GLOUCESTER, MASS. - SUNY Potsdam senior captain Kaylee Merrill (Wasilla, Alaska/Anchorage North Stars) has been named one of 11 finalists for the Laura Hurd Award. The honor is given annually to the best NCAA Division III women's ice hockey player in the country.

Merrill was named the Northeast Women's Hockey League's Player of the Year on March 3, a day after earning a spot on the all-conference first team.

Merrill, an exercise science major, led the NEWHL in points (39) and goals (27) this season. The performance broke Potsdam's NCAA-era single-season scoring record of 36 points that was previously shared by Jordan Ott '22 and Jessica Silveira '14. The forward ranked fourth in the nation in goals-per-game this season at 1.08. Her 1.56 points-per-game was eighth best in the country.

Merrill recorded 10 multi-goal games this season, including a hat-trick in a 4-1 victory at Buffalo State on January 7. Merrill also had six game-winning-goals.

In her three-year career, Merrill has earned NEWHL Player of the Week four times with three of them coming this season. She was a member of the conference's all-rookie team as a freshman and was second team All-NEWHL last season. In 74 career games, Merrill amassed 56 goals and 20 assists for 76 points. She ranks second only to Bears Hall of Famer Ott in goals and points.

Sponsored by the American Hockey Coaches Association, the Hurd Award honors the memory of former Elmira College standout Laura Hurd. A 2005 graduate of Elmira, and a four-time All-American, Hurd died in an automobile accident shortly after graduation. She was the recipient of the AHCA Player of the Year Award in 2005. The recipient of this year's Hurd Award will be announced on Thursday, March 16.