University of Minnesota Athletics
Duo Named Patty Kazmaier Finalists
2/23/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award | Top-10 Finalists info
MINNEAPOLIS - University of Minnesota junior forward Kelly Pannek and sophomore forward Sarah Potomak are among the top-10 finalists for the 2017 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, the USA Hockey Foundation announced today.
The 2017 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award will be unveiled during a brunch ceremony at the Foundry Arts Centre in St. Charles, Mo. The ceremony will take part on Saturday, March 18 at 9:30 a.m. CT as part of the 2017 Frozen Four festivities. Tickets are on sale now at PattyKaz.com.
Joining Pannek and Potomak in the top-10 finalists for this year's award are: senior goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens (University of Wisconsin), junior defenseman Megan Keller (Boston College), senior defenseman Kelsey Koelzer (Princeton University), junior forward Kennedy Marchment (St. Lawrence University), senior forward Cayley Mercer (Clarkson University), junior forward Annie Pankowski (University of Wisconsin), senior forward Lara Stalder (University of Minnesota Duluth) and senior forward Brooke Webster (St. Lawrence University).
Seven schools are represented in the top-10, including two finalists each for St. Lawrence, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Among the top-10 finalists are seven forwards, two defensemen, and one goaltender, including five seniors, four juniors and one sophomore. The Western Collegiate Hockey Association leads all conferences with five finalists, while ECAC Hockey boasts four finalists and the Hockey East Association has one finalist.
Both Pannek and Potomak are first-time finalists for college women's hockey's most prestigious award. Last season, Hannah Brandt (top-three) and Dani Cameranesi (top-10) were finalists for Minnesota.
Minnesota has had two Patty Kazmaier award winners in Amanda Kessel (2013) and Krissy Wendell (2005). Eighteen Gophers have been named finalists 31 times, including Pannek and Potomak.
Kelly Pannek, Junior Forward (Plymouth, Minn.)
Pannek is the NCAA leader with 57 points, 40 assists, 12 power-play assists, 18 power-play points, and 478 faceoff wins. In addition, she is third in the NCAA with six game-winning goals and ranks fourth in the NCAA with a +37 plus/minus rating. Pannek is on top in the WCHA with 44 points, 30 assists, four power-play goals, eight power-play assists, 12 power-play points, and 403 faceoff wins in 28 conference games.
This season, Pannek is a two-time WCHA Player of the Week, and November's WCHA Player of the Month. She became the 32nd to surpass 100 career points earlier this season. Currently, her 150 career points (54g-96a) rank 18th in Minnesota history. She has at least one point in 28 of Minnesota's 33 games with 15 multi-point games this season and had 44 points (14g-30a) during a 20-game point streak from Oct. 14 to Jan. 20. Pannek tied Minnesota's record for fastest consecutive goals by an individual player with two goals in a 15-second span against Bemidji State.
Pannek is a Finance major with a minor in Supply Chain & Operations Management studying in the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. Her volunteer experience includes University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital, HopeKids, White Dove Foundation, Playworks, Women's Prison Book Project, and area youth hockey associations.
Head coach Brad Frost on Pannek:
"Kelly has put together a remarkable season this year. She is one of the most gifted players we have had in our program in particular the way she sees the ice and creates opportunities for herself and her teammates. Her patience, poise, and puck handling skills are simply elite. In big situations Kelly steps up and provides leadership for our team. Winning faceoffs, blocking shots, playing in both ends of the ice as well as the power play and penalty kill. She is a complete player who has led us on the ice in every category along with providing leadership and team building off the ice. She is an outstanding student, a great member of our community, a loyal friend to her teammates, and a wonderful person."
Sarah Potomak, Sophomore Forward (Aldergrove, British Columbia)
Among all NCAA players, Potomak ranks eighth in points (46) and tied for sixth in assists (29). Her 0.91 assists per game ranks seventh, and her 1.44 points per game is 10th in the nation. Potomak's +39 plus/minus rating is second in the NCAA, and her six game-winning goals rank are tied for third. Among WCHA players in conference play, Potomak ranks second in assists (24) and plus/minus (+34); third in points (38); tied for third in game-winning goals (5); tied for fifth in goals (14); and tied for sixth in power-play goals (3).
Potomak was named the WCHA Offensive Player of the Month for October and picked up WCHA Offensive Player of the Week honors after scoring three goals, including both game-winning goals, in the Gophers' series sweep against Minnesota Duluth in October. She became 34th player in Gophers history to reach 100 career points (32g-68a). She scored first career hat trick in a 3-2 win at Ohio State in October as well. On the season, Potomak has 13 multi-point games, including eight multi-assist games.
Potomak is an Elementary Education major, and her volunteer experience includes University of Minnesota thank-a-thon and Gopher women's hockey community appearances.
Coach Frost on Potomak:
"Sarah's passion for the game of hockey and her desire to improve each and every day are admirable. She has a knack for scoring goals, especially at critical moments when we need someone to step up and get the job done. Sarah is a relentless skater who not only creates offensive chances with her quickness but also uses her speed to pressure the opponent and help our team up and down the length of the ice in both zones. Sarah's puck handling ability, quick hands, and shot release in tight spaces create goal scoring chances for her and her teammates. Sarah is a humble and servant leader who encourages her teammates and others as she leads by example in the classroom, in the dressing room, and in life."
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.
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