US Olympian Caroline Harvey earns latest accolade in being voted IIHF female player of the year

The accolades keep coming for Caroline Harvey, with the U.S. national team and Wisconsin defender named the International Ice Hockey Federation’s female player of the year on Wednesday.

The honor caps a year in which the 23-year-old Harvey cemented her claim in being her generation’s most accomplished player.

Harvey was the overwhelming favorite in receiving more than 77% of the votes, the IIHF said. She finished ahead of Switzerland forward Alina Muller (9.1%), who scored her second career bronze medal-clinching goal at the Milan Cortina Games in February. Harvey's U.S. and Badgers teammate Laila Edwards and Canadian captain Marie-Philip Poulin finished third with 4.5% of the votes.

To top it off, the IIHF honor comes the same day Harvey is expected to be selected with the first pick in the PWHL draft being held in Detroit.

From Pelham, New Hampshire, Harvey is the first defender and second American to earn the IIHF honor, joining Hilary Knight, who won the inaugural award in 2023.

In making her second Olympic appearance, Harvey won gold and was named the tournament’s MVP at Milan. A month later, she won her third NCAA championship with Wisconsin, while also being voted this season’s Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner as college women’s hockey’s MVP.

With two goals and seven assists in seven games at Milan, Harvey finished the Olympic tournament tied for the most points. At Wisconsin, her 64 points (18 goals, 46 assists) set a single-season school record for most points by a defender, and Harvey finished tied for third in points.

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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey