MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Hockey Humanitarian Award, presented by BNY Mellon Wealth Management, has announced a record eight finalists from 22 NCAA college hockey players that have been nominated for the 2008 award. Seniors Will Bruce (Nashville, Tenn.), a member of the Williams men's ice hockey team, and Caralyn Quan (Toronto, Ontario), a member of the Ephs' women's ice hockey team, are among the finalists.

The Hockey Humanitarian Award is awarded annually to college hockey's finest citizen and seeks to recognize college hockey players, Division I or Division III, male or female, who give back to their community in the true humanitarian spirit. It has been said of the Hockey Humanitarian Award that we seek not to celebrate Hall of Fame athletes, but rather Hall of Fame human beings.

Bruce recently received the Wooden Cup from Athletes for a Better World as the nation's top role model among college athletes. He has previously been honored by Williams with the Grosvenor Cup, Campus Life Dedication to Service Award and in the community by the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition for his involvement with 17 different community service organizations he has created or is directly involved in.

Quan has volunteered at Williamstown Elementary School as a Reading Buddy and a Teaching Assistant, a coach in the goal-setting program at Pownal (VT) Elementary School, she coordinates Williams students who visit the Sweet Brook Care Center in Williamstown to visit with the elderly, participates in Best Buddies, served as a Peer Health Adviser on campus, has work on two Habitat for Humanity trips to New Orleans and this year is organizing a group of Williams students for a Habitat for Humanity trip to New Orleans over Spring Break.

The eight finalists, listed in alphabetical order, are:

Ryan Adler, Jr., Hobart College; William Bruce, Sr., Williams College; Ethan Cox, So. Colgate University; Jeff DeFrancesca, Sr., University of Wisconsin – Stout; Missy Elumba, Jr., Northeastern University; Jody Heywood, Jr., Ohio State University; Ashley King, Sr., Wayne State University; Caralyn Quan, Sr., Williams College

Members of the selection will interview each of the finalists Committee. Additional information about each student-athlete will be released in late February.

The 13th recipient of the Hockey Humanitarian Award will be selected from the group of finalists and named in a ceremony held in conjunction with the NCAA Skills Competition and Hobey Baker Award on Friday, April 11th at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado during the 2008 NCAA Frozen Four.

More information on the history of the award, the 2008 schedule of events and a list of past nominees, finalists and recipients can be found at www.hockeyhumanitarian.org.