USHL NEWS: Jack Willson Named USHL Defenseman of the Year
Published on April 21, 2026 under United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release
Defenseman Jack Willson of the Youngstown Phantoms has been named United States Hockey League (USHL) Defenseman of the Year, the league announced Tuesday.
Willson finished second in scoring among USHL defenseman with 12 goals and 35 assists through 57 games with the Phantoms. The Alaska Fairbanks commit and Northville, Mich. native's 47 points in a single season eclipsed his point totals from the past three years combined, helping Youngstown to an Anderson Cup-winning campaign. His 27 points on the power play tied for first among blueliners across the league and helped the Phantoms to the second-best power play in the USHL, converting at 27.6%. Willson finished the season with a +6 rating and a pair of game-winning goals.
All end-of-season league award winners were nominated and voted upon by team general managers. Recent winners of the USHL Defenseman of the Year award include Luke Osburn (Youngstown Phantoms), Leo Gruba (Fargo Force), and Eric Pohlkamp (Cedar Rapids RoughRiders).
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