MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. - Jennifer Botterill (Winnipeg, Man.), a junior from Harvard University, has been selected as the recipient of The 2001 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, presented by Texaco.
An award of The USA Hockey Foundation, The Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award is given annually to the women's intercollegiate varsity ice hockey player who displays the highest standards of personal and team excellence during the season.
Botterill was honored at a dinner held earlier this evening at the Radisson Hotel Metrodome in Minneapolis.
Texaco is the Presenting Sponsor of The Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award and also supports other USA Hockey women's initiatives, including the 2001 International Ice Hockey Federations Women's World Championship and the USA Hockey Women's National Team Tour prior to the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Botterill was chosen from a group of three finalists that also included forward defenseman Courtney Kennedy (Woburn, Mass.), a senior from the University of Minnesota and forward Tammy Shewchuk (St. Laurent, Que.), a senior from Harvard University.
Botterill and the finalists of The 2001 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award were chosen by an 11-member selection committee comprised of women's intercollegiate varsity ice hockey coaches, representatives of the print and broadcast media, and a representative of USA Hockey, the National Governing Body for the sport of hockey in the United States.
Candidates for the award must compete for a women's intercollegiate varsity ice hockey team at an NCAA-member institution. Other 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.
"As a proud sponsor of USA Hockey, Texaco is pleased to be the Presenting Sponsor of The Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award for the third straight year," said Polly W. Rua, Sr. Manager Sponsorships. "We congratulate all the candidates, especially Jennifer Botterill, who through their passion, hard work and dedication have demonstrated outstanding individual and team skills, sportsmanship and world-class performance."
"After a stellar season in which Jennifer Botterill distinguished herself as the premier women's college hockey player in the nation, we are pleased to add her to the list of outstanding Kazmaier honorees," said The USA Hockey Foundation President Walter L. Bush, Jr. (Edina, Minn.). "Her achievements truly reflect the qualities and accomplishments that The Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award represents."
One of the best forwards in women's college hockey today, Botterill finished the 2000-01 regular season as the top scorer in the Eastern College Athletic Conference with 64 points (35 goals, 29 assists) in 22 league games.
Through 28 games this season, the Harvard University junior ranked second in the nation in scoring with 77 points (41 goals, 36 assists) and led the ECAC in points, goals, power-play points (17) and shorthanded points (6).
She was twice named the ECAC Player of the Week tallying nine points in two games for the week of January 5 and earning the honor in for the week of February 19 for registering the game-winning goal in overtime to lead Harvard to the 2001 Beanpot Championship.
Botterill, a member of the 2001 Canadian Women's National Team, was also recently named the Ivy League Player of the Year for the second consecutive season and became only the third player in the history of Harvard hockey to record more than 200 career points.
As the recipient of The 2001 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, presented by Texaco, Botterill was presented with a custom-designed award hand-crafted by Tiffany & Co.
The award is named in honor of the late Patty Kazmaier, who was a four-year varsity letter-winner and All-Ivy League honoree for the Princeton University women's ice hockey team from 1981-82 through 1985-86. An accomplished athlete who excelled in ice hockey, field hockey and lacrosse, 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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