Maggie Kennedy '09, Jenna Cunningham '10 and Amanda Trunzo '11 are among 43 players in the nation nominated for the 2009 Kazmaier Award, which is presented by the USA Hockey Foundation.
The award is named in honor of the late Patty Kazmaier, a defenseman for Princeton from 1981-1986 and an All-Ivy selection. Kazmaier led the Tigers to three consecutive Ivy League Championships between 1981 and 1984. Kazmaier died on Feb. 15, 1990, after a lengthy battle with a rare blood disease.
Dartmouth (16-7-3, 13-4-3 ECAC), has the most nominees of any team in the ECAC Hockey League. Clarkson University, Colgate University, and St. Lawrence University each boast two nominees, while Brown, Cornell, Harvard, Princeton, Union College and Yale all have one.
A Dartmouth player has never recieved the award. Harvard is the only school that claims multiple Kazmaier Award winners as its own, with six awards in the 11 years it has been presented.
Kennedy, Cunningham and Trunzo have each appeared in all of Dartmouth's 26 regular season games this year, leading the team in scoring with 29, 28 and 30 points, respectively.
Trunzo is currently leading the Big Green in scoring and is eighth in the ECAC Hockey League with 30 points, an accomplishment that makes her a strong candidate for the award, even though she is only in her second year on the team.
"I'm honored and grateful to be the youngest of the three nominees," Trunzo said. "[Kennedy and Cunningham] are both excellent players and teammates. Just to have my name be placed on the same tier as them is an honor in itself."
Trunzo, a two-time ECAC Hockey Player of the Week honoree, said the Dartmouth team has helped her develop into the player that she is now. The tenacity shown by the team in critical situations, such as power plays, has helped her succeed, she said.
"I have scored a lot of goals on the power play with shots coming from the point or the side boards," Trunzo said. "I just try to get a stick on it or get a rebound and put the puck away."
Trunzo attributed her success this season to a rigorous practice schedule and advice from coaches and teammates.
"I'm not sure as to why I have been successful this season with scoring, but it may be some luck mixed with hard work," she said. "Me and a couple teammates like to stay after practice taking shots and doing some tips to work on hand-eye coordination, which is where a lot of my goals have come from."
Cunningham, who has been a key player and scorer for the Big Green during her three year tenure, echoed Trunzo's sentiments.
"We have a team that pushes everyone to be better, goes to practice every day, and has great chemistry," she said. "The coaches also play a big role in our overall performance."
Although Cunningham and Trunzo have the stats to prove they're worthy for the award, Cunningham said the team is pulling for Kennedy, who is in her final year as a member of the Dartmouth women's ice hockey team.
"I think that we vote or sway more for her because of her accomplishments, not only this season, but her four years as a member of this team."
