WALLINGFORD, Conn. — It’s been a season of hockey firsts for Canadian forward Jamie Lee Rattray.
The 21-year-old from Kanata, Ont., became the first Clarkson University player to win the Patty Kazmaier Award that goes to the best player in NCAA Division 1 women’s hockey.
Rattray helped lead the Golden Knights to their first Frozen Four appearance. They’ll face the University of Minnesota on Sunday in the championship game.
Rattray ranked second in NCAA scoring this season with 62 points — 28 goals and 34 assists in 39 games — to help Clarkson set a single-season record for wins with 30.
She’s the fifth Canadian to win the Patty Kazmaier Award in its 17-year history.
"Your teammates are probably the most memorable part of your college career," Rattray said in her acceptance speech Saturday.
"You don’t remember who scored the big goals or what the score of those big games were or anything. You remember the teammates you shared it with.
"I’m a true believer that hard works pays off and especially at this level. Everything is earned and nothing comes easy."
Cornell forward Jillian Saulnier from Halifax and American forward Hannah Brandt of the University of Minnesota were the other two finalists for the award.
Brandt led Division 1 scoring with 22 goals and 41 assists for 63 points in 39 games. Saulnier, 22, ranked fourth with 28 goals and 28 assists in 34 games.
Previous Canadian winners of the award were Mercyhurst’s Vicki Bendus of Wasaga Beach, Ont., (2010); Harvard’s Sarah Vaillancourt of Sherbrooke, Que., (2008); Wisconsin’s Sara Bauer of St. Catharines, Ont., (2006); and Harvard’s Jennifer Botterill of Winnipeg (2001, 2003).
The award was established in 1998 in memory of Kazmaier, a Princeton defenceman who died of a blood disease at the age of 28.
Rattray, five foot six and 172 pounds, will graduate with a degree in business from Clarkson, which is located in Potsdam, N.Y. She had two assists in Clarkson’s 5-1 win over Mercyhurst in Friday’s Frozen Four semifinal.
Rattray is a prospect for the Canadian women’s hockey team. She won silver and gold with Canada at the world under-18 women’s hockey championship in 2009 and 2010 respectively. She then spent three years playing for Canada’s under-22 team.