COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Sophomore forward Hannah Brandt (Vadnais Heights, Minn./University of Minnesota), senior forward Jamie Lee Rattray (Kanata, Ontario/Clarkson University) and junior forward Jillian Saulnier (Halifax, Nova Scotia/Cornell University) have been named top-three finalists for the 2014 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, it was announced today by USA Hockey.
The 2014 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award will be presented at a brunch ceremony at Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, Conn., on Sat., March 22, as part of the NCAA Women's Frozen Four weekend hosted by Quinnipiac University. The award, which is in its 17th year, is presented annually to the top player in NCAA Division I women's ice hockey.
The selection process commenced in early February when NCAA Division I women's ice hockey coaches were asked to nominate players for the award. Players who were nominated by two or more coaches were then placed on an official ballot, which was sent back to the coaches to vote for the top-10 finalists.
The three finalists, including the recipient of the 2014 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, were then 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 a representative of USA Hockey, the national governing body for the sport of ice hockey in the United States. The independent accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, tabulated the ballots.
Meghan Duggan, captain of the 2014 U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team and 2011 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner, will serve as the keynote speaker. Tickets to the 2014 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Ceremony and Brunch can be purchased here. Individual seats to the event are $65, while tables of 10 are available for $600. A select number of sponsorships are also available.
Name | Year | Pos. | School |
---|---|---|---|
Hannah Brandt | Sophomore | F | University of Minnesota |
Jamie Lee Rattray | Senior | F | Clarkson University |
Jillian Saulnier | Junior | F | Cornell University |
Brandt leads the nation in points (61), assists (40) and assists per game (1.11). She is tied for ninth in the NCAA in goals (21) and tied for 14th in game-winning goals (4). The sophomore leads the WCHA in points (46) and assists (30) in conference play and is tied for second in goals (16). The Vadnais Heights, Minn., native has been named WCHA Offensive Player of the Week once this season and was selected as a WCHA Scholar Athlete. Off the ice, she volunteered with the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital, Special Olympics of Minnesota, Roseville Youth Hockey Association, Minneapolis Youth Hockey Association, University of Minnesota Medical Center Fairview Hospital, Hope Kids and the Maplewood Care Center.
Rattray ranks second in the NCAA in points (57) and goals (28), and is tied for seventh in assists (29). She leads the NCAA in power-play tallies (9) and is tied for sixth nationally in game-winning markers (5). The senior forward ranks first in the ECAC in points (44), and second in the league in both goals (21) and assists (23) during league play. A three-time ECAC Player of the Month (November, December, January) and three-time ECAC Player of the Week, she has also been honored as a five-time member of the ECAC Weekly Honor Roll. Rattray is an active member in the Clarkson women’s hockey team’s participation with the Lil’ Knight Club, which volunteers with youth hockey players in the area. She also helped paint the Helping Hands building in Potsdam, N.Y., and assisted in fundraising for the Dalton Guyette Memorial Award, given annually to provide opportunities to less fortunate children in the area.
Saulnier is fifth in the NCAA in points (52), second nationally in goals-per-game (0.84), tied for third in goals (26) and 12th in assists (26). The Cornell junior leads the ECAC in goals (22) and ranks second in points (43) during conference outings while sitting in a third-place tie among ECAC skaters with 21 assists. She was named ECAC Player of the Week on Feb. 11. Away from the rink, Saulnier participated in the Do it for Daron game on Jan. 31 to raise awareness for mental health issues, as well as the Athlete Ally game to show support for LGBT inclusion within sports. Additionally, she registered to donate bone marrow through Be The Match registry, helped raise money for the Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes region and actively served in the Cub Club Little Sister Organization.
An award of The USA Hockey Foundation, the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award is annually awarded 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.
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 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.