Sara Manness and Hilda Svensson will share the 2026 Julie Chu Award given to the NCAA Rookie of the Year.
The Hockey Commissioners Association announced that the 2026 Julie Chu Award, given annually to the NCAA national Rookie of the Year will be shared this season by Ohio State's Hilda Svensson and Clarkson's Sara Manness.
Svensson becomes the second Buckeyes forward to earn the award int he last three years after Joy Dunne won the award in 2024.
Previous winners include Caitlin Kraemer in 2025, top PWHL draft prospect Tessa Janecke in 2023, and current PWHL players Peyton Hemp, Kiara Zanon, Hanna Bilka, Sarah Fillier, and Daryl Watts in the seasons before them.
In 31 games this season, Svensson scored 50 points, leading Ohio State in scoring. She also represented Sweden at the 2026 Olympics.
Manness was named the ECAC Player of the Year, leading Clarkson in scoring with 52 points in 35 games.