Harvey, Murphy headline 2026 Patty Kazmaier Top 10 finalists
Some of the best players in all of college hockey are being recognized for their incredible performances this season.
On Thursday, the USA Hockey Foundation revealed the 10 finalists for the 2026 Patty Kazmaier Award, which goes to the best player in NCAA Division I Women’s Hockey.
Among the notable players is a quartet from the University of Wisconsin. Leading the charge is defender Caroline Harvey. The 2025-26 season will go down in the history books for the senior blueliner. Not only is she on pace for another career season with the Badgers, but Harvey is also coming off a memorable performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics, helping the United States take home the gold medal, while earning tournament MVP and Best Defender honors in the process. The Salem, N.H. native sits fourth in the country with 58 points in just 28 games, sitting second in points per game (2.07).
The other convincing favorite to win the award is Minnesota forward Abbey Murphy. The Evergreen Park, Ill. native elected to hold off on entering the PWHL after last season, returning to Minneapolis for a fifth year. The move has paid off, as she has left no stone unturned with the Golden Gophers. She sits second in the nation with 38 goals and 64 points.
Another Wisconsin star in the running for the Patty Kaz is Laila Edwards. She has become one of the most feared players in hockey, regardless of what level. She finished third in the Olympics behind Harvey and Megan Keller with nine points, and has shown her versatility by playing both forward and defense at Wisconsin. The Cleveland Heights, Ohio native has 39 points in 23 games, sitting seventh in the NCAA with 1.70 points per game.
Simms was another Badger who was on the dominant American team in Milan. While she didn’t have the same spotlight as her fellow Wisconsin teammates, the Plymouth, Mich. native, who was the hero in last year’s national title game, is still one of the best players in college hockey. In 36 games, she has 22 goals and 51 points, sixth in the country in scoring.
Edwards and Harvey were finalists for the award last year, which went to teammate Casey O’Brien. Simms was a finalist in 2023, losing out to Cornell star Izzy Daniel.
The only Badger on this list that didn’t play in Italy was Lacey Eden. A surprising cut from the national team, the fifth-year forward didn’t let the decision affect her play, as she carried the load for the Badgers with the Olympics ongoing. She shot herself up the charts, now leading the country with 70 points in 36 games.
Two other players who represented the U.S. at the Winter Games were Ohio State’s Joy Dunne and Penn State’s Tessa Janecke. Dunne proved to be an important depth piece for John Wroblewski’s team in Milan, only building off what has been an incredible college career. The junior has hit 40 points in all three of her seasons with the Buckeyes, scoring 47 points in 26 games this year.
Janecke is on pace for another 50-point season if she has a strong performance in the Atlantic Hockey America finals this weekend. The Orangeville, Ill. native has scored 23 goals and 44 points in 28 games this season.
A couple of under-the-radar finalists for the Patty Kaz include the nation’s leading goal scorer. Kahlen Lamarche has led the Quinnipiac Bobcats by becoming a lethal scoring weapon, scoring an incredible 42 goals this year. She has Quinnipiac poised to make a run to the ECAC title, and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
One of the best teams in Hockey East this year has been Connecticut, with a lot of credit going to goaltender Tia Chan. The senior netminder has proven to be one of the best at her position this season. She has a record of 25-7-2 in 34 games, tied for second for the most wins in the NCAA, with a .948 save percentage that is third. Boston Fleet netminder Aerin Frankel is the latest goaltender to win the Patty Kazmaier Award.
Not to be lost heading into the ECAC Championship weekend are the Princeton Tigers, led by senior Issy Wunder. The Toronto native has been the constant for a retooled team that has flourished under first-year head coach Courtney Kessel. Wunder is tied for third in goals with Eden, with both having potted 27 markers this year.
The top-three finalists are expected to be announced next Wednesday, March 11. The Patty Kazmaier Award presentation will take place during Frozen Four weekend on the campus of Penn State University, Saturday, March 21.