The Top-10 finalists include: senior forward Jocelyne Lamoureux (Grand Forks/University of North Dakota), senior defenseman Megan Bozek (Buffalo Grove, Ill./University of Minnesota); freshman forward Hannah Brandt (Vadnais Heights, Minn./University of Minnesota); sophomore forward Alex Carpenter (Reading, Mass./Boston College); sophomore forward Kendall Coyne (Palos Heights, Ill./Northeastern University); senior forward Brianna Decker (Dousman, Wis./University of Wisconsin); senior forward Jillian Dempsey (Winthrop, Mass./Harvard University); junior forward Brianne Jenner (Oakville, Ont./Cornell University); junior forward Amanda Kessel (Madison, Wis./University of Minnesota) and senior goaltender Noora Raty (Espoo, Finland/University of Minnesota).
The selection process began in late 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 independent accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, tabulated the ballots.
The three finalists, including the recipient of the 2013 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, will be chosen by a 13-member selection committee comprised 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 Top-3 finalists for this year's award will be announced on Thurs., March 7.
Tickets to the 2013 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Ceremony and Brunch can be purchased at PattyKaz.com. 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 still available.
LAMOUREUX NOTES: Third in the nation in scoring with 71 points (32-39) ... Her 32 goals are also third-best in the NCAA ... Third in the country in points per game (2.09) with 71 points in 34 games played ... Second in the WCHA with 32 goals ... Her 0.94 goals per game was fourth in the NCAA ... Third in the WCHA with 39 assists ... Leads the nation in power-play goals with 12 tallies on the man-advantage ... Second in the WCHA in power-play points with 12-15--27 numbers ... Tied for first in the nation with eight game-winning goals ... Leads the second-most prolific scoring offense in the conference and sixth-best in the country ... Helped North Dakota to the third-most efficient power play in the NCAA ... Has helped to lead North Dakota to the second-most efficient special teams in the nation, converting at a 58.9% clip ... Named a WCHA Scholar-Athlete this season for the third time ... Was named to the Capital One Academic All-America Division I Women's At-Large Second Team (first Academic All-American in program history) in 2011-12.
NOTES: Seven schools are represented in the Top-10, including four finalists from the University of Minnesota ... Among the Top-10 finalists are eight forwards, one defenseman and one goaltender, including five seniors, two juniors, two sophomores and one freshman ... Three Top-10 finalists were also Top-10 finalists in 2012 -- Brianna Decker, Amanda Kessel and Jocelyne Lamoureux. Decker and Lamoureux were also Top-3 finalists in 2012 and Decker was the recipient of the 2012 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award ... The Western Collegiate Hockey Association leads all conferences with six finalists, while ECAC Hockey and the Hockey East Association have two each. The University of Minnesota leads all schools with four finalists, while Boston College, Cornell University, Harvard University, University of North Dakota, Northeastern University and the University of Wisconsin are also represented in the Top-10.
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.
ABOUT PATTY KAZMAIER
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 on Feb. 15, 1990, at the age of 28 following a long struggle with a rare blood disease.
