University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey senior center Gabbie Hughes has been named a 2022 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Top-3 Finalist, the USA Hockey Foundation announced Thursday.  The honor, which began in 1998, is presented annually to the top player in NCAA Division I women's ice hockey.

Hughes, who scored four goals in the opening two games of the NCAA Tournament last weekend -- including both game-winners -- becomes the seventh player in Bulldog program history to be named a top-3 finalist.  The last UMD player to earn the honor was Lara Stalder in 2017.



The Lino Lakes, Minn. native scored her first collegiate hat trick against Harvard last Thursday before polishing off the No. 2 University of Minnesota with a game-winning goal for four goals in the opening two games of the NCAA Tournament. Those four goals over two games puts Hughes into a tie for the fourth-most NCAA Tournament goals in program history, and ties her for the most goals ever by a Bulldog in a single NCAA Tournament.



Named an 2021-22 All-WCHA First Team selection last month, Hughes currently has a 1.55  ppg game clip – the fourth-highest in the nation – after leading the NCAA for most of the season with the most points per game. Tied for third in the NCAA with 59 points and the fifth most assists, those 37 helpers are tie her for the 9th most in a UMD single-season ever. Named the HCA National Player of the Month and WCHA Forward of the Month for December, Hughes was also twice named the league's Forward of the Week on Jan. 31 and Jan. 3.  With 59 points (22g, 37a), Hughes has also posted multiple point games 18 times this season, including nine games with three or more points, and ranks fourth among all centers in the NCAA with 490 wins.

Equally as impressive has been Hughes' assault on the career record books at UMD.  The assistant senior captain now has 168 career points (71g, 97a) in 125 games, and is now tied for eighth all-time in career points in program history. Hughes also ranks eighth all-time with 97 career assists, and was the seventh-fastest player in program history to score 150 points. UMD's scoring leader in two of her first three seasons (and missed out last season by a single point, Hughes was an All-WCHA Second Team selection as both a junior and a sophomore, and was named to the WCHA's All-Rookie Team as a freshman in 2018-19.

Hughes is also one of five finalists for the 2022 Hockey Humanitarian Award.  The award, which is celebrating its 27th season, is presented annually to college hockey's finest citizen — a student-athlete who makes significant contributions not only to his or her team but also to the community-at-large through leadership in volunteerism.

Hughes is UMD's seventh top-3 finalists and the program overall has had 18 honorees among the finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, dating back to 2000, including Elizabeth Giguere this season. (While the award has existed since 1998, UMD did not have a program until the 1999-00 season.)

ALL-TIME UMD PATTY KAZMAIER AWARD TOP-3 FINALISTS

2022 Gabbie Hughes, Forward

2017 Lara Stalder Forward

2008 Kim Martin Goaltender

2006 Riitta Schaublin Goaltender

2005 Caroline Ouellette Forward

2004 Jenny Potter Forward

2003 Jenny Potter Forward
 

SELECTION PROCESS

The selection process commenced earlier this month 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 2022 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. The top-three finalists are expected to be announced on Thursday, March 17. 

The presentation of the 2022 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award is scheduled for Saturday, March 26. More details around the unveiling will be shared soon.           

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.

 

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.