Patty Kazmaier Award

The presentation of the 2025 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, which honors the top player in the NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey, will take place Saturday, March 22, on the campus of the University of Minnesota. The ceremony, which is open to the public and is free to attend, will begin promptly at 11:30 a.m. CT and will be televised live on NHL Network. A free autograph signing with women’s hockey legends will be held immediately following the ceremony.

Dunne is certainly familiar with hockey culture as the youngest of six siblings who all played the sport at an elite level. Sisters Jincy and Jessica previously starred at Ohio State — Jincy was a member of the 2022 U.S. Olympic Women’s Hockey Team, taking home a silver medal— and brother Joshua played in the NHL with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sister Josey also played Division I hockey at Minnesota and Lindenwood, while brother James played at Oklahoma State.

“We’re all extremely close and we absolutely love spending time with each other,” Dunne said. “With all of them walking similar processes, I always joke that they’ve made a lot of errors so I didn’t have to. They have really given me the blueprint and I’m just super thankful.”

The youngest Dunne is carving her own path at Ohio State. Last year, she became the first player in school history to be named National Rookie of the Year. 

Dunne led the Buckeyes with 24 goals as a freshman, including the lone goal in the national championship game against Wisconsin. 

“What an incredible game to be part of and getting to score that goal … what an incredible honor,” she said. “I’m so thankful and I still can’t believe it happened.”

Dunne continues to build on her historic freshman season. She has 24 goals — and a career-best 30 assists and 54 points. 

She is also within striking distance of the Ohio State single-season record of 59 points held by Emma Maltais, a two-time top-10 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award.

“Something I strive for is to play a complete game and to stay consistent,”Dunne said. “Sometimes it will rattle you, but I try not to get too caught up in the points. At the end of the day, that’s not what it’s about. It’s about winning a national championship.”

Nadine Muzzerall, head coach at Ohio State, called Dunne a “complete 200-foot hockey player.”

“While she is known for her size, physicality and ability to get shots on net, what makes Joy a unique player is how important she is to our defensive scheme, especially on the penalty kill,” Muzzerall said. “Joy does all the dirty stuff that most players don't like to do. Her toughness is uncanny. Someone of her size does not usually produce on both side of the game like she does. She started as a goalie and has made her way up the ice and because of that, she sees the ice differently and with a different perspective than many in her position."

Dunne played a significant role in Ohio State’s national championship during her freshman year, but she said she feels more comfortable in her second season.

“I definitely feel my feet under me more and it has helped me want to play a complete game,” she said. “It’s not just how many good shots I’m getting, but how many good blocks I am getting, too. I really want to be intentional in all aspects of my game and the maturity of that mindset has helped.”

Muzzerall agreed that Dunne has taken strides forward during her sophomore season. 

"People will measure it based on points and those are the people that don't see her every single day,” Muzzerall said. “I talk about the maturity in her game, the maturity off the ice. But she's not getting tied up on points. She's getting tied up on, 'What does my team need for me to do to win this game?' We lost a lot of talent last year and she's had to play a very important leadership role as a sophomore. She's our top point producer as a sophomore, amongst good a good senior class, and she's had to elevate her game to help replace a high-scoring graduating class."

After her impressive freshman season, Dunne represented the United States and won a silver medal at the Women’s World Championship last April. Dunne recorded a goal and an assist in seven games.

Dunne will have the opportunity to do it again as a sophomore, as the U.S. selected her to play in the upcoming 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship, which will take place in Czechia this April.

“Making the team was a great honor and I just wanted to be a sponge,”Dunne said. “I had the utmost respect for every girl on that team and I knew I was surrounded by greatness. These girls have had long, successful careers and I want to do that, too. It was quite the honor.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.