USA Hockey Foundation president Walter L. Bush, Jr., announced Tuesday the names of the 10 candidates for the 1999 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, presented to the most outstanding player in NCAA women’s ice hockey.
Harvard features three candidates, while Brown and New Hampshire boast two each.
The candidates are Ali Coughlin, Princeton; Hillary Witt, Northeastern; Sara DeCosta, Providence; A.J. Mleczko, Harvard; Tara Mounsey, Brown; Angela Ruggiero, Harvard; Nicki Luongo, New Hampshire; Tammy Shewchuk, Harvard; Carisa Zaban, New Hampshire; and Ali Brewer, Brown. Coughlin and Witt are repeat selections.
“The USA Hockey Foundation is proud to recognize these outstanding student-athletes,” said Bush. “These talented players personify on- and off-ice excellence, making them worthy candidates for this prestigious award.”
Nominations came from the head coaches of women’s varsity ice hockey programs throughout the United States. Three finalists for the award will be announced March 15, and the Kazmeier Award itself will be presented to the winner in St. Paul, Minn., on March 25.
The recipient will be chosen by an 11-member selection committee comprised of women’s coaches, representatives of the print and broadcast media, and a representative of USA Hockey.
Individual tickets, priced at $100.00 for adults and $50.00 for children under 12, and table sponsorships may be purchased by calling John Donovan at the USA Hockey Foundation, (800) 566-3288, ext. 178; or Mike Snee at the Minnesota Wild, (651) 602-6017. Individual tickets and table sponsorship packages are tax deductible.
The inaugural Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award was presented last March in Boston, Mass., to New Hampshire forward Brandy Fisher. The award is named in honor of the late Patty Kazmaier, who was a four-year varsity letterwinner and All-Ivy League honoree for Princeton from 1981-82 through 1985-86. An accomplished athlete who excelled in ice hockey, field hockey and lacrosse, Patty Kazmaier-Sandt died on Feb. 15, 1990, at the age of 28 following a long struggle with a rare blood disease.
