COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Five Mercyhurst College women's hockey players are among the 26 players nominated for the 2011 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, presented by Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. An award of The USA Hockey Foundation, the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award is annually bestowed upon the top player in NCAA Division I women's ice hockey.

Senior captain Meghan Agosta, senior assistant captains Vicki Bendus and Jesse Scanzano and juniors Bailey Bram and Hillary Pattenden join players from 12 different schools in all four conferences vying for the top honor in women's collegiate hockey.

The list of 26 players includes 17 forwards, five goaltenders and four defensemen. Mercyhurst, which hosts the NCAA Women's Frozen Four this year, leads all schools with five nominations.

Held in conjunction with the NCAA Women's Frozen Four, the 2011 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award will be given out at a brunch ceremony on March 19 at the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie, Pa.

All 34 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey head coaches were asked to nominate players for the award. New to the selection process in 2011 is the stipulation that a player had to be nominated by at least two coaches in order for her to make the official nomination list.

The NCAA Division I women's ice hockey coaches will also select the top-10 finalists from among the group of 26 nominees, with the announcement taking place March 3. A 13-member selection committee will choose the three finalists (announced March 10), as well as the award recipient, which will be announced live at the brunch ceremony in Erie on March 19.

Tickets to the 14th annual Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Ceremony may be purchased by calling 719-538-1184 or by submitting a completed ticket form (located at PattyKaz.com). Individual seats are $65, while tables of 10 are available for $600.