Monday, August 4, 2025
Minnesota’s Audrey Wethington Captures CHI Scholarship
Enrolled in Medical School After Distinguished Career with Gophers
Former University of Minnesota forward Audrey Wethington has been named the 2025 recipient of the annual College Hockey Inc. Scholarship, presented by JLG Architects. Wethington will receive the $2,500 postgraduate scholarship given annually to the NCAA men’s or women’s hockey student-athlete who helps build the game through their support of the next generation of hockey players.
The scholarship is awarded in honor of JLG founder Lonnie Laffen, a passionate college hockey supporter who passed away in 2020.
A native of Edina, Minn., Wethington appeared in a program-record 175 collegiate games for the Golden Gophers from 2020-21 through 2024-25, amassing 21 goals and 51 assists. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology in 2023 and a master’s degree in biological sciences in 2025.
In 2024-25, Wethington was named to the CSC Academic All-America First Team and was the NCAA Elite 90 Award recipient for women’s hockey with a 4.0 grade-point average. She was also a finalist for the 2024-25 Hockey Humanitarian Award.
Wethington has spent her summers dating back to high school working youth camps such as the Minnesota Girls Hockey Camp, OS Hockey, and Youth Hockey Hub. During the season as a collegian, she stayed involved in the hockey community through the University of Minnesota’s Rink Roots program, visiting local rinks to help run practices.
Wethington also partnered with Next of Can,a Minneapolis-based non-profit organization, to help make hockey more accessible by donating hockey equipment to families in need. Last winter, her efforts supported the Faribault (Minn.) Youth Hockey Association.
For the past three years, Wethington has also volunteered weekly at Masonic Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis.
“We couldn’t be prouder to honor Audrey Wethington with the College Hockey Inc. Scholarship,” said College Hockey Inc. Executive Director Sean Hogan. “In an exceptionally strong and competitive applicant pool, her candidacy truly stood out. Not only does she excel academically and athletically, but her deep commitment to volunteerism – mentoring youth, organizing community drives, and giving back in countless other ways – truly embodies the spirit of college hockey.”
“JLG is honored to present this year’s College Hockey Inc. Scholarship to Audrey Wethington, a strong student-athlete who embodies professional, academic, and athletic excellence on and off the ice,” said Michelle Mongeon Allen, CEO of JLG Architects. “This scholarship is dedicated to empowering the next generation of leaders, and Audrey clearly demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to serving her community, college hockey, and youth programs.”
Wethington will begin medical school at the University of Minnesota in August and plans to pursue a career as an orthopedic surgeon or sports medicine physician.
“I am incredibly grateful to receive the College Hockey Inc. Scholarship,” said Wethington. “I fell in love with hockey as a little girl watching the Gophers from the stands and it has shaped every part of who I am. The sport has given me role models, lifelong memories, life lessons, and a platform to pour into the next generation.
“Being recognized with this award means the world to me, and I am committed to continuing to give back to the game and community that have given me so much in this next chapter of my life as a physician.”
The College Hockey Inc. Scholarship, presented by JLG Architects, was first awarded in 2020 and is open to any NCAA hockey player (men’s or women’s, any division) who has exhausted their collegiate eligibility. Applications require a written essay on the student-athlete’s contributions to the youth hockey community, which could be accompanied by videos, photos, or other supplemental information.
The winner is selected by a committee made up of representatives from College Hockey Inc. and JLG Architects.
College Hockey Inc. Scholarship Recipients
2020: Breanna Scarpaci, Boston University
2021: Michael Korol, Norwich University
2022: Brooke Leone, Augsburg University
2023: Stephanie Martin, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
2024: Emma Guzdek, Wilkes University
2025: Audrey Wethington, University of Minnesota