Moorhead's Brooks Cullen selected 2025 Class AA Herb Brooks Award recipient
Posted: Saturday, March 8, 2025 - 9:25 PM
Moorhead senior forward Brooks Cullen was selected the 2025 Class AA Herb Brooks Award recipient during the Minnesota State High School League's Boys Hockey State Tournament on Saturday, March 8 at the Xcel Energy Center in downtown St. Paul.
As a sophomore at Moorhead High School, Brooks Cullen was a bubble player on the varsity roster. Splitting time between the varsity and junior varsity squads gave him an opportunity to reflect on what he could do to become an impact player and effective leader.
“Not once did he complain or pout,” Spuds head coach Jon Ammerman said. “He had a great attitude and was routinely someone who gave an honest effort in all areas. He was so well respected that he was elected one of the team captains for the following year.”
For his perseverance and exceptional leadership in a time of personal uncertainty, Cullen was selected as the 2025 Class AA recipient of the Herb Brooks Award.
The annual award is presented to a state tournament participant that strongly represents the values, characteristics and traits that defined Brooks, a St. Paul native who gained international fame as a hockey coach. The award commemorates the unending influence that Brooks had on the sport of hockey, not just in Minnesota, but throughout the world.
In his commitment to steady improvement and looking for ways to lead, Cullen has blossomed as a player and leadership source. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder had 20 goals and 22 assists in helping to lead the Spuds into the state tournament and the top seed in the Class AA field.
“He has grown as a player each year,” Ammerman said.
Cullen announced in November that he will play collegiately at Michigan State University in 2026. He likely will play in the United States Hockey League during the 2025-2026 season to prepare for Michigan State.
“Brooks is someone who is mature beyond his years,” Ammerman said. “He is someone that is clearly focused on achieving his goals and has made sacrifices in a number of areas to commit to being the best hockey player he can be.”
