The

Western Collegiate Hockey Association The Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) is a college athletic conference which operates in the Midwestern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a women's ice hockey-only conference. From 1951 to 1999, it operated a ...

gives awards at the conclusion of each season. The current awards include Player of the Year, Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year, as well as the league leaders in points scoring and goaltending. In addition, several WCHA players have won the Patty Kazmaier Award for the nation's best women's college hockey player. Past winners have included numerous Olympic medalists and players in professional hockey leagues in North America and Europe.

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

is the most successful team, with 60 award winners and statistical leaders. All current members of the conference are represented.

Hannah Brandt Hannah Brandt (born November 27, 1993) is an American ice hockey centre, currently playing for the Minnesota section of the PWHPA. She was named to the United States women's national ice hockey team, which represented the United States at the 201 ...

of Minnesota won five awards over her career; she was named Rookie of the Year, led the league in scoring twice, and was named Player of the Year twice. Seven other players have won three or more awards over their careers. No player has won more than two awards in a single season; eleven players have achieved this feat. Mark Johnson of Wisconsin has been named Coach of the Year nine times.

Patty Kazmaier Award

The Patty Kazmaier Award has been awarded annually since 1998 to the top player in NCAA Division I women's hockey. In that time, 8 players have won the award while playing for WCHA schools. AmandaKessel