MADISON, Wis. -- After breaking the NCAA single-season shutout record last weekend, Wisconsin women's hockey goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens has been recognized for her historic season as one of the three finalists for the 2016 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, USA Hockey announced Thursday.
A La Malbaie, Quebec, native, Desbiens leads the nation with a 0.77 goals-against average, a .958 save percentage and 18 shutouts that are the most in NCAA Division I men's or women's hockey. Her goals-against average and save percentage numbers would be NCAA single-season records if the season concluded today.
"I'm certainly excited for her, her family and the program," UW head coach
Mark Johnson said. "If you look at the body of work over the regular season and playoffs, her numbers this year are in a category we've never seen before.
"After having a historic season, it is great to see her recognized by the women's college hockey community."
"I am honored to be considered in the top three for this prestigious award," Desbiens said. "This season has been and still is awesome and I couldn't have accomplished what I have this year without my teammates, the staff, our fans and my family."
Last fall, Desbiens set an NCAA record with a scoreless streak of 543:33 over a span of 10 games, which included eight shutouts.
Desbiens has shut out the Badgers' opponent in 53 percent of her 34 starts, while holding opponents to one goal or less in 29 contests. Her 30 wins this season are the third-most in program history, and Desbiens needs only three to match the school record for victories in a season.
Her 30 wins are the second-most in the NCAA this year and her winning percentage of .897 also ranks second.
She has been named WCHA Defensive Player of the Week five times this season, WCHA Defensive Player of the Month twice and American Sports Network National Player of the Week twice.
In her three-year career, Desbiens has a 67-11-5 record and 35 shutouts, which ranks third in NCAA history. She also sports a 0.98 goals-against average and .950 save percentage for her career.
Desbiens has excelled off the ice for the Badgers, earning WCHA All-Academic honors the past two years while majoring in accounting. She also has volunteered at the American Family Children's Hospital and with the "Make Bo Pay" fundraiser for Coaches vs. Cancer.
Joining Desbiens on the top-three list are Boston College senior forward Alex Carpenter, last year's Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner, and Northeastern senior forward Kendall Coyne.
Desbiens is the fifth player in UW history to be a top-three finalist for the highest individual honor in women's college hockey, joining Sara Bauer (2006, 2007), Brianna Decker (2012), Meghan Duggan (2011) and Jessie Vetter (2009). All four won the Patty Kazmaier, with Bauer the first in 2006.
Desbiens also looks to become only the third goaltender to win the award, joining Vetter and Brown's Ali Brewer (2000).
The 2016 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award will be presented at a ceremony at Wentworth By The Sea in New Castle, New Hampshire, on March 19, as part of the NCAA Women's Frozen Four weekend hosted by the University of New Hampshire.
