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Ten Finalists Named for 2022 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award

03/03/2022, 9:45am MST
By USA Hockey

2022 Marks 25th Anniversary of the Award

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The USA Hockey Foundation unveiled the 10 finalists for the 2022 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award today. The honor, which began 25 years ago in 1998, is presented annually to the top player in NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey. 

The finalists (in alphabetical order) are as follows:

NAME POSITION YEAR SCHOOL HOMETOWN
Skylar Fontaine Defense Graduate Student Northeastern University East Greenwich, R.I.
Aerin Frankel Goaltender Graduate Student Northeastern University Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.
Élizabeth Giguère Forward Fifth Year Senior University of Minnesota Duluth Quebec City, Quebec
Taylor Heise Forward Senior University of Minnesota Lake City, Minn.
Gabbie Hughes Forward Senior University of Minnesota Duluth Lino Lakes, Minn.
Sophie Jaques Defense Senior Ohio State University Toronto, Ontario
Alina Mueller Forward Senior Northeastern University Winterthur, Switzerland
Casey O’Brien Forward Sophomore University of Wisconsin Milton, Mass.
Theresa Schafzahl Forward Senior University of Vermont Weiz, Austria
Daryl Watts Forward Fifth Year Senior University of Wisconsin Toronto, Ontario

2023 Event Details

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SELECTION PROCESS

The selection process commenced earlier this month when NCAA Division I women's ice hockey coaches were asked to nominate players for the award. Players who were nominated by multiple coaches were then placed on an official ballot, which was returned to the coaches to vote for the ten finalists.

The three finalists, including the recipient of the 2022 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, will be chosen by a 13-person selection committee made up of NCAA Division I women's ice hockey coaches, representatives of print and broadcast media, and an at-large member and representative of USA Hockey, the national governing body for the sport of ice hockey in the United States. The top-three finalists are expected to be announced on Thursday, March 17. 

The presentation of the 2022 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award is scheduled for Saturday, March 26. More details around the unveiling will be shared soon.

Notes: Among the top-10 finalists are seven forwards, two defenders and one goaltender… Northeastern University leads the way with three honorees, University of Minnesota, Duluth and University of Wisconsin have two, while University of Minnesota, Ohio State University and University of Vermont have one. 

ABOUT THE PATTY KAZMAIER MEMORIAL AWARD 

An award of The USA Hockey Foundation, the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award is annually presented to the top player in NCAA Division I women's ice hockey. Selection criteria includes outstanding individual and team skills, sportsmanship, performance in the clutch, personal character, competitiveness and a love of hockey. Consideration is also given to academic achievement and civic involvement. 2022 marks the 25th anniversary of the award. For a full list of previous honorees, click here.  

ABOUT PATTY KAZMAIER 

The Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award is named in honor of the late Patty Kazmaier, who was a four-year varsity letter-winner and All-Ivy League defenseman at Princeton University from 1981-86. An accomplished athlete who helped lead the Tigers to the Ivy League Championship in three consecutive seasons (1981-84), Patty Kazmaier-Sandt died Feb. 15, 1990, at the age of 28 following a long struggle with a rare blood disease. 

Top 10 Finalists

Stats updated as of March 8, 2022

Skylar Fontaine

Defense - Graduate Student - Northeastern University

Ranked 14th in the NCAA and second amongst defenders in points with 48 (7G, 41A) in 35 games … Leads the league in assists with 41 … Hockey East co-Best Defenseman of the Year … First Team Hockey East All-Star … Hockey East All-Tournament Team selection ... Named Hockey East Defender of the Month on three occasions (Sept./Oct., Nov., Feb.) … Earned Hockey East Player of the Week once (Nov. 8) … Named Hockey East Defender of the Week twice (Feb. 14, Mar. 7) … Volunteers with Special Olympics Track and Field … Volunteers at an animal shelter and with Steere Farm Elementary School … Volunteer with Unified Sports and does volunteer coaching.

Aerin Frankel

Goaltender - Graduate Student - Northeastern University

Leads the NCAA in wins with 24 in 30 games played … Ranks second in the nation in win percentage (.862) … Second in the league in GAA (1.03) … Ranks second in the NCAA in SV% (.957) and first in shutouts (11) ... Holds an overall record of 24-3-2 … Hockey East Goaltender of the Year … First Team Hockey East All-Star … Hockey East All-Tournament Team selection ... Hockey Commissioners Association National Goaltender of the Month on two occasions (Sept./Oct., Nov.) … Hockey East Goaltender of the Month on two occasions (Sept./Oct., Nov.) … Named Hockey East Goaltender of the Week six times (Oct. 4, Nov. 8, Nov. 29, Feb. 14, Feb. 28, Mar. 7) … Volunteer mentor for Iron Bound Youth Hockey.

Élizabeth Giguére

Forward - Fifth Year Senior - University of Minnesota Duluth

Tied for fourth in the NCAA in total points with 56 (21G, 35A) in 36 games played … Sixth in the league in assists with 35 … Tied for fifth in the league in points per game with 1.556 … Has posted 16 multiple point games, including eight games with three or more points … Tied for 10th in the NCAA in goals with 21 … Tied for 12th in the league with five PPG … Selected to the All-WCHA Second Team.

Taylor Heise

Forward - Senior - University of Minnesota

Leads the NCAA in points with 66 (29G, 37A) in 38 games played … Tied for first in the NCAA in goals (29G) … Tied for third in the NCAA in assists (37A) … WCHA Player of the Year ... WCHA Offensive Player of the Year ... All-WCHA First Team Selection … Named HCA National Player of the Month in November … Named WCHA Forward of the Month on three occasions (Nov., Jan., Feb.) … WCHA Forward of the Week once (Jan. 24) … WCHA All-Academic Team honoree … Helped deliver stuffed animals from the Teddy Bear Toss to the Masonic Children’s Hospital … Volunteered at the Blaine Fire Department Food Donation Drive and was Grand Marshal in the parade … Volunteered to read books to children at Bluff View Elementary … Spoke about determination in sport and life at Red Wing High School (alma mater) … Volunteered at Girls in Hockey Weekend with the Minnesota Wild - Coached and ran drills with youth girls … Multiple Feed My Starving Children trips.

Gabbie Hughes

Forward - Senior - University of Minnesota Duluth

Ranks sixth in the nation in points with 55 (18G, 37A) in 36 games … Tied for third in the league in assists with 37 … Tied for sixth in GWG with five … All-WCHA First Team Selection … Named HCA National Player of the Month in December … WCHA Player of the Month in December … WCHA Forward of the Week on two occasions (Jan. 3, Jan. 31) … Preseason All-WCHA Team selection … Named to the WCHA All-Academic Team … 2022 Hockey Humanitarian Finalist … A founder and board member of Sophie’s Squad, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the mental health of athletes from the youth level to college ... Coordinated the Sophie’s Squad, Hockey Hits Back game for the Bulldogs that raised $8,000 to provide resources to mental health organizations around Minnesota ... Helps pack bags for game participants to lending her presence at games behind the tables.

Sophie Jaques

Defense - Senior - Ohio State University

Ranks first amongst defenseman and third in the NCAA in points with 57 (20G, 37A) in 33 games … Tied for third in the league in assists with 37 … Ranks first amongst defenseman in goals with 20 … Second in the league with 11 PPG … Named WCHA Defensive Player of the Year … WCHA Final Faceoff's Most Outstanding Player ... All-WCHA First Team Selection … Eight-time WCHA Defender of the Week … Four-time WCHA Defender of the Month … WCHA Scholar-Athlete recipient … Undergraduate teaching assistant in the Ohio State College of Engineering … Co-vice president of SHEROs, an organization that provides a safe space for female minority student athletes to have open discussions and promote diversity in sports, assists in the planning of all organization events including general body meetings, fundraisers and community outreach … The 2nd & 7 Foundation, visits second grade classrooms across Columbus to help combat illiteracy in the community and promote reading to the students.

Alina Mueller

Forward - Senior - Northeastern University

Has a total of 34 points (10G, 28A) in 19 games played … Leads the NCAA in points per game with 2.000 … Tied 13th in the league in assists with 28 … Hockey East Championship MVP ... Hockey East Second Team All-Star … Named Hockey East Player of the Week twice (Nov. 29, Mar. 7) … Earned Hockey East Player of the Month in November … Named to Team Switzerland’s 2022 Winter Olympic Ice Hockey Team … Does volunteer work at the Tunik Movement Neuroscience Laboratory at Northeastern.

Casey O’Brien

Forward - Sophomore - University of Wisconsin

Tied for seventh in the NCAA in points with 54 (26G, 28A) in 36 games … Fifth in the league in goals with 26 … Leads the NCAA in GWG with nine … All-WCHA Third Team Selection … Named WCHA Forward of the Week (Sept. 27) … WCHA Scholar-Athlete recipient … Volunteers with students at Randall Elementary School … Participant in Badgers Give Back … Fun with Friends Volunteer Program with the YMCA … Book it with Bucky participant.

Theresa Schafzahl

Senior - Forward - University of Vermont

Tied for 17th in the NCAA in points with 46 (25G, 21A) in 29 games played … Sixth in the league in goals with 25 … Tied for fifth in the nation with seven PPG … Has 1.586 points per game for fourth best in the league … Hockey East Player of the Year ... All-Hockey East First Team selection ... Hockey East’s top scorer … PNC Bank Three Stars Award winner … Named Division I Player of the Month in January … Earned Hockey East Player of the Month in January … Named Hockey East Co-Player of the Week on two occasions (Nov. 23, Feb. 14).

Daryl Watts

Forward - Fifth Year Senior - University of Wisconsin

Tied for fourth in the nation in points with 56 (27G, 29A) in 36 games … Ranks fourth in the NCAA in goals with 27 … Tied for 10th in the nation in assists with 29 … Tied for fifth in the NCAA in points per game with 1.556 … All-WCHA First Team Selection … WCHA Preseason Player of the Year selection … Preseason All-WCHA Team selection … WCHA Forward of the Week on three occasions (Dec. 13, Feb. 7, Feb. 14) … Took part in the Randall Skate program with Randall Elementary School … Participant in the Wisconsin Shoe Project … Participates in Badgers Give Back … Attends local food bank drives … Sponsors a child through Save the Children.

More Patty Kaz News

Junior forward Abbey Murphy taps the gloves of her teammates after scoring in her white and maroon Minnesota jersey.

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