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2025 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Top-10 Finalists Named
Eight forwards and two defenders among honorees
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The 10 finalists for the 2025 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award were announced today by the USA Hockey Foundation.
The honor, which was first presented in 1998, is awarded annually to the top player in NCAA Division I Women’s Ice Hockey by The USA Hockey Foundation.
The finalists, in alphabetical order, are as follows:
| Name | Position | Year | School | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joy Dunne | Forward | Sophomore | Ohio State University | O'Fallon, Mo. |
| Laila Edwards | Forward | Junior | University of Wisconsin | Cleveland Heights, Ohio |
| Caroline Harvey | Defender | Junior | University of Wisconsin | Salem, N.H. |
| Tessa Janecke | Forward | Junior | Penn State University | Warren, Ill. |
| Kristýna Kaltounková | Forward | Fifth Year | Colgate University | Vlasim, Czechia |
| Abbey Murphy | Forward | Redshirt Senior | University of Minnesota | Evergreen Park, Ill. |
| Casey O'Brien | Forward | Fifth Year | University of Wisconsin | Milton, Mass. |
| Kirsten Simms | Forward | Junior | University of Wisconsin | Plymouth, Mich. |
| Haley Winn | Defender | Senior | Clarkson University | Rochester, N.Y. |
| Issy Wunder | Forward | Junior | Princeton University | Toronto, Ont. |
NOTES: Among the top-10 finalists are eight forwards and two defenders… The University of Wisconsin has four top-10 finalists, while Clarkson University, Colgate University, Ohio State University, Penn State University, Princeton University and University of Minnesota have one finalist each … This year marks this first time since University of Minnesota in 2013 that a school has four top-10 finalists … Kaltounkova is the first top-10 finalist to hail from Czechia … The top-three finalists are expected to be announced on Wednesday, March 12, with the winner being revealed on March 22 as the highlight of Saturday at the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four in Minneapolis.
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 who were nominated by multiple coaches were then placed on an official ballot, which was returned to the coaches to vote for the ten finalists. The three finalists, including the recipient of the 2025 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 2025 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Show will be broadcast live from the McNamara Alumni Center, on the campus of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, as part of Saturday at the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four. The event is free of charge and fans can enter the facility at 11 a.m. CT with all guests seated at 11:20 a.m. and the live 30-minute television show beginning promptly at 11:30 a.m. The three finalists will be on hand, in addition to the Frozen Four teams, as the 28th winner of the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award will be revealed. Following the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Show, fans will have a chance to get autographs from previous Patty Kazmier Memorial Award winners Krissy Wendell-Pohl, AJ Mleczko, Kendall Coyne Schofield and Taylor Heise. 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 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. 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 Feb. 15, 1990, at the age of 28 following a long struggle with a rare blood disease.
Top 10 Finalists
Stats updated as of March 6, 2025
Joy Dunne
Ohio State University - Sophomore - Forward
Tied for seventh in the nation in points per game (1.44) … Tied for ninth in country in goals per game (.67) ... All-WCHA Second Team selection ... WCHA All-Academic Team … WCHA Scholar-Athlete … Two-time WCHA Forward of the Week for Oct. 28 and Nov. 4 … Preseason All-WCHA … Volunteers at the Dream Center, working with underserved individuals and families in Columbus … Pen pals with a local second grade class – visits with the class, write letters back and forth
Laila Edwards
University of Wisconsin - Junior - Forward
Ranks second in country in goals per game (.83) … Tied for second in nation in points per game (1.78) … All-WCHA First Team selection … Ranks second in WCHA in points in conference contests (48) … Forbes 2025 30 Athletes Under 30 Selection … WCHA Forward of the Month for November … Two-time WCHA Forward of the Week for Oct. 14 and Jan. 20 … Volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House of Dane County and American Family Children’s Hospital at the Badger Patio
Caroline Harvey
University of Wisconsin - Junior - Defender
Leads nation for defenders in points per game (1.55), goals per game (.42) and assists per game (1.11) … Ranks third in the nation for all players in assists per game and sixth in points per game … All-WCHA First Team selection … Two-time WCHA Defender of the Month for October and November … HCA National Player of the Month for September … Six-time WCHA Defender of the Week for Sept. 30, Oct. 7, Oct. 21, Nov. 4, Dec. 2 and Feb. 24
Tessa Janecke
Penn State University - Junior - Forward
Ranks first in the AHA and tied for seventh in the country in points per game (1.44) … Ranks first in the AHA and tied for seventh in the nation in goals per game (.67) … Four-time AHA Forward of the Week for Oct. 7, Nov. 18, Jan. 27 and March 3… Leads NCAA in won faceoffs (586) … Two-time AHA Forward of the Month for October and November … Serves as a member of the Nittany’s Committee – presents the yearly Penn State student-athlete awards … Volunteers for Night to Shine and in Martin Luther King Day packaging event held by Put People First … Volunteered with THON- a student-run philanthropy committed to enhancing the lives of children and families impacted by childhood cancer … Participated in Skate with Girls events at her home rink in Orangeville, Ill.
Kristýna Kaltounková
Colgate University - Fifth Year - Forward
Ranks third in ECAC Hockey and fourth in the nation in goals per game (.76) … Ranks third in ECAC Hockey and 11th in the country in points per game (1.41) … Ranks second in goals per game (.70) in ECAC Hockey contests … All-ECAC Hockey First Team selection … Two-time ECAC Hockey Forward of the Week for Nov. 5 and Nov. 19 … Member of the Rising Raiders youth mentorship program … Provides one-on-one coaching to local youth hockey players … Volunteer at the Cornerstone Community Church in Utica, N.Y.
Abbey Murphy
University of Minnesota - Redshirt Senior - Forward
Ranks fifth in the nation and fourth in WCHA in points per game (1.55) … Ranks second in WCHA and fifth in the country in goals per game (.76) … All-WCHA Second Team selection … HCA Co-National Player of the Month for December … HCA National Player of the Month for January … WCHA Forward of the Week for Nov. 18 and Dec. 9 … All-WCHA Preseason Team … Volunteers as Masonic Children’s Hospital, delivers teddy bears to patients with teammates … Volunteers to provide food for the homeless … Helped raise funds for Christmas Without Cancer … Skates with young athletes through “Rink Roots”
Casey O'Brien
University of Wisconsin - Fifth Year - Forward
Leads nation in points per game (2.19) and assists per game (1.53) … Tied for seventh in the country in goals per game (.67) … All-WCHA First Team selection … HCA National Player of the Month for September … Two-time WCHA Forward of the Month for September and October … Three-time WCHA Forward of the Week for Sept. 30, Oct. 7 and Feb. 10 … Has volunteered at the American Family Children’s Hospital Bucky Locker Room Patio, the Ronald McDonald House and Augie’s Lunches with Love
Kirsten Simms
University of Wisconsin - Junior - Forward
Ranks second in the nation in assists per game (1.17) … Tied for second in the country in points per game (1.78) … All-WCHA First Team selection … Preseason All-WCHA Team … Preseason WCHA Player of the Year … WCHA Forward of the Week for Dec. 2 … Has volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House of Dane County and with the American Family Children’s Hospital at the Badger Patio
Haley Winn
Clarkson University - Senior - Defender
Ranks second in the nation and first in ECAC Hockey in points per game by a defender (1.29) … Ranks eighth in the nation for all skaters and second for defenders in assists per game (.89) … Unanimous All-ECAC Hockey First Team selection … Two-time ECAC Hockey Defender of the Month for October and December … Five-time ECAC Hockey Defender of the Week for Oct. 1, Oct. 15, Nov. 26, Dec. 3 and Dec. 10 … Volunteers with school visits in Potsdam and Colton, N.Y. … Volunteers at youth practices, with the Lil’ Knights Club and with community clean up
Issy Wunder
Princeton University - Junior - Forward
Ranks first in ECAC Hockey and fourth in the nation in points per game (1.56) … Ranks second in ECAC Hockey and third in country in goals per game (.81) … All-ECAC Hockey First Team selection … ECAC Hockey Forward of the Month for November … HCA National Player of the Month for November … Served as a volunteer for Reading for the Tigers and Coaching Barbies at Baker … Serves as a mentor for young hockey players in Toronto, guiding them through high school hockey and the NCAA recruiting process as Canadians … Hosts young girls for one-on-one training sessions
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