The USA Hockey Foundation unveiled Thursday 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:
Skylar Fontaine Defense, Graduate Student, Northeastern
Aerin Frankel, Goaltender, Graduate Student, Northeastern
Élizabeth Giguére, Forward, Fifth-Year Senior, Minnesota Duluth
Taylor Heise, Forward, Senior, Minnesota
Gabbie Hughes, Forward, Senior, Minnesota Duluth
Sophie Jaques, Defense, Senior, Ohio State
Alina Mueller, Forward, Senior, Northeastern
Casey O’Brien, Forward, Sophomore, Wisconsin
Theresa Schafzahl, Forward, Senior, Vermont
Daryl Watts, Forward, Fifth-Year Senior, Wisconsin
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 10 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 award is scheduled for Saturday, March 26. More details around the unveiling will be available soon.
Frankel won the 2021 Kazmaier Award.
