WORCESTER, Mass. – Holy Cross junior forward Lulu Rourke has been named the 2026 Hockey East Academic Champion for women's ice hockey. Rourke becomes the first Crusader to win the award, which was created in 2024 to honor outstanding accomplishments both on the ice and in the classroom. 

In the classroom, Rourke carries a 3.87 cumulative grade point average with a double major in Neuroscience and Chinese. She was named to the Hockey East All-Academic team in both 2024 and 2025, and has twice been named a Krampade All-American Scholar by the American Hockey Coaches Association. Rourke is also a visible presence throughout the Worcester community, working with the Junior Crusaders under-eight girls hockey team, where she helps mentor and inspire young athletes. Additionally, Rourke tutors Chinese-speaking citizens at the Worcester Senior Center, helping them improve their English pronunciation and sharing valuable cultural insights. 

On the ice, Rourke ranked seventh on the team in scoring this season with 16 points on seven goals and nine assists. She also tied for second on the squad with three power play goals, in addition to blocking 18 shots. Over the course of her collegiate career, Rourke now has 15 goals and 17 assists for 32 points. Her 15 career goals are the ninth-most by any Crusader in the Hockey East era.

Rourke helped lead Holy Cross to the Hockey East semifinals for the first time in program history this year, with the Crusaders posting an overall record of 19-13-3 and a 10-11-3 mark in Hockey East play. Holy Cross broke the school records for the most Hockey East victories (10) and most Hockey East points (37) in a single season, while its 19 overall wins are tied for the fifth-most in program history.

Hockey East Academic Champions
2024 - Megan Carter, Northeastern
2025 - Elise Morphy, Maine
2026 - Lulu Rourke, Holy Cross

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