Jessie Vetter

Roque named top-three finalist for Patty Kazmaier Award

March 4, 2020 By Bill Scott

Abby Roque

Wisconsin senior forward Abby Roque has been named one of three finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Award, given to the best player in women’s college hockey.

Roque is the ninth leading scorer in program history and this year ranks seventh in the country with 57 points, including 25 goals. Her teammates, Sophie Shirley and Daryl Watts, were top-ten finalists.

Wisconsin has had five Patty Kazmaier Award winners, Sara Bauer in 2006, Jessie Vetter in 2009, Meghan Duggan in 2011, Brianna Decker in 2012 and Ann-Renee Desbiens in 2017.

The Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, native has been clutch for UW as she has five game-winning tallies this year. As a stellar center in the faceoff circle, Roque’s 494 faceoff wins pace the NCAA while her .663 faceoff clip ranks second in the country.

The 2020 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner will be announced on Saturday, March 21 in Boston.

The Badges head to Minneapolis for the WCHA Final Faceoff. They’ll play Minnesota-Duluth in the conference semifinals Saturday at 2 p.m. If they win, they’ll play Minnesota or Ohio State for the WCHA playoff title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Vetter announces retirement from pro hockey

August 12, 2016 By Bill Scott

Jessie Vetter (Photo by David Stluka)

Former Wisconsin Badger goaltender Jessie Vetter has announced her retirement from pro hockey this week. The story was first reported by UWBadgers.com.

The Cottage Grove native is a two-time Olympian and 2009 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner and led the Wisconsin women’s hockey team to NCAA titles in 2006, 2007 and 2009.

Vetter also led the U.S. to silver medals at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics, collecting 46 wins in goal for Team USA during international competitions.

Vetter ended her career at Wisconsin with a then-program record 91 victories. Her career goals-against [Read more…]

Wisconsin’s Desbiens named USCHO Player of the Year

March 23, 2016 By Bill Scott

Ann-Renee Desbiens

After a record-breaking season in goal for the Wisconsin women’s hockey team, junior Ann-Renee Desbiens was named the USCHO Player of the Year.

A Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award top-three finalist, Desbiens rewrote the NCAA record books this season. She ended the season with a .960 save percentage, a 0.76 goals-against average and 21 shutouts, all NCAA Division-one single-season records for both men’s and women’s hockey.

Last fall, Desbiens set an NCAA record with a scoreless streak of 543:33 over a span of 10 games, which included eight shutouts.

In the postseason, Desbiens posted five shutouts in six games for the Cardinal and White while recording [Read more…]

U.S. falls to Canada in women’s hockey preliminary

February 12, 2014 By Bill Scott

The United States and Canada played even hockey through the first two

Jessie Vetter

periods of today’s women’s Olympic preliminary game in Sochi, Russia. The only difference was former Badger Hilary Knight’s deflection that found the net on a U.S. power play late in the second period.

The third period was nearly all Canada. They scored three straight goals and the American’s didn’t pick up a shot on goal until they threw one on net from center ice with 3 1/2 minutes to play. Canada went on to win 3-2. [Read more…]

U.S. Olympic hockey rosters have Wisconsin flavor

January 2, 2014 By Bill Scott

The men’s and women’s U.S. Olympic rosters announced yesterday have a strong

Former Badger goaltender Jessie Vetter

Wisconsin flavor. The Winter Olympics get underway next month in Sochi, Russia.

Among the 21 players named to the women’s roster were former Wisconsin goaltender Jessie Vetter and forwards Meghan Duggan and Hilary Knight. Current Badger Brianna Decker is a newcomer to the squad, as is Madison native Amanda Kessel, who was named the 2012-13 WCHA player of the year at the University of Minnesota.

Former Badger Meghan Mikkelson was named to the Canadian Olympic squad late last month. She helped Wisconsin win two national titles and was named the 2007 WCHA Defensive Player of the Year.

Kessel’s brother Phil Kessel of the Toronto Maple Leafs was named to the men’s squad. He’s joined by former Badgers Ryan Suter (Minnesota Wild), Joe Pavelski (San Jose Sharks) and New York Ranger teammates Ryan McDonagh and Derek Stepan.