March 2, 2009

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The USA Hockey Foundation today announced the 10 finalists for the 2009 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. In its 12th year, the award annually recognizes the top player in NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey.

In alphabetical order, the 10 finalists are: Meghan Agosta (Ruthven, Ont.) from Mercyhurst College, Rebecca Johnston (Sudbury, Ont.) from Cornell University, Hilary Knight (Hanover, N.H.) from the University of Wisconsin, Monique Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D.) from the University of Minnesota, Erika Lawler (Fitchburg, Mass.) from the University of Wisconsin, Gigi Marvin (Warroad, Minn.) from the University of Minnesota, Molly Schaus (Natick, Mass.) from Boston College, Sarah Vaillancourt (Sherbrooke, Que.) from Harvard University, Jessie Vetter (Cottage Grove, Wis.) from the University of Wisconsin and Jenn Wakefield (Pickering, Ont.) from the University of New Hampshire.


The top-10 class represents all four women’s college conferences in College Hockey America, ECAC Hockey, Hockey East and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

The award selection process began in early February, when NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey coaches were asked to nominate players for the award. Nominated players 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 top three finalists, including the recipient of the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, are chosen by a 13-member selection committee comprised of NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey coaches, representatives of the print and broadcast media and a representative of USA Hockey, the National Governing Body for the sport of ice hockey in the United States.

The three finalists for this year’s award will be announced March 10.

NOTES: Molly Schaus is the first Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award finalist ever from Boston College ... Monique Lamoureux is the first freshman in the top 10 since Meghan Agosta in 2007 ... Three of this year's 10 finalists come from The University of Wisconsin. Harvard is the only other school to have three finalists in a single year (1999)... This year's top 10 includes four seniors, two juniors, three sophomores and one freshman. Eight are forwards and two are a goaltenders ... Three of this year’s finalists have also finished among the nation’s best in previous seasons. Last year, Sarah Vaillancourt won the award, while Agosta was in the top three and Gigi Marvin was in the top 10. In 2007, Agosta was in the top three and Vaillancourt was in the top 10 ... The 2009 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award will be presented at a brunch ceremony at the Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston on March 21, in conjunction with the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four, in Boston. Tickets to the event may be purchased at PattyKaz.com or by calling 800-566-3288, ext. 184 ($85/individual seats, $800/table of 10) … Kathryn Tappen, who currently serves as New England Sports Network's Boston Bruins studio host and as a "SportsDesk" anchor and reporter, will serve as the master of ceremonies for the 2009 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award ceremony.

ABOUT THE PATTY KAZMAIER MEMORIAL AWARD
An award of The USA Hockey Foundation, the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award recognizes the accomplishments of the most outstanding player in NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey each season. 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 for 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.

2009 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Top 10 Finalists

Meghan Agosta
Mercyhurst College • Forward • Junior • Ruthven, Ont.
Team captain … Leads the NCAA with 2.52 points per game, 1.30 goals per game and 1.22 assists per game … Ranks third in the NCAA with 12 power-play goals and tied for second with eight game-winning goals … Leads College Hockey America with 68 points, 35 goals and 33 assists … Five-time CHA Offensive Player of the Week… Has 20 multi-point games … Became the seventh player in NCAA history to score 100 goals in a career on Feb. 13 … Became Mercyhurst’s all-time leading scorer this season with 196 career points … Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award top-three finalist in 2007 and 2008 … Was the first freshman ever to become a top three finalist for the PKMA … Involved in several community service projects at Mercyhurst, including Service Learning, Phone-a-Thon and Soup Kitchen … Worked with Kingsville Minor Hockey League Association to sponsor a six-year-old boy who wanted to play hockey … Involved in police charity in Ruthven, Ont.

Rebecca Johnston
Cornell University • Forward • Sophomore • Sudbury, Ont.
Ranks seventh in the NCAA with 1.73 points per game and tied for sixth with .96 goals per game … Has eight power-play goals and four game-winning goals … Second in ECAC Hockey with 45 points and tied for the league lead with 25 goals … Named ECAC Hockey Player of the Week three times … Has notched 13 multi-point contests … Has had seven contests with at least two goals and has had at least one point in 20 of her 26 games … Earned First Team All-Ivy League honors … Volunteers as a big sister for the Big Red Cub Club and helps with Meals on Wheels Food-Net … Helped raise over $1,600 for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer … Participates in the Salvation Army’s Adopt a Family program during the holidays.

Hilary Knight
University of Wisconsin • Forward • Sophomore • Hanover, N.H.
Leads the NCAA with 39 goals and ranks second with 1.15 goals per game … Ranks fourth in the NCAA and second in the WCHA with 1.97 points per game … Third in the NCAA and second in the WCHA with 67 points (39-28) … Tied for first in the NCAA with 13 power-play goals … Has had 20 multi-point games and 11 multi-goal games … Had a career-high and school record five-goal night against Quinnipiac on Sept. 27 ... Named WCHA Offensive Player of the Week twice ... Contributed to Johnny’s Inner City Skate Program … Participates in wheelchair hockey … Volunteered at Second Harvest … Skated to raise money for Caitlin Cahow’s Team Celine for Susan G. Komen’s Passionately Pink for the Cure …Involved in the Make-a-Wish program.

Monique Lamoureux
University of Minnesota • Forward • Freshman • Grand Forks, N.D.
First Minnesota player since 2005 to have over 60 points in a single season … Leads the NCAA with 71 points and ranks second with 36 goals, 35 assists, eight game-winning goals and five shorthanded goals … Ranks third in the NCAA with 1.97 points per game and fourth with 1.00 goals per game, while ranking tied for fifth with .97 assists per game … Has been named the WCHA Offensive Player of the Week twice and the WCHA Rookie of the Week four times, a conference high … Has scored in 30 of Minnesota’s 36 games and has 39 points thus far in the second half of the season … Team has not lost when she scores, going 24-0-2 … Has participated in various community functions, including HopeKids Festival and raking leaves for the elderly.

Erika Lawler
University of Wisconsin • Forward • Senior • Fitchburg, Mass.
Team captain ... Leads the NCAA with 39 assists ... Ranks second in the NCAA with 1.11 assists per game … Ranks fifth in the NCAA and fourth in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association with 55 points (16-39) … Has 18 multi-point games and 11 multi-assist games ... Named WCHA Offensive Player of the Week twice … Volunteers for wheelchair hockey … Volunteers at Ronald McDonald House … Participated in the 48 Hour Practice, an event to raise money for clean water wells and health awareness in Africa … Has spoke to a kindergarten classroom at Waunakee Arboretum Elementary.

Gigi Marvin
University of Minnesota • Forward • Senior • Warroad, Minn.
Team co-captain … Ranks 17th in the NCAA with 1.44 points per game and 13th with .74 goals per game … Ranks sixth in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association with 49 points (25-24) … Ranks fourth in the conference with 25 goals … Earned WCHA Offensive Player of the Week honors twice … 2008 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award top 10 finalist … Actively involved with Minnesota's Fellowship of Christian Athletes as a member of the leadership team.

Molly Schaus
Boston College • Goaltender • Junior • Natick, Mass.
Leads the NCAA with a .941 save percentage and ranks seventh with a 1.59 goals-against average … Ranks second in the NCAA with 10 shutouts … Leads Hockey East in GAA (1.59), save percentage (.941) and winning percentage (.734) … Holds a 21-6-5 record in 32 games (1850:41 minutes) … Named Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week six times and Hockey East Player of the Week once … Hockey East ITch Goaltender of the Month for December … Earned New England Hockey Journal Player of the Week honors three times … Participates in Newton Special Athletes, skating with children with special needs … Annual participant in the Massachusetts Hospital School sled hockey game and visits with disabled students at the school … Participates in Food for Families, collecting and distributing food to low-income families in Boston … Member of the Boston College Athlete Pen Pal Program.

Sarah Vaillancourt
Harvard University • Forward • Senior • Sherbrooke, Que.
Ranks second in the nation with 2.00 points per game, third with 1.04 assists per contest and stands tied for seventh with .96 goals per game ... Leads ECAC Hockey and tied for ninth in the NCAA with 52 points (25-27) … Named ECAC Hockey Player of the Week three times ... Has had a hand in 29 of the Crimson's last 35 goals ... Has recorded 13 multi-point games and three hat tricks ... Had a seven-point effort on Feb. 3 against Boston University ... Named the Ivy League Player of the Year and was a unanimous First Team All-Ivy League selection … Won the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award in 2008 and was a top 10 finalist in 2007 … Has helped raise money in her hometown community for the CHUS hospital in Sherbrooke, Que., and was the president of honor for sick children in her region.

Jessie Vetter
University of Wisconsin • Goaltender • Senior • Cottage Grove, Wis.
Alternate captain ... Has posted a 28-2-5 record in 35 games and ranks second in the NCAA with 2042:16 minutes played ... Recorded a school-record 12 shutouts this season and is tied for the NCAA single-season record … Ranks third in the nation and second in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association with a 1.29 goals-against average … Ranks fourth in the NCAA and third in the WCHA with a .938 save percentage … Ranks sixth in the NCAA in winning percentage (.871) … Two-time WCHA Defensive Player of the Week ... Holds school and NCAA record for career shutouts with 37 ... Earned USCHO National Defensive Player of the Week in two consecutive weeks ... Has made presentations at multiple schools including, Taylor Prairie, Waunakee Arboretum Elementary and St. Jerome … Participated in the Easter Seals golf fundraiser … Visited the Ronald McDonald House.

Jenn Wakefield
University of New Hampshire • Forward • Sophomore • Pickering, Ont.
Ranks third in the NCAA with 1.07 goals per game … Leads the NCAA in both power-play goals (13) and game-winning goals (9) … Tied for third in the NCAA with five shorthanded goals and 11th with 1.63 points per game … Tied for 12th in the NCAA and ranks second in Hockey East with 49 points (32-17) … Leads the conference with 32 goals … Has recorded a point in 26-of-30 games with 15 multi-point efforts, including nine multi-goal games … Has tallied 21 points (13-8) in 14 games against nationally ranked teams.