Jaques Named a Top 30 Honoree for 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year Award
10/23/2023 2:06:00 PM | Women's Ice Hockey
Jaques, who played for the Buckeyes from 2019-23, became just the second defenseman and first Buckeye to win the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award in 2023. She led the team to back-to-back national title game appearances and helped the Buckeyes win their first national title in 2022.
The 2022 WCHA Final Faceoff MVP and two-time Frozen Four all-tournament team member also helped Ohio State to four straight Final Faceoff championship game appearances, two Final Faceoff trophies and the program's first WCHA regular season title.
Jaques, a two-time first team All-American, was the Buckeyes' top goal scorer in 2023 and points leader in 2022. She owns the Ohio State record for points in a season (59) and career points by a defenseman (156) and is the WCHA record holder for career goals by a defender (61).
The Toronto, Ont. native was the 2022 and 2023 WCHA Defender of the Year and the 2023 WCHA Player of the Year.
Jaques earned two degrees from Ohio State, a bachelor's and master's degree in civil engineering in 2022 and 2023, respectively. She was named the 2022 Arthur Ashe Jr. Female Sports Scholar of the Year and a two-time AHCA All-American Scholar. She was a second and third team CSC Academic All-American and was awarded the 2022 WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete. In 2023, Jaques was also a Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient for Ohio State.
While at Ohio State, she also served as vice president of SHEROs, an organization dedicated to providing a safe space for women who are minority student-athletes and promoting diversity in sport, and she read to children as a volunteer with 2nd & 7.
In the inaugural Professional Women's Hockey League draft held in September, Jaques was the first Buckeye drafted with the 10th overall pick to Boston.
About the NCAA Woman of the Year Award
Established in 1991, the NCAA Woman of the Year Award is rooted in Title IX and recognizes female student-athletes who have completed their undergraduate studies and distinguished themselves in their community, in athletics and in academics throughout their college careers. Selected from a record-breaking 619 nominees submitted by member schools — a group that was then narrowed to 164 nominees at the conference level — the Top 30 honorees include 10 from each of the three NCAA divisions. Each honoree has demonstrated excellence in academics, athletics, community service and leadership. The selection committee will determine three honorees from each NCAA division, for a total of nine finalists. From those finalists, the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will choose the 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year. The NCAA Woman of the Year will be named, and the Top 30 will be celebrated, at the NCAA Convention in January.Â
