UMD’s Joe Molenaar earns NCHC’s Sportsmanship of the Year Award

On Thursday evening, the University of Minnesota Duluth men’s hockey team’s own Joe Molenaar was awarded the National Collegiate Hockey Conference’s Sportsmanship Award, becoming the second consecutive Bulldog to earn the title.

Molenaar earned the award for his impact on the Bulldog community within his lone season in Duluth. One of his biggest impacts coming off of the ice. The graduate student was paired with the Stein family after they had heard Molenaar speak on losing his father to cancer at a young age. Molenaar then spoke with John Stein, who was facing a terminal cancer diagnosis, to offer guidance on how to help the Stein kids through the difficult times. Since John’s passing, Molenaar has remained connected to the Stein family, supporting the family through acts such as creating bracelets to honor their father’s memory.

The St. Cloud transfer quickly became a role model for the Bulldogs even as a newcomer himself, working hard on and off the ice. He is known for his selfless playing style that includes using his body to block shots for the team, tallying 25 blocks for the season including two in the Bulldog’s final game against Arizona State University.

Molenaar was also a 2024 Hockey Humanitarian Award nominee and two-time member of the NCHC All-Conference Team during his time at St. Cloud State.