Feb. 26, 2008

Colorado Springs, Colo. - Wayne State University junior forward Melissa Boal (Pakenham, Ont./Ottawa Raiders) has been named as one of the top-10 finalists for the 2008 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award by the USA Hockey Foundation.

Boal becomes the first women's hockey player in school history to be named as a Kazmaier finalist.

In its 11th year, the award recognizes the accomplishments of the most outstanding player in NCAA Division I women's ice hockey each season. 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 three finalists will be announced March 12 with the award being presented March 21 in Duluth, Minn.

Joining Boal, other finalists include: Meghan Agosta (Ruthven, Ont.) from Mercyhurst College, Tessa Bonhomme (Sudbury, Ont.) from The Ohio State University, Caitlin Cahow (Branford, Conn.) from Harvard University, Sam Faber (Mt. Sinai, N.Y.) from the University of New Hampshire, Martine Garland (Toronto, Ont.) from the University of New Hampshire, Sabrina Harbec (St. Hubert, Que.) from St. Lawrence University, Kim Martin (Stockholm, Sweden) from the University of Minnesota Duluth, Gigi Marvin (Warroad, Minn.) from the University of Minnesota and Sarah Vaillancourt (Sherbrooke, Que.) from Harvard University.

This season Boal leads the NCAA in points per game (2.55) and is tied for first in total points (63). She ranks third nationally in both goals (31) and goals per game (1.11), is tied second nationally in both assists (32) and assists per game (1.14), tied for fourth nationally in power-play goals (9) and is tied for third in short-handed goals (3) while ranking 11th in game-winning goals (5). Boal also has helped team to a school record 19 wins and first national top-10 ranking in school history while setting a record with four hat tricks this season. She has been named CHA Offensive Player of the Week four times (Oct. 22, Nov. 19, Jan. 14, Jan. 28) and became the first Wayne State women's hockey player to score five goals and record seven points in a game. She has accumulated a school record 156 points (82-74) in 97 career game and over the past three years, has volunteered time and been actively involved with Habitat for Humanity, St. Leo's Soup Kitchen, CHA Skate for the Cure, Adopt-a-Family and the Motor City Makeover project.

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 for 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 on Feb. 15, 1990, at the age of 28 following a long struggle with a rare blood disease.