2014 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Ceremony to Feature Familiar Keynote Speaker

(photo: www.pattykaz.com)

The 17th annual Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Ceremony and Brunch takes place tomorrow, March 22, and former winner Meghan Duggan will give the keynote speech at the event. Duggan, who captained the 2014 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team, won the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award herself in 2011. She helped the U.S. Women bring home silver medals in the last two Winter Olympics and has represented Team USA in five International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championships, winning gold four times.

The USA Hockey Foundation grants the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award every year to the top NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey player; who joins a list of names studded with Olympic athletes and advocates for the growth of women’s hockey. The three finalists for this year’s award include 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)

More info from www.pattykaz.com:

HANNAH BRANDT

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.

JAMIE LEE RATTRAY

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.

JILLIAN SAULNIER

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.

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