Former Michigan hockey star Quinn Hughes will represent Team USA at the 2026 Olympics, USA Hockey announced Monday. 

The federation named the first six players who will wear the red, white and blue next year in Italy: Forwards Jack Eichel (North Chelmsford, Mass./Vegas Golden Knights/Boston University), Auston Matthews (Scottsdale, Ariz./Toronto Maple Leafs), Brady Tkachuk (St. Louis, Mo./Ottawa Senators/Boston University) and Matthew Tkachuk (St. Louis, Mo./Florida Panthers), along with defensemen Quinn Hughes (Canton, Mich./Vancouver Canucks/University of Michigan) and Charlie McAvoy (Long Beach, N.Y./Boston Bruins/Boston University). 

Hughes, like the rest of the first six nominations, will be a first-time Olympian. USA Hockey will announce the remaining 19 players “by early January 2026.” The men’s Olympic hockey tournament begins Feb. 11 in Milan, Italy. 

“We’ve seen the unprecedented success of our U.S. teams on the international stage this past season and we need to keep our foot on the gas,” said Bill Guerin, general manager of the 2026 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team. “We haven’t won an Olympic gold in men’s hockey since 1980 and we’re out to change that. 

“The players we’ve named today represent excellence. They’re committed to the mission in front of us and excited about the opportunity to represent our country in the Olympics.” 

Hughes played for the Wolverines for two seasons (2017-19), including a sophomore year during which he led the Wolverines in points and assists en route to All-Big Ten honors and a top-10 finish for the Hobey Baker.

The Canucks selected Hughes seventh overall in the 2018 NHL Draft after a freshman season during which he was the nation’s youngest college hockey player. Despite that distinction, he notched five goals and 29 points in 37 games for the Wolverines, leading Michigan defensemen in goals, assists, points and plus-minus while helping send Michigan to a drought-breaking Frozen Four.

Though considered undersized at 5-foot-10 and 174 pounds when he was drafted, Hughes’ speed, puck control and ice awareness had many scouts expecting him to be an instant-impact defenseman. 

And he was. Hughes has logged at least 40 points in each of his six full season in Vancouver, including a rookie season during which he was nominated for the Calder Trophy. His 92 in the 2023-24 season — his first as captain — culminated in a division championship and Norris Trophy honors as the NHL’s top defenseman. Hughes was the first Vancouver Canuck and first former Wolverine to ever earn the Norris Trophy. 

Now, Hughes can prepare for another honor as he’ll compete for a medal with Team USA at the Olympics.

Senior athletes from faith-based private schools in Johnson County will continue to show off their talents at colleges around the country.

Throughout last fall and spring, high school seniors from private schools around Johnson County have been signing letters of intent announcing their plans to play sports in college.

From basketball to soccer to football, among other sports, they will participate in athletics at colleges and universities nationwide.

Here’s a look at the seniors from each high school that plan to play a college sport this fall:

Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park

• Drew Bergfeld, soccer at Johnson County Community College
• Caroline Bock, soccer at Illinois Institute of Technology
• Finn Cusick, football at Butler Community College
• Addie Duckers, soccer at Benedictine College
• Bella Franco, volleyball at Benedictine College
• Gabby Gallaher, bowling at Avila University
• Naomi Harris, soccer at Baker University
• Teryn Jackson, football at Butler Community College
• Phil Jones, football at University of Nebraska-Kearney
• Sammy Kirk, volleyball at University of Saint Mary
• Brayden Lane, football at University of Nebraska-Kearney
• Lauren Lopez, volleyball at Rockhurst University
• Rose Lopez, soccer at Benedictine College
• Andre Randle, football at Coffeyville Community College
• Nikki Rattan, lacrosse at Hampton University
• Ary Rodriguez, volleyball at Independence Community College
• Marco Rodriguez, football at Dodge City Community College
• Paul Rodriguez, soccer at Kansas City Kansas Community College
• Trinniti Stevens, volleyball at Middle Tennessee State University
• John Tucker IV, basketball at Avila University
• Sophia van Asselt, cross country at Park University
• Kirston Verhulst, basketball at Middle Tennessee State University

Kansas City Christian School in Prairie Village

• Derrius Derell, basketball at Link Year Prep
• Brooklyn Veer, soccer at Oklahoma Baptist

St. James Academy in Lenexa

• Michael Bianco, cross country and track at Creighton University
• Jacob Fratzel, golf at Washburn University
• Quinn Hays, cross country and track at Creighton University
• Mattingly Harris, lacrosse at William Jewell College
• Coryn Jespersen, soccer at University of Central Missouri
• Jake Kolich, golf at Washburn University
• Reese Messer, volleyball at University of Southern California
• Keely Niehues, soccer at Abilene Christian University
• Rebecca Pickert, swimming at University of Kansas

St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland Park

• Katherine Adkins, golf at Pittsburg State University
• Kaden Allen, wrestling at U.S. Naval Academy
• Michael Bernart, football at Benedictine College
• Westin Boyle, baseball at Purdue University
• London Burton, basketball at Rockhurst University
• Anisten Cabantac, soccer at Purdue University
• Cooper Coats, rugby at California State University Long Beach
• Anna Rose DiCarlo, soccer at Benedictine College
• Amelia Disidore, gymnastics at University of Florida
• Shalynn Elmore, softball at Community College of Baltimore County Catonsville
• Caden Gallet, wrestling at University of Saint Mary
• Delanie Gaona, soccer at Fort Hays State University
• Joey Goodenow, track and field at Princeton University
• Alea Goolsby, volleyball at Iowa State University
• Oscar Green, baseball at Ottawa University of Arizona
• Andrew Ham, football at Washington University St. Louis
• Cru Huenfeld, baseball at University of Kansas
• Brooklyn Marn, soccer at University of Mississippi
• LJ Maslowski, track and field at Amherst College
• Trever Mogren, rugby at Iowa State University
• JR Murrell, football at Washington University
• Emma Nash, volleyball at University of South Carolina Upstate
• Conor O’Donnell, football at Benedictine College
• Ella Przybylski, hockey at University of Arkansas
• Elzie Slaughter, football at U.S. Military Academy West Point
• Gabe Spiess, football at Washburn University
• Evelyn Thompson, cheerleading at Kansas State University
• Allie Vervynck, lacrosse at Illinois Wesleyan University

Other high school letters of intent lists:

WINTHROP, Mass. — Winthrop, Mass. – The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) announced its 2024-25 Academic All-Conference Team on Monday (June 16) afternoon. The list includes a 1,648 student-athletes, which eclipses a new league-high.

In order to be eligible for academic all-conference, a student-athlete must maintain a 3.25 cumulative GPA and have completed second-year academic status. Student-athletes must also have competed in at least one of the conference’s 21 championship sports.

This the sixth year in a row that more than 1000 student-athletes have earned Academic All-Conference honors.

This year’s impressive list marks the sixth consecutive year that more than 1,000 GNAC student-athletes have received selection, and (at least) the 17th straight year that the GNAC has had a conference-record total:

Saint Joseph’s has had at least 40 athletes honored in each of the institution’s 18 years as a member of the GNAC (2008 – 42, 2009 – 61, 2010 – 59, 2011 – 58, 2012 – 75, 2013 – 70, 2014 – 82, 2015 – 86, 2016 – 89; 2017 – 92, 2018 – 95, 2019 – 115, 2020 – 117, 2021 – 120, 2022 – 118, 2023 – 114, 2024 – 132, 2025 – 132; 1,658 total).

The Saint Joseph’s College men’s lacrosse program led the 2024-25 academic honorees with an impressive 18 student-athletes recognized. Baseball followed closely with 16 selections, while the field hockey and women’s soccer teams each featured 8 honorees. Women’s basketball and women’s lacrosse both landed 7 student-athletes on this year’s list. In total, 13 multi-sport Monks were also honored for their academic achievements across seasons.

The Monks’ group of 132 honorees features 84 repeat-honorees, including 28 who earned the award third time (***) and 56 for the second time (**) during their respective collegiate careers.

View the full list of the 132 Saint Joseph’s GNAC All-Academic Honorees here!

ABOUT THE GREAT NORTHEAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 14 member institutions and over 3,500 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 22 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience.

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