UMD's Gabbie Hughes and her father discuss Sophie's Squad event, mental health, the 2022-23 Bulldogs season

hockey player sits in front of a computer for an interview as teammates gather behind her — With her teammates and family members gathered behind her, Minnesota Duluth senior forward Gabbie Hughes smiles while being interviewed virtually during the 2022 Patty Kazmaier Award announcement show on NHL Network on Saturday, March 26, 2022. A special watch-along party was held inside Malosky Stadium on the campus of UMD.

By Mick Hatten, Jess Myers, Eli Swanson, and Kris Kerzman

September 09, 2022 at 11:24 AM

Minnesota Duluth forward Gabbie Hughes and her father, Terry, a former MSU-Mankato defensemen, have both earned All-America status in their hockey careers. Gabbie was a top three finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award and a top five finalist for the Hockey Humanitarian Award last season. The father-daughter duo has become heavily involved in helping players with mental health issues through Sophie's Squad, a nonprofit organization established in 2021.

Sophie's Squad is working toward helping athletes with their mental health, mental health awareness and suicide prevention. The organization is having a fundraiser that includes a 5K run/walk and golf event on Saturday, Sept. 10 at Victory Links Golf Course in Lino Lakes, Minn. The golf event is sold out, but there will be a silent auction and people can still register for the 5K or volunteer. To learn more, visit https://sophiessquad.org/.

Gabbie and Terry also discuss their playing careers with The Rink Live's Jess Myers and Mick Hatten on this podcast.

TIME STAMPS

2:00 Gabbie talking about reaching the NCAA Division I women's hockey championship game last spring

3:50 Gabbie's decision to come back for a fifth season with the Bulldogs

4:45 A look at this season's UMD women's hockey team

5:30 Terry's background in hockey, including playing for MSU-Mankato from 1986-90

6:15 Terry's Skate to Excellence program

7:00 Terry shares a story about playing for Mavericks coach Don Brose

8:05 The fundraiser for Sophie's Squad being held on Saturday, what all will be happening at Victory Links

9:15 What Sophie's Squad is and why the nonprofit got started

11:00 Who Sophie Wieland was and Terry working with the family over the years

12:00 The changing outlook on mental health in hockey

13:30 Former St. Scholastica coach Mark Wick talking to teams about mental health, how it is received among college players

14:40 The change on how college hockey has changed in terms of looking at mental health in the last three years

16:50 Talking to youth players about mental health with Sophie's Squad

17:50 The emergence of Ohio State in women's hockey, the strength of the WCHA, WCHA teams in the NCAA tournament

19:45 How Terry watches Gabbie's games, sitting by himself

20:45 The new/old UMD mascot, Champ at a football game

22:40 Hockey Hits Back program

24:05 UMD opening the season at Long Island University, Terry on trying to watch live streams

26:00 Gabbie on the first rematch of the national championship game against Ohio State

26:50 How people can still get involved in the fundraiser on Saturday, Gabbie's role at the event, the UMD team all taking part

By Mick Hatten

Mick Hatten is a reporter and editor for stcloudlive.com. He began working for Forum Communications in November 2018 for The Rink Live and has covered St. Cloud State University hockey since 2010. Besides covering Huskies hockey, he is also covering other sports at SCSU and high school sports. A graduate of St. Cloud State, he has more than 30 years of experience as a journalist and has been a youth hockey coach since 2014. mick@stcloudlive.com

For more coverage of St. Cloud and the surrounding communities, check out St. Cloud Live.