Wisconsin women's hockey captain wins national player of the year

Caroline Harvey added the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award to her trophy case, following up on her Olympic MVP

Wisconsin Caroline Harvey enters Pegula Ice Arena in advance of the Badgers national semifinal against Penn State March 20, 2026. | Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

University Park, PA — Caroline Harvey has won a pair of national titles, an Olympic Gold Medal, and was MVP of the 2026 Olympic Games. Now, she has added yet another trophy to the case, taking home the 2026 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award.

The Patty Kaz is given annually to the top player in NCAA Division I women's ice hockey. Harvey was a top-three finalist a season ago. Harvey's teammate and former Wisconsin Badgers co-captain Casey O'Brien earned the honor a season ago. Harvey and O'Brien are the first UW duo to win in back-to-back seasons since Meghan Duggan and Brianna Decker in 2011-2012.

Harvey has established herself as not just the top women's college hockey player, but one of the best women's hockey players in the world. The defender has posted 63 points this season, the fourth-most in the country. A blue-liner has racked up 60+ points in a collegiate season only six times in NCAA history and Harvey is the only one to do so twice.

Caroline Harvey wins Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award

Feb 19, 2026; Milan, Italy; Abbey Murphy (37) of the United States and Caroline Harvey (4) of the United States celebrate after winning the gold medal in women's ice hockey after defeating Canada during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Harvey was a top-three finalist for the honor alongside a pair of her gold-medal-winning Team USA teammates. Minnesota Golden Gophers all-time leading goal-scorer Abbey Murphy was among the finalists. Rounding out the top three was Tessa Janecke, the first player in Penn State Nittany Lions hockey history to score 200 points in a career.

Harvey said it was "a huge honor" to be a finalist alongside Murphy and Janecke.

The WCHA Player of the Year also earned her third-straight first-team All-America honors on Saturday. Earlier in the year, she became the first player ever to win WCHA Defender of the Year three times.

The New Hampshire native is Wisconsin's all-time leader in points by a defender. Her 200 career points are the tenth-most in program history.