The USA Hockey Foundation announced the finalists for the 2020 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, given to the top player in NCAA Division I women’s hockey, and a pair of Northeastern players are among the 10 finalists.
Junior goalie Aerin Frankel (New York, N.Y.) and sophomore forward Alina Mueller (Switzerland) are candidates to receive the award, which will be unveiled at a brunch ceremony at the Royal Sonesta in Cambridge on March 21 during the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four weekend hosted by Boston University.
The other finalists are Elizabeth Giguere from Clarkson, Emma Maltais from Ohio State, Jaime Bourbonnais and Lindsay Browning from Cornell, and a trio from Wisconin, including former Boston College standout Daryl Watts, along with Abby Roque and Sophie Shirley.
Watts became the first underclassmen to win the award as a first-year player at BC in 2018. The forward from Toronto transferred to Wisconsin after her sophomore season, and could become the second player ever to capture two Kazmaier awards if selected in March. Watts currently leads the country with 67 points and 45 assists over 32 games.
A vote of coaches produced the 10 finalists and a 13-member selection committee will vote on the winner next month. Prior to the official annoucnement on March 21, the field will be narrowed to three finalists on Feb. 27.
Nate Weitzer can be reached at [email protected]