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Today's Feature - 2026 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Top-10 Finalists Named
LET'S CELEBRATE TOGETHER! The 10 finalists for the 2026 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award were announced today by the USA Hockey Foundation.
The Hockey Tournament Resource
March 13, 2026
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2026 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Top-10 Finalists Named
By USA Hockey
Seven forwards, two defenders, and one goaltender among honorees
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The 10 finalists for the 2026 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award were announced today by the USA Hockey Foundation.
The honor, first presented in 1998, is awarded annually to the top Player in NCAA Division Women’s Ice Hockey by the USA Hockey Foundation.
The finalists, in alphabetical order, are as follows:
NAME | POSITION | YEAR | SCHOOL | HOMETOWN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tia Chan | Goaltender | Graduate Student | University of Connecticut | Hamilton, Ont. |
Joy Dunne | Forward | Junior | Ohio State University | O'Fallon, Mo. |
Lacey Eden | Forward | Fifth Year | University of Wisconsin | Annapolis, Md. |
Laila Edwards | Defense/Forward | Senior | University of Wisconsin | Cleveland Heights, Ohio |
Caroline Harvey | Defense | Senior | University of Wisconsin | Salem, N.H. |
Tessa Janecke | Forward | Senior | Penn State University | Orangeville, Ill. |
Kahlen Lamarche | Forward | Junior | Quinnipiac University | Sudbury, Ont. |
Abbey Murphy | Forward | Graduate Student | University of Minnesota | Evergreen Park, Ill. |
Kirsten Simms | Forward | Senior | University of Wisconsin | Plymouth, Mich. |
Issy Wunder | Forward | Senior | Princeton University | Toronto, Ont. |
2026 Event Information
#KazWatch
NOTES: Among the top-10 finalists are seven forwards, two defenders, and one goaltender… The University of Wisconsin has four top-10 finalists, while the University of Connecticut, University of Minnesota, Ohio State University, Penn State University, Princeton University, and Quinnipiac University have one finalist each … The top three finalists are expected to be announced on Wednesday, March 11, with the winner revealed on March 21 as the highlight of Saturday at the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four on the campus of Penn State University.
SELECTION PROCESS
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 nominated by multiple coaches were then placed on an official ballot, which was returned to the coaches for voting on the 10 finalists. The three finalists, including the recipient of the 2026 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, and an at-large member and representative of USA Hockey, the national governing body for the sport of ice Hockey in the United States.
SATURDAY AT THE NCAA WOMEN’S FROZEN FOUR
The 2026 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Show will be broadcast live on NHL Network from the HUB-Robeson Center on the campus of Penn State University, as part of Saturday at the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four. The event is free of charge, and fans can enter the facility at 12 p.m. ET with all guests seated at 12:20 p.m. and the live 30-minute television show beginning promptly at 12:30 p.m. The three finalists, along with the Frozen Four teams, will be on hand as the 29th winner of the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award is revealed. For more information, click HERE.
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 include outstanding individual and Team skills, sportsmanship, clutch performance, personal character, competitiveness, and a love of Hockey. Consideration is also given to academic achievement and civic involvement. For a full list of previous honorees, click HERE.
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 February 15, 1990, at the age of 28 following a long struggle with a rare blood disease.
