SPORTS BRIEF: Women’s hockey star Vaillancourt among top-three finalists for Patty Kazmaier Award

Junior Sarah Vaillancourt of the No. 1 Harvard women’s hockey team was named as one of the final three candidates for the Patty Kazmaier Award yesterday, as announced by USA Hockey.

The award is given annually to the top college women’s hockey player in the nation.

Vaillancourt has led the Crimson with 24 goals and 34 assists this season. Her 1.81 points per game ranks her fifth in the nation. She is also second in the country in assists per game with 1.06.

The accomplishment is just the latest for Vaillancourt, who was already named both the Ivy League and ECAC Player of the year earlier in the season and was a first team selection for each of those conferences as well.

Joining Vaillancourt in the top-three are Mercyhurst forward Meghan Agosta and Minnesota-Duluth goalie Kim Martin.

Agosta leads the nation with 39 goals scored, and is second with 1.97 points per game.

Martin boasts a 28-4-2 record with a 1.39 goals against average and a .949 save percentage.

This year marks the 11th occasion that the Kazmaier Award has been given out. Five of the first ten players to receive the honor were from Harvard.

Last season, Vaillancourt finished in the top-10, while former teammate Julie Chu ’07 took home the top honors.

The award will be given out in Duluth, Minn., during the NCAA Frozen Four tournament at a dinner banquet.

—LOREN AMOR