The 10 finalists for the 2023 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award were unveiled Thursday.
The honor, which was first presented in 1998, is given annually to the top player in NCAA Division I women’s hockey.
The finalists (in alphabetical order) are as follows:
Pia Dukaric, Goaltender, Sophomore, Yale, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Jennifer Gardiner, Forward, Senior, Ohio State, Surrey, B.C.
Taylor Heise, Forward, Fifth Year, Minnesota, Lake City, Minn.
Sophie Jaques, Defender, Graduate, Ohio State, Toronto, Ontario
Alina Mueller, Forward, Graduate, Northeastern, Winterthur, Switzerland
Maureen Murphy, Forward, Graduate, Northeastern Buffalo, N.Y.
Gwyneth Philips, Goaltender, Senior, Northeastern, Athens, Ohio
Danielle Serdachny, Forward, Senior, Colgate Edmonton, Alberta
Kiara Zanon, Forward, Junior, Penn State, Fairport, N.Y.
Grace Zumwinkle, Forward, Fifth Year, Minnesota, Excelsior, Minn.
The selection process commenced in early February when NCAA Division I women’s 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 2023 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, will be chosen by a 13-person selection committee made up of NCAA Division I women’s 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 Wednesday, March 8.
The 2023 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award show will be broadcast live from the AMSOIL Arena ticket lobby on Saturday, March 18, in Duluth, Minn., as part of Saturday at the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four. Fans are encouraged to attend with doors opening at 11 a.m. CT and the live 30-minute television show beginning promptly at 11:30 a.m. CT. The three finalists will be on hand, in addition to Frozen Four team participants, as the 26th winner of the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award will be revealed. NHL Network’s Siera Santos will host the show and Serena Veazey, daughter of the late Patty Kazmaier, is expected to be in attendance as well. The event is free of charge and light refreshments will be available.
Following the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award show, fans will have a chance to get autographs from Olympic gold medalists Hilary Knight, Maddie Rooney and AJ Mleczko.
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. Full list of previous honorees.
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.
