Western Collegiate Hockey Association women's individual awards explained

The Western Collegiate Hockey Association gives awards at the conclusion of each season. The current awards include Player of the Year, Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year, as well as the league leaders in points scoring and goaltending. In addition, several WCHA players have won the Patty Kazmaier Award for the nation's best women's college hockey player.

Past winners have included numerous Olympic medalists and players in professional hockey leagues in North America and Europe. Minnesota is the most successful team, with 60 award winners and statistical leaders. All current members of the conference are represented.

Hannah Brandt of Minnesota won five awards over her career; she was named Rookie of the Year, led the league in scoring twice, and was named Player of the Year twice. Seven other players have won three or more awards over their careers. No player has won more than two awards in a single season; eleven players have achieved this feat. Mark Johnson of Wisconsin has been named Coach of the Year nine times.

Patty Kazmaier Award

The Patty Kazmaier Award has been awarded annually since 1998 to the top player in NCAA Division I women's hockey. In that time, 8 players have won the award while playing for WCHA schools.^[1]

Year	Player	Position	School
2005		Forward	Minnesota
2006		Forward	Wisconsin
2009		Goaltender	Wisconsin
2011		Forward	Wisconsin
2012		Forward	Wisconsin
2013		Forward	Minnesota
2017		Goaltender	Wisconsin
2022	Taylor Heise	Forward	Minnesota
2023	Sophie Jaques	Defense	Ohio State

Winners by school

School	Winners	Years
Wisconsin	5	2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2017
Minnesota	3	2005, 2013, 2022
Ohio State	1	2023

Player of the Year

Season	Player	Pos.	School
1999–2000		Forward	Minnesota–Duluth
2000–01		Defense	Minnesota
2001–02		Defense	Minnesota
2002–03	Jenny Schmidgall-Potter (2)	Forward	Minnesota–Duluth
2003–04		Forward	Minnesota
2004–05	Krissy Wendell (2)	Forward	Minnesota
2005–06		Forward	Wisconsin
2006–07	Sara Bauer (2)	Forward	Wisconsin
2007–08		Defense	Ohio State
2008–09		Forward	Wisconsin
2009–10	Felicia Nelson	Forward	St. Cloud State
2009–10		Goaltender	Bemidji State
2010–11		Forward	Wisconsin
2011–12		Forward	Wisconsin
2012–13		Forward	Minnesota
2013–14		Forward	Minnesota
2014–15	Hannah Brandt (2)	Forward	Minnesota
2015–16		Goaltender	Wisconsin
2016–17		Forward	Minnesota–Duluth
2017–18		Defense	Minnesota
2018–19		Forward	Wisconsin
2019–20		Forward	Wisconsin
2020–21		Forward	Wisconsin
2021–22		Forward	Minnesota
2022–23		Defense	Ohio State
2023–24		Forward	Wisconsin

Winners by school

School	Winners	Years
Wisconsin	10	2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2015–16, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2023–24
Minnesota	9	2000–01, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2017–18, 2021–22
Minnesota–Duluth	3	1999–2000, 2002–03, 2016–17
Ohio State	2	2007–08, 2022–23
Bemidji State	1	2009–10
St. Cloud State	1	2009–10

Student-Athlete of the Year

Season	Player	Pos.	School
1999–2000	Katie Beaudy	Goaltender	Minnesota State
1999–2000	Shannon Kennedy	Forward	Minnesota
2000–01	Bre Dedrickson	Goaltender	Bemidji State
2001–02	Guylaine Haché	Forward	Bemidji State
2002–03	Anik Coté	Goaltender	Bemidji State
2003–04		Defense	Ohio State
2004–05		Forward	Minnesota–Duluth
2005–06	Riitta Schaublin	Goaltender	Minnesota–Duluth
2006–07	Riitta Schaublin (2)	Goaltender	Minnesota–Duluth
2007–08	Casie Hanson	Forward	North Dakota
2008–09		Forward	Minnesota
2009–10	Caitlin Hogan	Forward	St. Cloud State
2010–11		Defense	Minnesota–Duluth
2011–12		Forward	North Dakota
2012–13	Jocelyne Lamoureux (2)	Forward	North Dakota
2013–14		Forward	Minnesota
2014–15	Shelby Amsley-Benzie	Goaltender	North Dakota
2015–16	Shelby Amsley-Benzie (2)	Goaltender	North Dakota
2016–17		Forward	Minnesota–Duluth
2017–18		Defense	Minnesota–Duluth
2018–19	Corbin Boyd	Forward	Minnesota State
2019–20	Alex Woken	Forward	Minnesota
2020–21	Mak Langei	Forward	Bemidji State
2021–22	Sophie Jaques	Defense	Ohio State
2022–23		Goaltender	Minnesota–Duluth
2023–24	Clara Van Wieren	Forward	Minnesota–Duluth

Winners by school

School	Winners	Years
Minnesota–Duluth	8	2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2010–11, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2022–23, 2023–24
North Dakota	5	2007–08, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16
Minnesota	4	1999–2000, 2008–09, 2013–14, 2019–20
Bemidji State	4	2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2020–21
Minnesota State	2	1999–2000, 2018–19
Ohio State	2	2003–04, 2021–22
St. Cloud State	1	2009–10

Defensive Player of the Year

Season	Player	School
1999–2000		Minnesota
2000–01		Minnesota
2001–02		Minnesota
2002–03	Ronda Curtin (2)	Minnesota
2003–04		Wisconsin
2004–05	Molly Engstrom (2)	Wisconsin
2005–06		Wisconsin
2006–07		Wisconsin
2007–08		Ohio State
2008–09	Melanie Gagnon	Minnesota
2009–10		Minnesota
2010–11		Minnesota–Duluth
2011–12		Wisconsin
2012–13		Minnesota
2013–14		Minnesota
2014–15	Rachel Ramsey (2)	Minnesota
2015–16	Ivana Bilic	Bemidji State
2016–17		Minnesota–Duluth
2017–18		Minnesota
2018–19		Ohio State
2019–20	Jincy Dunne (2)	Ohio State
2020–21		Minnesota–Duluth
2021–22	Sophie Jaques	Ohio State
2022–23	Sophie Jaques (2)	Ohio State
2023–24	Caroline Harvey	Wisconsin

Winners by school

School	Winners	Years
Minnesota	10	1999–2000, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2017–18
Wisconsin	6	2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2011–12, 2023–24
Ohio State	5	2007–08, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2022–23
Minnesota–Duluth	3	2010–11, 2016–17, 2020–21
Bemidji State	1	2015–16

Rookie of the Year

Season	Player	Pos.	School
1999–2000		Forward	Minnesota–Duluth
2000–01	Meghan Hunter	Forward	Wisconsin
2001–02	Jeni Creary	Forward	Ohio State
2002–03		Forward	Minnesota
2003–04		Forward	Wisconsin
2004–05	Bobbi Ross	Forward	Minnesota
2005–06		Forward	Minnesota
2006–07		Forward	Wisconsin
2007–08		Forward	Minnesota–Duluth
2008–09		Forward	Minnesota
2009–10	Hokey Langan	Forward	Ohio State
2010–11		Forward	Minnesota
2011–12		Forward	North Dakota
2012–13		Forward	Minnesota
2013–14		Forward	Minnesota
2014–15		Forward	Wisconsin
2015–16		Forward	Minnesota
2016–17		Forward	Wisconsin
2017–18		Forward	Ohio State
2018–19		Forward	Wisconsin
2019–20	Madeline Wethington	Forward	Minnesota
2020–21	Jamie Nelson	Forward	Minnesota State
2021–22	Peyton Hemp	Forward	Minnesota
2022–23		Defense	Wisconsin
2023–24	Joy Dunne	Forward	Ohio State

Winners by school

School	Winners	Years
Minnesota	10	2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2019–20, 2021–22
Wisconsin	7	2000–01, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2018–19, 2022–23
Ohio State	4	2001–02, 2009–10, 2017–18, 2023–24
Minnesota–Duluth	2	1999–2000, 2007–08
Minnesota State	1	2020–21
North Dakota	1	2011–12

Coach of the Year

Season	Coach	School
1999–2000		Minnesota–Duluth
2000–01		Minnesota
2000–01	Kerry Wethington	St. Cloud State
2001–02	Laura Halldorson (2)	Minnesota
2002–03		Wisconsin
2002–03	Shannon Miller (2)	Minnesota–Duluth
2003–04	Jeff Vizenor	Minnesota State
2004–05	Laura Halldorson (3)	Minnesota
2005–06	Mark Johnson (2)	Wisconsin
2006–07	Mark Johnson (3)	Wisconsin
2007–08		Minnesota
2008–09	Brad Frost (2)	Minnesota
2008–09	Mark Johnson (4)	Wisconsin
2009–10	Steve Sertich	Bemidji State
2010–11	Mark Johnson (5)	Wisconsin
2011–12	Mark Johnson (6)	Wisconsin
2012–13	Brad Frost (3)	Minnesota
2013–14	Brad Frost (4)	Minnesota
2014–15	Jim Scanlan	Bemidji State
2015–16	Mark Johnson (7)	Wisconsin
2016–17		Minnesota–Duluth
2017–18		Ohio State
2018–19	Mark Johnson (8)	Wisconsin
2019–20	Nadine Muzerall (2)	Ohio State
2020–21	Mark Johnson (9)	Wisconsin
2021–22	Nadine Muzerall (3)	Ohio State
2022–23	Brian Idalski	St. Cloud State
2022–23	Nadine Muzerall (4)	Ohio State
2023–24	Nadine Muzerall (5)	Ohio State

Winners by school

School	Winners	Years
Wisconsin	9	2002–03, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2015–16, 2018–19, 2020–21
Minnesota	7	2000–01, 2001–02, 2004–05, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2012–13, 2013–14
Ohio State	5	2017–18, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24
Minnesota–Duluth	3	1999–2000, 2002–03, 2016–17
Bemidji State	2	2009–10, 2014–15
St. Cloud State	2	2000–01, 2022–23
Minnesota State	1	2003–04

Statistical leaders

Scoring champion

Season	Player	Position	School	Games	Goals	Assists	Points
2003–04		Forward	Minnesota–Duluth	24	28	29	57
2004–05		Forward	Minnesota	28	27	45	72
2005–06	Erica McKenzie	Forward	Minnesota	28	18	22	40
2006–07		Forward	Wisconsin	28	16	35	51
2007–08		Forward	Minnesota–Duluth	26	18	25	43
2008–09		Forward	Minnesota	28	30	31	61
2009–10	Hokey Langan	Forward	Ohio State	28	25	26	51
2010–11		Forward	Wisconsin	28	27	34	61
2011–12		Forward	North Dakota	28	27	37	64
2012–13		Forward	Minnesota	25	34	41	75
2013–14		Forward	Minnesota	28	14	26	40
2014–15	Hannah Brandt (2)	Forward	Minnesota	27	21	29	50
2015–16		Forward	Minnesota	28	24	29	53
2016–17		Forward	Minnesota	32	16	31	47
2017–18		Forward	Minnesota	24	11	16	27
2018–19		Forward	Minnesota	24	10	17	27
2018–19		Forward	Ohio State	24	10	17	27
2019–20		Forward	Wisconsin	24	14	35	49
2020–21	Daryl Watts (2)	Forward	Wisconsin	16	15	16	31
2021–22		Forward	Minnesota	28	18	28	46
2022–23	Taylor Heise (2)	Forward	Minnesota	28	19	32	51
2023–24		Forward	Wisconsin	26	22	25	47

Winners by school

School	Winners	Years
Minnesota	12	2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2021–22, 2022–23
Wisconsin	5	2006–07, 2010–11, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2023–24
Minnesota–Duluth	2	2003–04, 2007–08
Ohio State	2	2009–10, 2018–19
North Dakota	1	2011–12

Goaltending champion

Season	Player	School	Games
2003–04	Meghan Horras	Wisconsin	12	1.32
2004–05	Jody Horak	Minnesota	19	0.89
2005–06	Kim Hanlon	Minnesota	14	1.19
2006–07	Christine Dufour	Wisconsin	12	1.07
2007–08		Wisconsin	26	1.38
2008–09	Alyssa Grogan	Minnesota	14	1.37
2009–10		Minnesota	15	1.06
2010–11		Minnesota–Duluth	17	1.51
2011–12		Wisconsin	28	1.47
2012–13	Noora Räty (2)	Minnesota	28	1.05
2013–14		Wisconsin	28	0.97
2014–15	Shelby Amsley-Benzie	North Dakota	28	1.17
2015–16	Ann-Renée Desbiens (2)	Wisconsin	27	0.81
2016–17	Ann-Renée Desbiens (3)	Wisconsin	30	0.66
2017–18		Wisconsin	24	1.16
2018–19	Kristen Campbell (2)	Wisconsin	24	1.08
2019–20	Sydney Scobee	Minnesota	24	1.63
2020–21		Minnesota–Duluth	19	1.34
2021–22		St. Cloud State	19	2.85
2022–23	Emma Söderberg (2)	Minnesota–Duluth	23	1.59
2023–24		St. Cloud State	13	1.86

Winners by school

School	Winners	Years
Wisconsin	9	2003–04, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
Minnesota	6	2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2019–20
Minnesota–Duluth	3	2010–11, 2020–21, 2022–23
St. Cloud State	2	2021–22, 2023–24
North Dakota	1	2014–15

Team of the Decade

In 2009, to commemorate the tenth year of women's play, the WCHA chose the top ten players of the decade.^[2]

Player	Position	School
	Forward	Wisconsin
	Defense	Ohio State
	Defense	Minnesota
	Forward	Minnesota
	Defense	Wisconsin
	Forward	Minnesota–Duluth
	Forward	Minnesota and Minnesota–Duluth
	Forward	Minnesota–Duluth
	Goaltender	Wisconsin
	Forward	Minnesota

25th Anniversary Top 25 Team

Throughout the 2023–24 season, to commemorate 25 seasons of women's play, the WCHA named the top 25 players throughout its 25 years.

Player	Position	School
	Forward	Wisconsin (2003–07)
	Defense	Ohio State (2004–08)
Hannah Brandt	Forward	Minnesota (2012–16)
	Forward	Minnesota (2002–05)
Brianna Decker	Forward	Wisconsin (2009–13)
Ann-Renée Desbiens	Goaltender	Wisconsin (2013–17)
Meghan Duggan	Forward	Wisconsin (2006–11)
Jincy Roese	Defense	Ohio State (2016–20)
	Defense	Wisconsin (2001–05)
Taylor Heise	Forward	Minnesota (2018–23)
Sophie Jaques	Defense	Ohio State (2018–23)
Amanda Kessel	Forward	Minnesota (2010–13, 16)
Hilary Knight	Forward	Wisconsin (2007–12)
Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson	Forward	Minnesota & North Dakota (2008–13)
Monique Lamoreux-Morando	Forward	Minnesota & North Dakota (2008–13)
	Goaltender	Minnesota–Duluth (2006–11)
Sarah Nurse	Forward	Wisconsin (2013–17)
	Forward	Minnesota–Duluth (2002–05)
Noora Räty	Goaltender	Minnesota (2009–13)
	Forward	Minnesota–Duluth (1999–03)
	Forward	Minnesota & Minnesota–Duluth (1999–04)
Natalie Spooner	Forward	Ohio State (2008–12)
Lee Stecklein	Forward	Minnesota (2012–17)
	Goaltender	Wisconsin (2005–09)
	Forward	Minnesota (2002–05)

Sources

Web site: WCHA 2014–15 Women's Record Book. Western Collegiate Hockey Association. July 1, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170701190724/http://www.wcha.com/pdf/WCHA%20W%20-%202014-15%20Record%20Book.pdf. July 1, 2017. live. 113.
Web site: WCHA Announces 2015-16 Postseason Awards. Western Collegiate Hockey Association. July 1, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170701190618/http://www.wcha.com/women/pres1516/201603/mar3awa.php. July 1, 2017. live. March 3, 2016.
Web site: WCHA Announces 2016-17 Postseason Awards. Western Collegiate Hockey Association. July 1, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170701190656/http://www.wcha.com/women/pres1617/201703/mar2awa.php. July 1, 2017. live. March 2, 2017.
Web site: WCHA Season Reviews - 1999-2021 . WCHA.com . Western Collegiate Hockey Association . February 21, 2022.

Notes and References

Web site: Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Recipients. Patty Kazmaier Award / Sport Ngin. May 9, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130518205514/http://www.pattykaz.com/page/show/717774-patty-kazmaier-memorial-award-recipients. May 18, 2013. live.
Web site: WCHA Top 10 Players First 10 Years. Western Collegiate Hockey Association. July 1, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170701190803/http://www.wcha.com/pdf/history15w/Honors%20and%20Awards/Honors%20and%20Awards/3-WCHA's%20Top%2010%20Players%20in%2010%20Years.pdf. July 1, 2017. live.