COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Miami University senior forward Blake Mesenburg has been named the winner of the 2025-2026 NCHC Sportsmanship Award, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) announced on Wednesday. Mesenburg becomes the first RedHawk to receive the NCHC Sportsmanship Award in the conference’s history.
 
Mesenburg was an established leader for Miami this season as one of only seven returning players from last year’s squad. After serving as an assistant captain as a junior in 2024-25 and setting a positive example during a difficult, three-win season, he helped Miami to a 15-win improvement this year.   

Mesenburg never committed a major penalty in 119 career games with the RedHawks. Even while being a healthy scratch at times this year, the senior handled himself with class, doing whatever he could to support his teammates.

Off the ice this season, Mesenburg was named one of only five finalists nationally for the Team IMPACT Teammate of the Year award for his mentoring and friendship with Liam Jergenson, a teenager battling a very rare neurodegenerative disease. Mesenburg has developed a particularly close bond with Jergenson, who is an honorary member of ‘The Brotherhood.’ Mesenburg is first to greet Liam when he visits Steve "Coach" Cady Arena and gives him ‘knuckles’ through the glass. He also organizes game nights for Jergenson to spend time with the RedHawks and planned a surprise birthday party for Liam this season. Mesenburg even gave the sport of sled hockey a try to be with Jergenson on the ice.

In addition to his work with Team IMPACT, Mesenburg has served on the RedHawks Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) and was a volunteer youth hockey coach in the RedHawks junior hockey program. The native of Orono, Minnesota has also participated in numerous other community service activities at Miami and in town, such as the Oxford Community Clean Up and a conference-wide food drive.
 
On the ice, Mesenburg totaled 15 career points as a RedHawk, including nine goals and six assists. In the classroom, he is a four-time member of the NCHC Honor Roll (previously Academic All-Conference) and a four-time NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete. Mesenburg carries a 3.7 grade-point average while working towards his degree in finance and accountancy.
 
Western Michigan junior forward Grant Slukynsky was the runner-up for the NCHC Sportsmanship Award. The NCHC Sportsmanship Award is voted on and selected by Conference staff and the Chair of the NCHC Athletic Council from submitted nominations by member schools.
 
On Thursday, the NCHC Goaltender of the Year will be announced, while on Friday, the Conference’s two defenseman awards will be doled out – Offensive Defenseman of the Year and Defensive Defenseman of the Year. Individual NCHC award winners will continue to be revealed through Thursday, March 19.