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Meet Sophie’s Squad’s First Ambassadors
Aug
One of Sophie’s Squad’s key founding ideas is that the stigma surrounding mental health in athletics must be broken. For that to happen, athletes across all experience levels, from professionals to youth sports, have to be open about their struggles and experiences. Everyone in the community can do their part to champion mental health advocacy and make it accepted that it’s ok not to be ok.
With that in mind, Sophie’s Squad is thrilled to announce a new initiative to expand the organization’s reach and relationships in the athletics community. The Sophie’s Squad ambassador program will allow the organization to partner with elite athletes to tap into their platform while giving them the opportunity to be a resource for mental health awareness.
The program will launch immediately with a group of ambassadors who will serve as the first athletes to officially partner with Sophie’s Squad. The ten athletes chosen as the first ambassadors make up a group of elite athletes dedicated to the mission of mental health awareness.
Gabbie Hughes, Sophie’s Squad co-founder, will serve as the head ambassador, leading the program and expanding her role in the organization. Hughes is joined by Sedona Blair, Marlenè Boissonnault, Lauren McQuillan, Julia Minotti, Anneke Rankila, Paige Vreeman and Rachel Wieland. Learn more about our first ambassadors below!
Meet Sophie’s Squad’s First Ambassadors
Gabbie Hughes – Gabbie Hughes currently plays for the Ottawa Charge of the PWHL. Hughes scored 12 points in 24 games during her rookie season, making an immediate impact on the team. While Hughes is already a decorated player on the ice, she is also well-known for her philanthropic efforts off the ice. Hughes earned the 2023 Hockey Humanitarian Award for her work co-founding Sophie’s Squad and being a champion for mental health advocacy.
Sedona Blair – Sedona Blair is a goaltender playing for the University of New Hampshire. Blair has been an exceptional goalie from the beginning of her collegiate career, starting all 36 of UNH’s games as a first-year player. The goaltender has participated in Sophie’s Squad events before, dropping the puck at Holy Family’s Mental Health Awareness Night in 2024.
Marlenè Boissonnault – Marlenè Boissonnault is a Canadian goaltender for the Minnesota Frost of the PWHL. Before her professional career, Boissonnault was a standout goaltender at Cornell University. Her 56 wins are the second-most in program history, while her 15 shutouts are the third most in Big Red History. In 2019, Boissonnault backstopped Cornell to a Frozen Four Appearance.
Lauren McQuillan – Lauren McQuillan is a rower competing at Sacred Heart University. McQuillan is currently a sophomore at the Connecticut institution. McQuillan is part of a strong rowing team that was recently picked 2nd in their conference preseason poll.
Julia Minotti – Julia Minotti is an NCAA Division I goaltender who will suit up for the University of St. Thomas starting in 2025-26. Minotti is joining the Tommies after starting her career at Clarkson University. The Laval, QC native was a standout goaltender with Clarkson, posting an 8-0-1 record with five shutouts in her sophomore season.
Anneke Rankila – Anneke Rankila currently plays for the Toronto Scepters of the PWHL. The Scepters drafted Rankila 36th overall after a season spent in the Swedish Women’s Hockey League.
Paige Vreeman – Paige Vreeman is a forward for Long Island University. Vreeman is entering her fourth season with the Sharks where she’s played 60 career games. Before her collegiate career, Vreeman played four seasons for Rogers High School where she was a standout both on and off the ice.
Rachel Wieland – Rachel Wieland is a forward that recently finished her NCAA Division III career at St. Olaf. Between her time at St. Olaf and Gustavus Wieland scored 10 goals in 79 games. The Rice native recently competed in her first international tournament, appearing for South Korea in the 2025 Dream Nations Cup.
Gabbie Hughes, Sedona Blair, Marlenè Boissonnault, Lauren McQuillan, Julia Minotti, Anneke Rankila, Paige Vreeman and Rachel Wieland are the first Sophie’s Squad ambassadors, but we’re excited to partner with even more athletes dedicated to mental health awareness. You can learn more about the program and how to apply here.