Botterill Wins Second Patty Kazmaier Award

DULUTH, Minn.—For the second time in her career, Harvard captain Jennifer Botterill is the most outstanding player in women’s college hockey. Botterill earned the distinction on March 22 when she received the Patty Kazmaier Award. The second time around was sweeter for Botterill, simply because she was competing for an NCAA championship the next day.

Botterill beat out two other finalists—teammate Angela Ruggiero and Minnesota-Duluth forward Jenny Potter. As the nation’s leading scorer and the all-time leading scorer in men’s or women’s college ice hockey, she stood out.

Harvard players have now won the award three times in its six-year history.

“We’ve been playing together to make each other better,” Ruggiero said. “I’m happy for Jen today.”

For the first time in the award’s history, all the finalists played in the national championship game.

Two years ago, Botterill received the Kazmaier a day after her team had been eliminated against Minnesota-Duluth in the national semifinals. She said upon receiving the award that she would trade it away any day for a team championship.

As the first two-time winner, Botterill became the first player ever to give a second Kazmaier acceptance speech.

As in 2001, Botterill’s speech focused on thanking her competitors, family and teammates. This speech was more reflective. She noted that this year was her parents’ last of eight years as college hockey parents between her and her brother Jason.

“They’ve seen how valuable the college hockey experience has been for their kids and how much it has meant for me,” Botterill said.

Botterill colored her speech with anecdotes about her teammates. She listed freshman Abra Kinkopf’s professional dance moves and Kat Sweet’s donning of her oversized hockey jersey every day as little moments that were special.

“I hope I can articulate how much you have meant to me,” Botterill said of her teammates.

The award is named after Patty Kazmaier, an All-ECAC and All-Ivy hockey player from the 1980s who died from a rare blood disease. Botterill said her speech was inspired by the reflections of the evening’s previous speakers, including Women’s Sports Foundation Executive Director Donna Lopiano and Patty’s father Dick Kazmaier.

“It’s those things that trigger in your mind the things throughout the season that have been meaningful and have gotten you to this point,” Botterill said.

On the same weekend, Botterill became the first player to be named a First-Team All American four times in her career. Ruggiero also earned First-Team honors and freshman Julie Chu was a Second-Team honoree.