Senior center Jenny Potter, the University of Minnesota Duluth's all-time scoring leader and the most-decorated player in Bulldog women's hockey history, has been chosen as one of three finalists for the 2004 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. She is joined by Harvard University senior defenseman Angela Ruggiero and Northeastern University senior goaltender Chanda Gunn. The award, which is given annually to the most outstanding player in women's collegiate ice hockey, will be presented on March 27 during the NCAA Women's Frozen Four tournament in Providence, RI.
Earlier this year, The USA Hockey Foundation asked women's NCAA Division I hockey head coaches to nominate up to two players from their team for The 2004 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. Those players were placed on an official ballot and sent to the coaches who then voted for the top 10 finalists.
The finalists, as well as the recipient of The 2004 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, are chosen by a 13-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 include outstanding individual and team skills, sportsmanship, performance in the clutch, personal character, competitiveness and a love of hockey. Consideration will also be given to academic achievement and civic involvement.
Potter, who also was a Top Three Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award finalist one year ago and was among the top 10 candidates in 2000, currently ranks second in the nation behind teammate Caroline Ouellette with 75 points on 36 goals and 39 assists in 34 games. The Eagan, MN, native has also been credited with an NCAA-leading 10 game-winning goals (10) and is tied for second in both shorthanded tallies (4) and goals per game average (1.06). Potter has rolled up 256 points (108 goals and 148 assists) in just 102 career outings while assuming the No. 1 spot on the Bulldogs' all-time scoring charts.
A member of the U.S. Olympic Team in 1998 and 2002, Potter topped the Western Collegiate Hockey Association in five categories this winter -- points (57), goals (28), shorthanded goals (4), shorthanded points (6), and game winning goals (7).
In the classroom, Potter carries a 3.33 grade-point average as an organizational behavior management major.
Potter and the three-time defending NCAA champion Bulldogs placed second in last weekend's WCHA Final Five playoff championships and are 20-12-2 overall in 2003-04.
