Wisconsin senior defender Caroline Harvey was announced as the 2026 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner on Saturday, March 21.
She is only the third defender to win the Patty Kaz, joining Ohio State’s Sophie Jaques (2023) and Harvard’s Angela Ruggiero (2004).
Harvey was selected from a group of three finalists that included senior forward Tessa Janecke (Penn State) and graduate student forward Abbey Murphy (Minnesota).
In her acceptance speech, Harvey called out her family, past and present coaches and her fellow Badgers
"To my teammates, your constant drive and commitment is incredible. Being able to compete against one another every day of practice, pushing each other to our absolute limits always has been a blessing. I am forever grateful for the amazing friendships you have all provided along the way. This award is a reflection of our team success as nothing is ever an individual award," Harvey said.
After success in the Olympics, Harvey returned to the Badgers and headed right into a post-season run. She hasn't had much time to think about what she's done, but right now, she said, she's focused on Sunday's national championship game against Ohio State.
It has been an eventful and sometimes difficult stretch, but Harvey said she tries to stay focused on where her feet are.
Teammate and longtime friend Laila Edwards said that while she has known Harvey was a special player from the moemnt they first played together around age 10, she has been most impressed with how Harvey has grown as a person and as a leader.
"I'm so proud of what she's on the ice, but I'm far more proud of who she's become off the ice and how she's inspired so many people, inlcuding myself," said Edwards.
Named an All-American for the third time on Saturday, this was the second-straight season where Harvey was a top-three finalist for the Patty Kaz. She was named a top-10 finalist as a sophomore. Despite missing a month's worth of collegiate play, Harvey led all defenders in scoring. Her 63 points are good for fourth among all skaters nationwide and her 45 assists trail only teammate Lacey Eden for most nationally.
Even with the month-long gap in her college schedule, Harvey far outscored every other defender in the nation with her 63 points - the next highest point total from a blueliner was 38. She has six more goals than the second-highest blueliner goal-scorer and 15 more assists than the nearest defender.
Harvey became the 29th winner of the award and the seventh winner from the University of Wisconsin, joining Casey O’Brien (2025) Ann-Renée Desbiens (2017), Brianna Decker (2012), Meghan Duggan (2011), Jessie Vetter (2009) and Sara Bauer (2006).
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.
The award is named in honor of the late Patty Kazmaier, a four-year varsity letter-winner and All-Ivy League honoree for the Princeton University women's ice hockey team from 1981-82 through 1985-86. An accomplished athlete who excelled in ice hockey, field hockey and lacrosse, Patty Kazmaier-Sandt died on Feb. 15, 1990 at the age of 28 following a long struggle with a rare blood disease.
