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Ten Finalists Named for 2020 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award

02/20/2020, 8:45am MST
By USA Hockey

23rd Annual Award to be Presented March 21 in Cambridge, Mass.

The 2020 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner will be announced on Friday (March 27) at 1:30 p.m. ET. on USA Hockey's YouTube and Facebook channels. 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 10 finalists for the 2020 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 live on USA Hockey's YouTube and Facebook channels on Friday, March 27 at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Name Class Position School Hometown Conference
Jaime Bourbonnais Senior Defense Cornell University Mississaugua, Ont. ECAC
Lindsay Browning Junior Goaltender Cornell University Penfield, N.Y. ECAC
Sarah Fillier Sophomore Forward Princeton University Georgetown, Ont. ECAC
Aerin Frankel Junior Goaltender Northeastern University New York, N.Y. Hockey East
Elizabeth Giguere Junior Forward Clarkson University Quebec City, Que. ECAC
Emma Maltais Junior Forward Ohio State University Burlington, Ont. WCHA
Alina Mueller Sophomore Forward Northeastern University Lengnau, Switzerland Hockey East
Abby Roque Senior Forward University of Wisconsin Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. WCHA
Sophie Shirley Sophomore Forward University of Wisconsin Saskatoon, Sask. WCHA
Daryl Watts Junior Forward University of Wisconsin Toronto, Ont. WCHA

2020 Event Details

About The Award

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 2020 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, Feb. 27.

Tickets to the 2020 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 and program advertisements are also available.

Notes: Six schools are represented in the top-10 ... Among the top-10 finalists are seven forwards, one defender and two goaltenders, including two seniors, five juniors, and three sophomores  … the WCHA and ECAC each have four finalists, while the Hockey East Association boasts two finalists.

Jaime Bourbonnais

Defense • Senior • Cornell University

Has seven goals, 31 assists and 38 points in 29 games … Her 38 points rank first among ECAC defensemen … Her 38 points rank second among NCAA blue-liners … Has a conference-high +37 rating among defensemen that also ranks second in the NCAA ... Her 31 assists rank first among all NCAA and ECAC defensive skaters … Helped with organizing and fulfilling the DIFD and Headway Foundation games at Cornell, for this year’s DIFD game the team asked for donations to help with an on-campus help center … Volunteered at Feed My Starving Children packing food for people in developing nations each year at Cornell (4 years total) … Started the Fan of Honor initiative at Lynah Rink … Has a 2.89 GPA while majoring in psychology.

Lindsay Browning

Goaltender • Junior • Cornell University

Ranks first in the NCAA in goals against average with a 0.80 clip … Ranks second in save percentage with a .957 clip… Her 11 shutouts rank first in the NCAA … Her .959 save clip and her .80 goals against clip rank first in the ECAC … Her .914 win percentage is a conference (ECAC) and NCAA best … National Goalie of the Month (Jan.) … ECAC Hockey Goalie of the Month (Nov., Jan.) … ECAC Hockey Goalie of the Week (Oct. 28, Nov. 4, Jan. 27) … Is a Marine ROTC cadet at Cornell and will be a contracted Marine after graduation… Volunteers at the SPCA animal shelter, helping walk and care for the shelter dogs … Serves as a mentor to local girls hockey players throughout the season … Helped the team with Feed My Starving Children … Has a 3.30 GPA while majoring in biomedical engineering.

Sarah Fillier

Forward • Sophomore • Princeton University

Ranks tied for eighth in scoring in the NCAA with 18 goals, 30 assists and 48 points, averaging 1.85 points per contest … Ranks tied for eighth in the nation in assists with 30 … Her 48 points rank second in the ECAC … Her +41 rating is a league best in the ECAC … Her 30 assists rank second in the ECAC … Her 18 goals rank tied for sixth in the ECAC … Participated in Princeton’s community outreach project, “Trunk or Treat", volunteering at a Halloween event for children of public servants … Participated in a skills program initiated by the team to promote hockey in the New Jersey area … Has a 2.93 GPA as an undeclared major.

Aerin Frankel

Goaltender • Junior • Northeastern University

Ranks second in the NCAA in goals against average with a 1.08 clip … Her .959 save percentage ranks first in the NCAA … Her 10 shutouts rank second in the NCAA … Her save percentage (.959) and goals against average (1.08) lead all netminders in the Hockey East Association … Her .828 win percentage is a conference best (HEA) … Hockey East Player of the Week (Jan. 13) … Four-time Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 7, Nov. 4, Jan. 6, Jan. 27) … Two-time Hockey East Goaltender of the Month (November, January) … WHCA National Goaltender of the Month (November) … NCAA First Star (Jan. 14) … NCAA Third Star (Jan. 7) … Awarded Bertagna Trophy for top goaltender at the 2020 Women’s Beanpot … Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk volunteer … Has a 3.15 GPA while majoring in criminal justice.

Elizabeth Giguere

Forward • Junior • Clarkson University

Ranks second in nation in points with 35 goals, 28 assists and 63 points, averaging 1.85 points per game … Ranks first in the NCAA in goals (30) … Ranks first in the ECAC in goals and points… Leads ECAC and the NCAA in game-winning goals with 10 … NCAA First Star (Jan. 28)… ECAC Hockey Player of the Month – (Nov., Jan) … ECAC Hockey Player of the Week (Dec. 2, Jan. 27) … MVP Windjammer Classic – 11/30… Windjammer Classic All-Tournament Team – 11/30… ECAC Preseason All-League Team … Participates annually in Skate with a Knight and Potsdam Community Clean-Up … Volunteers at various events at Potsdam Elementary School including Power of Positivity … Takes part in volunteer opportunities with local youth programs such as, Smart Cookies Enriched Program and Clarkson Women’s Hockey Lil’ Knights Club … Has a 2.99 GPA while majoring in global supply chain management.

Emma Maltais

Forward • Junior • Ohio State University

Ranks seventh in the NCAA with 18 goals, 37 assists and 55 points, recording 1.62 points per game … Ranks third in assists in the NCAA with 37 assists … Her 55 points rank fourth in the WCHA while her 37 assists rank second … Her 1.62 points per game average ranks fourth in the WCHA … 2020 Preseason WCHA Player of the Year … Preseason All-WCHA WCHA Forward of the Week (10/8) … WCHA Forward of the Week (1/14) … NCAA Second Star of the Week (1/14 … WCHA January Forward of the Month … went on student-athlete service abroad trip in Costa Rica and engaged in and planned activities for kids age 2-19 in lower economic environments … Volunteered at Mid-Ohio Foodbank serving food and helping clean the foodbank … Three-year participant in the Second and Seven Foundation where Emma read to second graders … Has a 3.59 GPA while majoring in health sciences.

Alina Mueller

Forward • Sophomore • Northeastern University

Ranks tied for fifth in the NCAA with 23 goals, 34 assists and 57 points, averaging 1.68 points per game … Ranks fourth in assists in NCAA (34) … Ranks sixth in goal-scoring in nation (23) … Her goal, assist and point totals rank first in the Hockey East Association … Her nine game-winning goals rank first in the Hockey East Association and second in the NCAA … Four-time Hockey East Player of the Week (Oct. 14, Oct. 21, Jan. 27, Feb. 3) … Two-time Hockey East Player of the Month (September/October, January) … WHCA National Player of the Month (January) … NCAA Second Star (Jan. 28) … NCAA Third Star (Feb. 4) … Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk volunteer … Has a 3.37 GPA while majoring in behavioral neuroscience.

Abby Roque

Forward • Senior • University of Wisconsin

Ranks tied for sixth in scoring in the NCAA with 25 goals, 32 assists and 57 points, averaging 1.68 points per game … Ranks fourth in goal-scoring in the NCAA (25) … ranks fifth in assist-scoring in nation with 32 assists … ranks tied for fourth in NCAA in power-play goals (8) … Her 25 goals rank second while her 57 points rank third in the WCHA … Her five game-winning goals rank tied for first in the WCHA … 2020 Preseason All-WCHA Team … Preseason WCHA Co-Player of the Year … WCHA Forward of the Month (Dec.) … NCAA First Star of the Week (Nov. 19) … NCAA Third Star of the Week (Dec. 9) … Two-time WCHA Forward of the Week (Nov. 19, Dec. 9) … Volunteers and participates in Badger Brain Breaks, Upside Down Day, Badgers Give Back and Caleb’s Pitch … Has a 3.38 GPA while majoring in marketing.

Sophie Shirley

Forward • Sophomore • University of Wisconsin

Ranks tied for third in the nation in scoring with 28 goals, 31 assists and 59 points … Her 28 goals rank second in the nation … ranks tied for sixth in NCAA in assists with 31 … Her 28 goals rank first in the WCHA … Ranks second in WCHA with 59 points while her 31 assists rank fourth … Her +35 rating ranks fourth in the WCHA … 2020 Preseason All-WCHA Team … Volunteers with Badgers Give Back … Volunteer Coach for the U-14 Madison Capitals … Assists with an adaptive fitness class and … Has a 3.12 GPA while majoring in physical education.

Daryl Watts

Forward • Junior • University of Wisconsin

Ranks first in points and assists in the NCAA with 24 goals, 49 assists and 73 points, averaging 2.15 points a game … Her 24 goals rank fifth in the nation … Her 73 points and 49 assists rank first in the WCHA … Her 2.15 points per game average ranks first in the WCHA … WCHA Forward of the Month (Sept./Oct) … HCA Player of the Month (Sept./Oct) … Three-time WCHA Forward of the Week (Oct. 15, Nov. 26, Feb. 4) … NCAA Second Star of the Week (Nov. 26) … NCAA First Star of the Week (Feb. 4) … Community service includes participating in the Wisconsin Shoe Project, Badgers Give Back, local food bank drives and shoveling driveways for the elderly … Has a 3.37 GPA while majoring in communication arts.


More Patty Kaz News

Junior forward Abbey Murphy taps the gloves of her teammates after scoring in her white and maroon Minnesota jersey.

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