News

Penn State’s David Glen wins the 2016 Senior CLASS Award in men’s hockey

April 08, 2016

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (April 8, 2016) – Penn State University forward David Glen has been selected as the 2015-16 Senior CLASS Award® winner for NCAA® Division I men’s hockey. The award, chosen by a nationwide vote of Division I men’s hockey coaches, national hockey media and fans, is given annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in Division I men’s hockey. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: classroom, community, character and competition.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive difference as leaders in their communities.

In 2013, Glen made national headlines when he chose to miss games in order to donate bone marrow to an unidentified patient needing a transplant. After taking part in the Match4Kim Drive to support the mother of a fellow student-athlete, he was identified as a potential donor and contacted about taking part in a 5-day donation process that would require him to miss time on the ice. With only one in 540 people being selected as donors, Glen chose to participate and was celebrated by the Penn State and national hockey community as making the “ultimate assist.”

“It’s an honor to receive the Senior CLASS Award,” said Glen, a native of Alberta, Canada. “My career as a Penn State student-athlete has prepared me for life after college by teaching me what it means to be a professional both on and off the ice. My time here has also opened my eyes to the multitude of opportunities that are available for you to serve your community, and the difference your time and effort can make in the lives of others.”

A four-year standout for the Nittany Lions, Glen scored the first hat trick in school history, doing so as a freshman in 2013. He finished his career ranked in top five in program history in points, goals, assists, game-winning goals, power-play goals, short-handed goals, shots and games played, while also setting a school record with a +14 plus/minus rating. As a senior, he posted a career-high 17 assists and finished with six goals and 23 points along with a plus-4 rating. He ended the season second on the team in faceoff percentage (.531) and power-play points and posted four multi-point games.

“David is so deserving of this prestigious award,” said Penn State Head Coach Guy Gadowsky, who coached 2008 Senior CLASS Award winner Landis Stankievech while at Princeton. “He has been a tremendous leader for Penn State on the ice and equally important in the community. He is an excellent student and has given so much of himself to benefit others in the State College community and beyond. He is a great person, and we are so fortunate and proud to have had him in our program for four years.”

In addition to his choice to become a bone marrow donor, Glen remained committed to excellent off the ice throughout his career at Penn State. As a double-major in economics and political science, he earned three Academic All-Big Ten selections and remained one of the top student-athletes on the Penn State hockey team. Highly regarded for his leadership and selflessness, he served as an alternate team captain as both a sophomore and junior and as team captain during his senior season. The 2013-14 Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winner, Glen also remained active in the community through the Penn State Dance Marathon (THON), which helps raise funds in the fight against pediatric cancer.

“David Glen is a remarkable young man,” said Erik Miner, executive director for the Senior CLASS Award. “His selflessness in serving as a blood marrow donor during the season is something rarely seen in college sports—and even more so when the athlete is a high-caliber player. We’re thrilled that the voters selected David, and we offer our congratulations to him, his family and the entire Penn State community.”

Hockey 2015-16 Winner

First Team

Second Team