2020 Patty Kaz winner Élizabeth Giguère honored by Clarkson

Giguère was honored in an on-campus ceremony last week during Clarkson’s Athletics Giving Day

Something to celebrate this fall in hockey, even if it’s a bit delayed—2020 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner Élizabeth Giguère was honored by Clarkson last week with an on-campus ceremony during the school’s Athletics Giving Day.

The ceremony was well-deserved for Giguère and the Clarkson women’s hockey team, since they didn’t get a very official celebration back in March. She was named the winner by USA Hockey in a pre-recorded video on Facebook and YouTube on March 27—far from the normal pomp and circumstance shown to the Patty Kaz winner.

If not for COVID, the award would have been presented at the annual Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award brunch and ceremony on March 21 as part of Frozen Four weekend festivities. At Clarkson’s ceremony, Giguère had the chance to give a speech in-person (which is usually one of the most meaningful moments on the collective women’s hockey schedule and something that just cannot be done justice on a pre-recorded Zoom call).

Clarkson also presented her with a mini replica version of the Patty Kazmaier trophy and played the full video from USA Hockey. She’s the third Patty Kaz winner to hail from Clarkson.

Giguère, a junior last season, has been one of the most prolific scorers in the country since joining the Golden Knights. In 2019-20, she led the NCAA with 37 goals and finished second with 66 points in 37 games.

You can read more from Clarkson Athletics here. Cap Carey of the Watertown Daily Times also covered the ceremony on Wednesday. Although this season still remains up in the air, according to that article, Clarkson is hoping to play at least a few games before the end of the calendar year and start ECAC competition in January.