FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Divis and McKenzie Founded Hope Happens Here (HHH).
“On This Date” in 2017, Saint Michael’s senior ice hockey players Danny Divis and Justin McKenzie were named co-recipients of the 22nd annual Hockey Humanitarian Award during a ceremony at the men’s NCAA Division I Tournament Frozen Four weekend in Chicago. The award recognizes college hockey’s finest citizens.
The Hockey Humanitarian Award Foundation honors student-athletes who make significant contributions not only to their team, but also the community at-large through leadership in volunteerism. Divis and McKenzie were the founders of Hope Happens Here (HHH), which promotes mental health awareness among college students, in particular student-athletes.
Divis and McKenzie were the first Purple Knights to win the award and became two of only four non-Division I players to ever earn the honor.
Hope Happens Here, a program that is alive and well today throughout the NE10, started as a campus organization that Divis and McKenzie promoted as a way to “remove the stigma of mental health issues on college campuses.”
Mental Health Awareness games are still held at Saint Michael’s, as HHH, with the support of NE10 institutions and student-athletes, continues to blossom by starting the conversation to help break the negative stigma that surrounds issues regarding mental health.
After securing the Hockey Humanitarian Award, Divis and McKenzie were interviewed live on ESPN during the third period of the NCAA Division I national championship game on April 8, 2017. Later that year in August, the duo threw out ceremonial first pitches at Fenway Park prior to a Boston Red Sox game.
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 14 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 student-athletes compete in conference championships, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
