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2024 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Top-10 Finalists Named
Eight forwards, one defender and one goaltender among honorees
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The 10 finalists for the 2024 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award were announced today by the USA Hockey Foundation.
The honor, which was first presented in 1998, is awarded annually to the top play in NCAA Division I Women’s Ice Hockey by The USA Hockey Foundation.
The finalists, in alphabetical order, are as follows:
| Name | Position | Year | School | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Izzy Daniel | Forward | Senior | Cornell University | Minneapolis, Minn. |
| Sarah Fillier | Forward | Senior | Princeton University | Georgetown, Ont. |
| Caroline Harvey | Defense | Sophomore | University of Wisconsin | Salem, N.H. |
| Abby Hustler | Forward | Junior | St. Lawrence University | St. Louis, P.E.I. |
| Tessa Janecke | Forward | Sophomore | Penn State University | Orangeville, Ill. |
| Abbey Murphy | Forward | Junior | University of Minnesota | Evergreen Park, Ill. |
| Casey O’Brien | Forward | Senior | University of Wisconsin | Milton, Mass. |
| Gwyneth Philips | Goaltender | Fifth Year | Northeastern University | Athens, Ohio |
| Danielle Serdachny | Forward | Fifth Year | Colgate University | Edmonton, Alb. |
| Kirsten Simms | Forward | Sophomore | University of Wisconsin | Plymouth, Mich. |
NOTES: Among the top-10 finalists are eight forwards, one defender and one goaltender… The University of Wisconsin leads the way with three top-10 finalists, while Colgate University, Cornell University, Northeastern University, Penn State University, Princeton University, St. Lawrence University and University of Minnesota have one finalist each … The top-three finalists are expected to be announced on Wednesday, March 13, with the winner being revealed on March 23 as the highlight of Saturday at the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four in Durham, N.H.
SELECTION PROCESS
The selection process commenced in early February 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 2024 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.
SATURDAY AT THE NCAA WOMEN’S FROZEN FOUR
The 2024 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Show will be broadcast live from the Whittemore Center Arena Lobby, in Durham, N.H., as part of Saturday at the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four. Fans are encouraged to attend with doors opening at 12 p.m. ET and the live 30-minute television show beginning promptly at 12:30 p.m. ET. The three finalists will be on hand, in addition to Frozen Four team participants, as the 27th winner of the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award will be revealed. The event is free of charge. Following the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Show, fans will have a chance to get autographs from Olympic gold medalist Kacey Bellamy and the first-ever Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Winner, Brandy Fisher. For more information, click HERE.
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. 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 5, 2024
IZZY DANIEL
Cornell University – Senior – Forward
Tied for sixth in the NCAA with 55 points (20G, 35A) in 31 games… Ranks sixth in the NCAA in assists… Tied for 12th in scoring… Ranks second in the NCAA and leads the ECAC in assists per game with 1.13… Ranks second in the NCAA and leads the ECAC in points per game with 1.77… Ranks ninth in the NCAA in goals per game with 0.65… Named ECAC Forward of the Week on three occasions (Oct. 17, Oct. 24, Nov. 14)… Named HCA National Forward of The Month for November… Raised awareness for mental health by helping fundraise for the Do It For Daron campaign… Volunteers for Feed My Starving Children… Participated in the Salvation Army’s Adopt a Family program… Volunteers for Toys for Tots… Volunteers as a Big Sister for Cub Club
SARAH FILLIER
Sarah Fillier – Senior – Forward
Ranks 16th in the NCAA with 43 points (30G, 13A) in 29 games… Ranks second in the NCAA in scoring… Ranks seventh in the NCAA in power-play goals with eight… Serves as team captain… Leads the NCAA in goals per game with 1.03… Ranks 10th in the NCAA in points per game with 1.48… Named ECAC Forward of the Week on four occasions (Dec. 12, Jan. 9, Feb. 20, Feb. 27)… Named Hockey Commissioners Association National Player of the Month for December… Named First-Team All-Ivy League… Named First-Team All-ECAC Hockey… Finalist for ECAC Hockey Forward of the Year… Volunteers for the Princeton Varsity Club Teams and Toys Drive, Reading with the Tigers in local schools… Volunteers for the Let Her Play organization… Fundraises for the Denna Laing Fund
CAROLINE HARVEY
University of Wisconsin - Sophomore - Defender
Tied for 40th in the NCAA, eighth among defenders, with 33 points (5G, 28A) in 27 games… Ranks 14th in the NCAA, third among defenders, in assists… Ranks fourth in the NCAA, first among defenders, in assists per game (1.04)… Ranks 19th in the NCAA, second among defenders, in points per game (1.22)… Named Preseason WCHA Player of the Year… Named to Preseason All-WCHA Team… Named WCHA Defender of the Month on two occasions (September, December)… Named WCHA Defender of the Week on three occasions (Oct. 2, Feb. 5, Feb 12)… Volunteers for and helps coach Special Olympics… Visits American Family Children’s Hospital patients at Badger football games… Volunteers at local elementary schools and engages students in activities to promote literacy… Volunteers for Feeding America of Southeastern Wisconsin… Participated in UW’s Pitch Hit and Run which provided young girls the opportunity to partake in a softball skills competition
ABBY HUSTLER
St. Lawrence University – Junior – Forward
Tied for sixth in the NCAA with 55 points (24G, 31A) in 36 games… Ranks second in the NCAA in power-play goals with 12… Ranks sixth in the NCAA in scoring… Tied for seventh in the NCAA in assists… Ranked seventh in the NCAA in goals per game with 0.67… Ranks eighth in the NCAA with 1.53 points per game… Serves as alternate team captain… Named Hockey Commissioner’s Association National Player of the Month for January… Named ECAC Hockey Forward of the Month for January… Named ECAC Hockey Forward of the Week on three occasions (Oct. 31, Jan. 23, Feb. 13)… Volunteers as a mentor in the Little Saints, Big Future’s program
TESSA JANECKE
Penn State University – Sophomore – Forward
Tied for eighth in the NCAA with 53 points (17G, 36A) in 37 games… Tied for 30th in the NCAA in scoring… Tied for fourth in the NCAA in assists… Tied for second in the NCAA with three shorthanded goals… Leads the NCAA in faceoff wins (607)… Ranks 13th in the NCAA with 1.43 points per game… Ranks seventh in the NCAA with 0.97 assists per game… Named CHA Forward of the Month on three occasions (November, December, January)… Named CHA Forward of the Month on three occasions (Nov. 27, Dec. 5, Jan. 15, Jan. 29)… Volunteers with THON, an organization that works with children and families impacted by childhood cancer
ABBEY MURPHY
University of Minnesota – Junior – Forward
Tied for third in the NCAA with 59 points (33G, 26A) in 37 games… Leads the NCAA in scoring… Ranks 19th in the NCAA in assists… Leads the NCAA with 13 power-play goals… Tied for fourth in NCAA with seven game-winning goals… Ranks second in the NCAA with 0.89 goals per game… Ranks sixth in the NCAA with 1.59 points per game… Tied for sixth in the NCAA with two short-handed goals… Represented Team USA at the November/December Rivalry Series… Serves as team alternate captain… Named WCHA Forward of the Month for December… Named WCHA Forward of the Week on two occasions (Oct. 16, Nov. 27)
CASEY O’BRIEN
University of Wisconsin – Senior – Forward
Ranks for second in the NCAA with 62 points (19G, 43A) in 36 games… Tied for 18th in the NCAA in scoring… Leads the NCAA in assists… Leads the NCAA in assists per game (1.19)… Ranks eighth in the NCAA and third in the WCHA in faceoff wins with 433… Ranks third in the NCAA in points per game (1.72)… Named Preseason All-WCHA Team… Named WCHA Forward of the Month for January… Represented Team USA at the December Rivalry Series Named WCHA Forward of the Week on two occasions (Jan. 15, Jan. 22)… Volunteers at local schools to promote sports education… Volunteers at local elementary schools and engages students in activities to promote literacy… Visits American Family Children’s Hospital patients at Badger football games… Volunteered for the Badgers’ Thanksgiving Food Drive… Volunteers for and helps coach Special Olympics
GWYNETH PHILIPS
Northeastern University – Fifth Year – Goaltender
Ranks second in the NCAA and leads the HEA with a 0.953 save percentage in 34 games played… Has a 21-10-3 record… Tied for fourth in the NCAA in wins… Ranks fourth in the NCAA and second in the HEA with a 1.20 GAA… Ranks third in the NCAA with 2107:41 minutes played… Tied for fourth in the NCAA and leads the HEA with six shutouts… Ranks 13th in the NCAA and second in the HEA in win percentage with 0.671… Serves as team alternate captain… Received the Bertagna Award for best goaltender in the Beanpot… Named HEA Goaltender of the Month on two occasions (September/October, January)… Named HEA Goaltender of the week on seven occasions (Oct. 2, Nov. 27, Dec. 4, Jan. 9, Jan. 22, Feb. 12, Feb. 19)… National Goalie of the Year Semifinalist… Volunteers with Norwood Girls’ Hockey… Donates to local human societies
DANIELLE SERDACHNY
Colgate University – Fifth Year – Forward
Tied for fifth in the NCAA with 57 points (21G, 36A) in 36 games… Tied for 17th in the NCAA for power-play goals with five… Tied for 9th in the NCAA in scoring… Tied for fourth in the NCAA in assists… Named Preseason All-ECAC Forward… Named ECAC Forward of the Week twice (Nov. 21, Jan. 30)… Represented Team Canada in December Rivalry Series… Ranks sixth in the NCAA in assists per game with 1.00… Ranks seventh in the NCAA with 1.53 points per game… Ranks 12th in the NCAA in goals per game with 0.58… Co-founded the Colgate Women’s Ice Hockey Rising Raiders youth mentorship program… Coordinates the Neurodiversity Inclusive Skates Program… Volunteers as a recess buddy and reading partner for the kindergarteners at Hamilton Elementary School… Volunteers at the All-Girls Serdachny Hockey Clinic in Edmonton, Alberta
KIRSTEN SIMMS
University of Wisconsin– Sophomore – Forward
Leads the NCAA with 67 points (29G, 38A) in 34 games… Leads the NCAA with 1.97 points per game… Tied for the NCAA lead in game-winning goals with seven… Ranks third in the NCAA in scoring… Ranks second in the NCAA in assists… Ranks third in the NCAA in assists per game (1.19)… Ranks third in the NCAA in goals per game (0.85)… Represented Team USA at the Named Preseason All-WCHA Team… Named WCHA Forward of the Week for Dec. 11… Volunteers for and helps coach Special Olympics… Teaches skating to elementary school students… Volunteered for the Badgers’ Thanksgiving Food Drive… Volunteers at local elementary schools and engages students in activities to promote literacy
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Daniel is the first player from Cornell to ever win the award.
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Winner unveiled during live show on NHL Network at Whittemore Center Arena on March 23
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Live Announcement Show To Air On NHL Network at 12:30 p.m. ET
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