Sara Bauer

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.

UW Athletics Hall of Fame to add 11-member class

June 28, 2017 By Bill Scott

Eleven former Badgers will be inducted into the University of Wisconsin Athletics Hall of Fame on September 29 at Union South. The class includes two gold medalists, a pair of NCAA champions, an NHL all-star, two Rose Bowl winning quarterbacks and a WNBA player.

Inductees are Sara Bauer, women’s hockey; Darrell Bevell, football; Brooks Bollinger, football; Brian Elliott, men’s hockey; Tamara Moore, women’s basketball; Arlie Schardt, men’s cross country and track and field; Bob Suter, men’s hockey; Tracy Webster, men’s basketball; Chris Solinsky, track & field. Former baseball coach Guy Lowman was selected in the coach/staff category while UW Marching Band Director Mike Leckrone was honored in the special service category.

Bauer was UW’s first Patty Kazmaier Award winner as the nation’s top player in 2006. The forward led UW to back-to-back NCAA titles in 2006 and 2007 and was a two-time USCHO.com and WCHA Player of the Year. She wrapped up her career as Wisconsin’s all-time scoring leader and was a two-time UW female Athlete of the Year.

Bevell was under center for one of the greatest seasons in Wisconsin football history, leading the Badgers to a 10-1-1 record, the 1993 Big Ten championship and their first trip to the Rose Bowl in 31 years. His memorable, and unlikely, 21-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter helped secure the UW program’s first win in Pasadena. A four-year starter, Bevell finished his career as the Badgers’ career leader in passing yards (7,686), completions (646), attempts (1,052), completion percentage (61.4%) and touchdown passes (59). [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…]