COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Penn State women's ice hockey sophomore forward Tessa Janecke was named by USA Hockey as one of 10 finalists for the 2024 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award as announced on Thursday.
This is the first time in her career that's been named a finalist for the player of the year honor. The full list of 2024 finalists can be found via the Patty Kazmaier award website.
"Tessa has led Penn State to two league championships" said head coach Jeff Kampersal. "Along the way, she has elevated the level of all her teammates. She has helped good players become very good players. Tessa is the hardest working player in every practice. She has set all testing standards in the weight room. I know Tessa would make Patty proud."
Janecke who was named to the First Team All-CHA, CHA Player, and Forward of the Year, finished the regular season as the leagues scoring champion after recording a career-high 16 goals, and 36 assists for 52 points. In conference play alone she racked up a total of 35 points off 12 goals and a league leading 23 assists. Janecke also became the fastest player in program history to hit 100 career points that she accomplished after scoring a goal against RIT in the second game of the CHA tournament semifinals.
Janecke was named CHA Forward of the Week four times and CHA Forward of the Month three times. She also tallied two hat-tricks this season coming against Lindenwood and Dartmouth. On the year, Janecke has recorded a total of 53 points which sits tied for eighth in the nation while she leads the nation in faceoff wins with 607 and is tied for fourth in assists with 36.
Off the ice, she has performed community service efforts including being a participant of the THON dance for pediatric cancer, as well as the THON 5k. She has also participated in the Martin Luther King Day event on campus as she packed meals for children in need. She helped with Penn State's Night to Shine which is a prom night for special needs children. Lastly, she participated in post-game skates at Pegula Ice Arena and at her home rink in Orangeville, Ill.
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 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award is named in honor of the late Patty Kazmaier, who was a four-year varsity letter-winner and All-Ivy League defenseman at Princeton University from 1981-86. An accomplished athlete who helped lead the Tigers to the Ivy League Championship in three consecutive seasons (1981-84), Patty Kazmaier-Sandt died Feb. 15, 1990, at the age of 28 following a long struggle with a rare blood disease.
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