skip navigation

Top-10 Finalists Named for 2018 Patty Kazmaier Award

By USA Hockey, 02/22/18, 11:45AM MST

Share

21st Annual Award to be Presented March 17th in Minneapolis

An award of The USA Hockey Foundation, the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award is presented annually to the top player in NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The USA Hockey Foundation today announced the top-10 finalists for the 2018 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. The honor is bestowed annually upon the top player in NCAA Division I women's ice hockey, and this year will be unveiled at a brunch ceremony at McNamara Alumni Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Saturday, March 17, as part of the NCAA Women's Frozen Four weekend hosted by the University of Minnesota.

The top-10 finalists include: senior forward Victoria Bach (Milton, Ont./Boston University), senior defender Sydney Baldwin (Minnetonka, Minn./University of Minnesota), sophomore goaltender Kristen Campbell (Brandon, Man./University of Wisconsin), junior forward Loren Gabel (Kitchener, Ont./Clarkson University), senior defender Savannah Harmon (Downers Grove, Ill./Clarkson University), senior forward Brittany Howard (St. Thomas, Ont./Robert Morris University), sophomore forward Caitrin Lonergan (Roslindale, Mass./Boston College), senior defender Toni Ann Miano (Bronx, N.Y./Boston College), senior goaltender Shea Tiley (Owen Sound, Ont./Clarkson University) and freshman forward Daryl Watts (Toronto, Ont./Boston College).

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 sent back to the coaches to vote for the top-10 finalists. The independent accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, tabulated the ballots.

The three finalists, including the recipient of the 2018 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, 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 will be announced on Thursday, March 1.

Tickets to the 2018 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Ceremony and Brunch can be purchased at here. Individual seats to the event are $65, while tables of 10 are available for $600. A select number of sponsorships and program advertisements are also available.

Notes: Six schools are represented in the top-10, including three finalists each for Boston College and Clarkson University... Among the top-10 finalists are five forwards, three defensemen and two goaltenders, including six seniors, two sophomores, one junior and one freshman ... The Hockey East Association leads all conferences with four finalists, while ECAC Hockey boasts three finalists, the Western Collegiate Hockey Association has two finalists and College Hockey America has one finalist.


2018 Patty Kazmaier Award Top-10 Finalists

NAME School Pos. Year
Victoria Bach Boston University F Senior
Sydney Baldwin University of Minnesota D Senior
Kristen Campbell University of Wisconsin G Sophomore
Loren Gabel Clarkson University F Junior
Savannah Harmon Clarkson University D Senior
Brittany Howard Robert Morris University F Senior
Caitrin Lonergan Boston College F Sophomore
Toni Ann Miano Boston College D Senior
Shea Tiley Clarkson University G Senior
Daryl Watts Boston College F Freshman

Victoria Bach

Forward • Boston University • Senior • Milton, Ont.

Leads the NCAA in goals per game (1.20) and shots on goal per game (6.63) … Second in the country with 36 goals and third in the nation with 61 points … Selected as the National Player of the Month for November …  Named Hockey East Player of the Month for November and January … Three-time Hockey East Player of the Week and three-time NCAA Three Stars selection … Set new program records for goals (101) and points (192) … Leads nation in even-strength goals (29), road goals (21) and goals away from home (28) … First in NCAA with four hat tricks and two four-goal efforts … Has recorded 10 multi-goal games … Has factored on 58.6 percent of the team’s goals … Volunteered with the athletic department’s Holiday Reading Program as well as the team’s initiatives with Do It For Daron and Skating Strides against Breast Cancer…Majoring in advertising from the College of Communication with a Deaf Studies Minor and 3.08 GPA.

Sydney Baldwin

Defense • University of Minnesota • Senior • Minnetonka, Minn.

Leads WCHA defensemen and ranks fourth in the NCAA with 0.88 points per game … has career highs with 29 points, 12 goals, and 17 assists ... 29 points and 12 goals lead WCHA defense … has a league-best 88 blocked shots ... registered her 50th career point this season … ranks tied for seventh among all-time Gopher defense with 24 career goals … three-time WCHA Defensive Player of the Month in October 2017, November 2017, and January 2018 … earned WCHA Offensive Player of the Week honors and was named NCAA Third Star after leading all WCHA players with four points in a sweep at Bemidji State (Oct. 17, 2017) … three-time WCHA Scholar-Athlete Award recipient … Minnesota co-captain … Volunteer experience includes local youth hockey organizations (Shakopee Youth Hockey Association/USA Hockey, Mounds View/Irondale Youth Hockey, Minnetonka Youth Hockey, DinoMites Organization, Roseville Outdoor Girls Hockey Classic, Centennial Girls Hockey), University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital, and HopeKids Minnesota… Majoring in Health Services Management and Human Resource Development with a 3.60 GPA.

Kristen Campbell

Goaltender • University of Wisconsin • Sophomore • Brandon, Man.

Leads the NCAA and WCHA in shutouts (11), wins (29), save percentage (.942) and goals-against average (1.15) … Has a 29-3-2 record in net for Wisconsin, including eight wins against ranked teams … Leads the NCAA with a winning percentage of .882… Was named the WCHA Goaltender of the Month three times during the 2017-18 season (Sept./Oct., Nov., Dec. 2017) … Was Named the WCHA Defensive Player of the Week three times (Oct. 10, Oct. 31 and Nov. 7 2017) … Was named NCAA Star of the Week twice (Third Star, Oct. 31 and First Star, Nov. 7) … This season went 6-0 during a stretch of six straight ranked opponents, including a shutout against Ohio State … Became the first Badger to start her career 10-0 this season, after transferring from North Dakota last year … Two-time WCHA Scholar Athlete Award Recipient (2017-North Dakota, 2018 Wisconsin) … Has volunteered this year at the UW Children’s Hospital … Majoring in Life Sciences Communication with a 3.31 GPA.

Loren Gabel

Forward • Clarkson University • Junior • Kitchener, Ont.

ECAC’s leading scorer in both overall points (61) and goals (29) and in conference play (42 PTS, 22G) … Tied for third in the NCAA in goals and points … Leads NCAA in plus/minus (+47) … NCAA’s fifth-leading playmaker in assists with 32… 5th in the NCAA for game-winning goals (6) … HCA National Player of the Month (January) … ECAC Hockey Player of the Month 3 times (October, December, January) … NCAA First Star of the Week (January 23rd) … NCAA Third Star of the Week (January 30th) … ECAC Hockey Player of the Week 5 times of the 18 weeks and ECAC Honor Roll 3 times … Recorded a point in 27 of 34 games, while recording 22 multi-point games … Tied Clarkson’s single-season goal record (29) held by 2014 Patty Kazmaier Award winner Jamie lee Rattray … Volunteers her time at Potsdam Elementary School, Community Outreach clean-up, Lil' Knights Club, and Malone Minor Hockey ADM Clinic…Majoring in Communications with a 2.80 GPA.

Savannah Harmon

Defense • Clarkson University • Senior • Downers Grove, Ill.

ECAC’s Top scoring defenseman with 29 points (8G, 21A) through 34 games and the second leading scorer for defensemen in the NCAA … Posts the best plus/minus for ECAC Hockey defensemen (+43) also ranking second nationally in overall plus/minus for defensemen, while being the NCAA’s 4th highest +/- for all skaters … Tied for 3rd among NCAA defensemen in assists (21) and 8th among all skaters in the ECAC for assists (13) … 2 year Team Captain … Leads the Golden Knights defense that ranks 2nd in the NCAA at (1.24) and anchors the 3rd ranked penalty kill (.900) …Clarkson’s 2nd highest scoring defenseman in schools history (108pts) … Involved with community service efforts at  Potsdam Elementary School, Community Outreach clean-up, Lil' Knights Club,  and helped organized the National Girls and Women's in Sport Day clinic…Majoring in Innovation and Entrepreneurship with a 2.99 GPA.

Brittany Howard

Forward • Robert Morris University • Senior • St. Thomas, Ont.

Second among active collegians in career goals (75), assists (100) and points (175)...Currently on pace for a second consecutive CHA scoring title; leading in goals (21), assists (22) and points (43)...Tied for second in the NCAA in both shorthanded goals (3) and game-winning goals (7)...Leads CHA with a plus-27 rating…CHA Player of the Month for October and November... CHA Player of the Week Oct. 9, Nov. 13, Nov. 27 and Jan. 22 and Co-Player of the Week Feb. 12... NCAA's First Star of the Week Nov. 14, Third Star of the Week Jan. 23 and Second Star of the Week Feb. 13...Made No. 7 on the #NCAATop10 and No. 6 on the #espnWtop10 weekly countdowns for her highlight-reel game-tying goal vs. No. 5 Ohio State Nov. 25... Was honored as the 2017 Dapper Dan Charities Sportswoman of the Year...Community service includes volunteering with Big Sister, Little Sister Program, the West Hills Rehabilitation Center, and raising money for "Skate for the Cure" and UPMC Children's Hospital…Majoring in Sport Management with a 3.15 GPA.

Caitrin Lonergan

Forward • Boston College • Sophomore • Roslindale, Mass.

The nation’s second-leading scorer (70 pts.) … Also leads the nation in assists (41), assists per game (1.21), game-winning goals (8), and power-play assists (tied, 13) … Is second nationally in power-play points (21), power-play goals (8) … Tied for third nationally in goals (29) and goals per game (0.85) and has two hat tricks … Has recorded points in 32-of-34 games and has multiple points in 21-of-34 games … HEA Player of the Month in December … HEA Player of the Week on Nov. 6 and Dec. 4 … Set the Boston College sophomore records for points and assists … Had the fourth-highest single-season league point total (49) in HEA conference history … Is an active volunteer with the Boston Police Department, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital and the Boys and Girls Club of New Hampshire … Also done extensive work with Special Olympics, as well as a service trip to New Orleans to rebuild efforts after Katrina … Volunteers with her hometown Hyde Park Youth Hockey … Studying Applied Psychology & Human Development with a 2.76 GPA.

Toni Ann Miano

Defense • Boston College • Senior • Bronx, N.Y.

The nation’s leading point-getter (39 points) and goal-scorer (17 goals) among full-time D1 defensemen and also leads that group in points per game  (1.15), goals per game (0.50) and plus/minus (+45), the third-best among all skaters nationally … Anchors the Eagles’ defense, which is No. 9 among full-time D1 teams, and the nation’s second-best power-play unit … Set the Hockey East career points (65) and goals (26) records for a defenseman, as well as the BC record for career defenseman goals (35) … Has 98 career points in 131 games … Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week on Jan. 15 … Has volunteered time to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office’s anti-bullying initiatives, Cradles to Crayons and the Massachusetts Hospital School … Was a volunteer coach at NAHA, her alma mater, during the winter of 2017 … Has also volunteered with the Newton Special Athletes and Boston College Campus School, as well as the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk and the annual East Coast Jumbos men’s and women’s hockey game at BC...Studying Communications with a 2.95 GPA.

Shea Tiley

Goaltender • Clarkson University • Senior • Owen Sound, Ont.

Ranks first among ECAC goaltenders for goals against average (1.30), save percentage (.939), wins (28), winning percentage (.864) and shutouts (10) … Second in the NCAA in save percentage (.939), Goals-against-average (1.30), Wins (28) and shutouts (10), while posting the 3rd best winning percentage (.864) … Holds a 8-1-1 record against Top-10 ranked teams … Started 33 of 34 games, playing the most minutes of all ECAC goaltenders (2nd most in NCAA) … HCA National Player of the Month (December) … ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Month two times (October, December) … NCAA 2nd Star of the Week (Dec. 12) … NCAA 3rd Star of the Week (Dec. 5) … ECAC Goaltender of the Week 4 times … Selected 8 times to ECAC Weekly Honor Roll … Assistant Captain … Volunteers with Potsdam Elementary School Positivity Project, Community Outreach clean-up, Lil' Knights Club, Youth Hockey Clinic Head Goalie Instructor and Warrior Fest ... Recipient of Clarkson’s Biology Department Outstanding Senior Award …Majoring in Biology with a 3.89 GPA.

Daryl Watts

Forward • Boston College • Freshman • Toronto, Ont.

The nation’s top scorer (79 points)… Leads nation in points per game (2.32), goals (40), power-play points (22), power-play goals (9), power-play assists (13) and shorthanded points (tied, 5) … Second in the nation in assists (39), plus/minus (+46), assists per game (1.15), goals per game (1.18), and shots per game (5.79) …Leads with 17 points from game-winning goals (3G, 14A) … Has points in 32-of-34 games, multiple points in a leading 25 games, 11 multiple-goal games… Tied the HEA single-season points (55) and goals (30) records … Record in HEA freshman points, goals and assists…AHCA National Player of the Month Oct. … 3x AHCA National Rookie of the Month (Oct., Nov., Jan.) … HEA Player of the Month in Oct.…3x HEA Rookie of the Month (Oct., Nov. and Jan.) … 2x HEA Player of the Week … 7x HEA Rookie of the Week … Volunteers with the East Coast Jumbos, Newton Special Athletes, Campus School, Team IMPACT, various food bank drives, Equine Therapy for special needs children, low-income hockey camps and at women’s shelters in hometown of Toronto...Has a 2.67 GPA.

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.


Kaz Watch Articles

Junior forward Abbey Murphy taps the gloves of her teammates after scoring in her white and maroon Minnesota jersey.
St. Lawrence junior Abby Hustler skates down the ice in her white, black, and red jersey
Penn State sophomore forward Tessa Janecke shoots the puck in her Penn State white and navy uniform.