The USA Hockey Foundation Monday announced 10 candidates for the 2008 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, presented annually to the most outstanding player in women’s college hockey.
The 10 candidates represent eight different schools, as No. 1 Harvard and No. 2 New Hampshire each have two candidates. The WCHA and ECACHL are the most represented conferences with three selections each.
Earlier this year, each Division I women’s coach nominated up to two players from his or her team for the Kazmaier Award, as well as three at the conference and national level. The coaches then voted for the top 10 candidates. The independent accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP tabulated the ballots.
According to USA Hockey, three finalists, and finally the recipient, will be chosen by a 13-member selection committee, which includes eight coaches, four media representatives, and one USA Hockey representative. The final three will be announced March 12.
Selection criteria include outstanding individual and team skills, sportsmanship, performance in the clutch, personal character, competitiveness and a love of hockey. Consideration will also be given to academic achievement and civic involvement.
The 2008 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award will be presented at a dinner ceremony at the Radisson Hotel Duluth-Harborview on March 21, in conjunction with the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four, in Duluth, Minn. Tickets to the event may be purchased at PattyKaz.com or by calling 800-566-3288, ext. 184. Angela Ruggiero, a three-time U.S. Olympian and the 2004 Kazmaier winner, will serve as master ceremonies for the ceremony.
The award is named in honor of the late Patty Kazmaier, who was a four-year varsity letter-winner and All-Ivy League defenseman for Princeton 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 on Feb. 15, 1990, at the age of 28 following a long struggle with a rare blood disease.
