up to the NHL, Simon’s mom made sure the family always followed along. “It was really important to my mom that we moved as a unit,” Simon explained— a luxury that many hockey families forego.
Simon lived in four countries before reaching high school: Germany, England, Canada and the United States. Simon was only four days old when she attended her first NHL game — now, after four years at Middlebury, she has received the highest praise in college hockey for her service to the community.
Simon received the Hockey Humanitarian Award on Friday, Apr. 10, in an awards ceremony that took place during the NCAA’s Men’s Frozen Four weekend in Las Vegas. The other awards featured were the most sportsmanlike (Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award), best goalie (Mike Richter Award), and the best overall player (Hobey Baker Memorial Award).
The Hockey Humanitarian Award spans all three divisions of both men’s and women’s college hockey and is given to an athlete who makes substantial contributions to both their team and their community through volunteerism. It is reserved for “college hockey’s finest citizen.”
In addition to the women’s hockey squad, Simon is a member of Middlebury’s women’s golf team, which won their first NESCAC title in the spring of last year. With the hockey team, she’s reached two consecutive NCAA semifinal appearances under legendary head coach Bill Mandigo.
Yet for Simon, being on a team is more than a sporting opportunity— it is a chance to work together for the community around which the team exists. “Growing up around a locker room, I learned that being part of a team was of the utmost importance,” Simon said. “I’m a big believer that teams are the most powerful entity in the world.”
Simon has often leveraged her memberships in Middlebury teams to engage with the college and community. In addition to serving as the Co-Chair of Volunteering for the women’s ice hockey team and as a member of Middlebury's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Simon has served as a RADical Health Mentor and President of Middlebury College Access Mentors (MiddCAM), working with high schoolers as they navigate Middlebury admissions.
Beyond the college campus, Simon has worked with the Middlebury Amateur Hockey Association (MAHA), Special Olympics Vermont, and the Yellow House Community. Among other events, Simon also organized a free athletic clinic for the community on National Girls and Women in Sports Day this January.
Simon’s upbringing has been central to her drive to always help her community. At home, her parents instilled the value of service. “I was raised by two people who really believe in the importance of giving back,” Simon reflected. Constantly moving also forced Simon to be flexible and make new friends on the fly, even in a German kindergarten—no small feat for a five-year-old with no German-language skills. Having to move all the time was ultimately “a blessing in disguise” for Simon.
“I had no choice but to be adaptable and social, just moving so many times. I was the new girl in the classroom so many times that I had to figure out how to connect with someone almost instantly. I never knew when I was going to leave that school.”
At Middlebury, Simon has benefited from working with coach Bill Mandigo in both the hockey and golf programs. Like few other Middlebury athletes, she has seen both sides of his coaching. “College sports have been a true testament of character for me. From Coach Bill, I’ve learned that nothing’s given to you, everything is earned,” Simon said. “I was able to see a more holistic perspective of him.”
Her overall perspective of people has also grown. “It’s a very different speed of sport obviously, but also speed of people who play golf and hockey,” Simon said as she reflected on playing both sports. This insight has been instrumental as she has engaged with the world outside these programs, including college and community.
As the winner of the award, the Hockey Humanitarian Award Foundation made a contribution to a charity of Simon’s choice. At the Las Vegas ceremony, a $3,000 donation was given to Special Olympics Vermont – Addison County. Simon is also the only Middlebury athlete and the second NESCAC athlete to have ever won the award in its 31-year history. “I was really proud to represent Middlebury and Middlebury Athletics,” Simon said. As she leaves Middlebury, her plan looks much the same: “doing the same thing and being the same person I always have been, and always will be.
Simon Schmieder '26 (he/him) is a Senior Sports Editor.
Simon is an avid runner and biker and enjoys spending time outdoors. He is a philosophy and political science joint major with a minor in German, in addition to being a Philly sports fan.
