PORTSMOUTH, N.H. (March 23, 2002) -- The USA Hockey Foundation today announced that Brooke Whitney (Snohomish, Wash.), a senior from Northeastern University, has been selected as the recipient of The 2002 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, presented by ChevronTexaco. 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.
Whitney was honored at a dinner held earlier this evening at the Sheraton Harborside Portsmouth in Portsmouth, N.H. She was chosen from a group of three finalists that also included junior defenseman Ronda Curtin (Roseville, Minn.) from the University of Minnesota, and junior forward Carly Haggard (Port Alberni, B.C.) from Dartmouth College.
Whitney and the finalists of The 2002 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award were chosen by a 12-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, ChevronTexaco is pleased to be the Presenting Sponsor of The Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award for the fourth straight year,” said Polly W. Rua, Sr. Manager Sponsorships. “We congratulate all the candidates, especially Brooke Whitney, who through their passion, hard work and dedication have demonstrated outstanding individual and team skills, sportsmanship and world-class performance.”
“Brooke Whitney epitomizes both the on-ice excellence as well as the off-ice ideals and character represented by The Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award,” said USA Hockey Foundation President Walter L. Bush, Jr. (Edina, Minn.). “Selected from a group of outstanding finalists, Brooke is truly deserving of this year’s honor as we celebrate the fifth anniversary of the award.”
Brooke Whitney established herself as one of the premier players in women’s college hockey during the 2001-02 campaign, finishing the regular season as the leading scorer in the Eastern College Athletic Conference-Eastern League, with 53 points (31 goals, 22 assists) in 32 games.
In addition, she ranked third in the nation in points (53) and goals-per game average (0.97), tied for first with three short-handed goals, and led all players in the nation with eight game-winning goals at the conclusion of the regular season. During 2001-02, Whitney also became only the fifth player in Northeastern
University women’s ice hockey history to record at least 30 goals in a season, and was named the ECAC-Eastern League Player of the Week three times.
In the postseason, Whitney tallied two assists in one game against Boston College in the quarterfinal round of 2002 ECAC-Eastern League Championship, then notched one goal versus the University of New Hampshire in the semifinals to help the Huskies advance to the championship game.
She was recently named the ECAC-Eastern League Player of the Year and was selected to the ECAC-Eastern League All-Conference First Team.
Whitney was also one of 44 players selected to the 2001 USA Hockey Women’s National Festival last August, which served as the selection camp for the 2001-02 USA Hockey Women’s National Team. A co-captain of the Huskies, she holds a 3.0 grade-point average in marketing and volunteers in an after-school program for children. Whitney is the daughter of Charles and Carole Whitney.
ChevronTexaco is the Presenting Sponsor of The Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, and as the recipient, Whitney was given a custom-designed trophy hand-crafted by Tiffany & Co. Havoline, a product of ChevronTexaco, has also served as an Official Sponsor of the USA Hockey Women’s National and Olympic Teams, and the Visa Skate To Salt Lake Tour prior to the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.
The award is named in honor of the late Patty Kazmaier, 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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