Sophie Jaques is the 2023 winner of the Patty Kazmaier Award as the top player in Division I women's hockey.
The WCHA Player and Defender of the Year, Jaques becomes just the second defender to win the award, joining Harvard's Angela Ruggiero (2004). Jaques is also the first Ohio State player and the first Black player to win the Patty Kaz.
Jaques was a top-three finalist for the award alongside Northeastern's Alina Müller and Colgate's Danielle Serdachny. She was also a top-three finalist last season.
We are so, so proud of you @_sophiejaques!
— Ohio State Women's Hockey (@OhioStateWHKY) March 18, 2023
Gonna be thinking about this day for a long time 🥺#GoBucks | #PattyKaz pic.twitter.com/RPoESE8ZsD
“I am extremely honored and humbled to receive the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award,” Jaques said at the ceremony at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minn. on Saturday. “I am grateful to be a recipient of an award named after the incredible athlete, scholar and human being, Patty Kazmaier.
"While this is an individual award, I have been supported by a whole team of people throughout this season and my career at Ohio State, and I owe this all to my coaches and teammates over the last five years. Receiving this award is something I never even could have imagined was possible.”
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Jaques leads all defenders in the nation in scoring with 48 points and 24 goals in 40 games, helping to lead the Buckeyes to a second-straight national championship game. She quarterbacked Division I's top power play unit, scoring nine goals on the advantage, tied for the most in the nation. She also has two game-winning goals this season.
Defensively, Jaques has helped OSU be a top-10 team in terms of goals-against per game (1.75). She has 55 blocked shots this season and has been key in the Buckeyes surrendering the fewest shots on goal per game in the nation (20.8).
#SophieForPatty ✔️#GoBucks | @_sophiejaques pic.twitter.com/uqdxqpC0SO
— Ohio State Women's Hockey (@OhioStateWHKY) March 18, 2023
Jaques is currently the program's all-time leader for points by a blue-liner with 156, and she leads the WCHA record books in goals by a defender with 61.
She and Ohio State will battle Wisconsin for the national championship at 4 p.m. on Sunday. The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU.
