ERIE, Pa. - Ask senior forward Meghan Duggan about her individual accomplishments and it is easy to guess her answer: She's glad to have personal success, but far more concerned with that of her team as a whole.
After winning the 2011 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award and being named women's hockey's best player Saturday, however, it is safe to assume that individual honor meant a tremendous amount to Duggan.
The Badgers' captain beat out senior Mercyhurst forward Meghan Agosta and Boston College senior forward Kelli Stack for the award, named to honor Kazmaier, a former Princeton hockey player. With her final game in a Wisconsin uniform coming up Sunday, when the Badgers face Boston University in the national title game, Duggan could be set to put an exclamation point on an already remarkable career.
""It's an incredible honor,"" Duggan said. ""It's incredible to be on a level equated with [Patty Kazmaier]. It was a great year for our team and I'm just happy to be part of that success.""
As Duggan gets ready for Sunday's game she will surely be looking to continue the phenomenal season that earned her the award. Duggan led the most prolific offense in the country in points during the 2010-'11 season and broke Wisconsin's program record for career points.
While her scoring success has been impressive, though, teammates and coaches have always been quick to praise Duggan's leadership above all else. When asked if he could think of a better team captain than Duggan, Wisconsin head coach Mark Johnson said he could not.
""She's certainly a difference maker from the leadership standpoint,"" Johnson said. ""One of the reasons this team has had good chemistry is because of Meghan.""
Some of that leadership skill has come as a result of Duggan's close relationship with another leader: Former Badger captain Erika Lawler.
Duggan mentioned Lawler, who helped lead Wisconsin to the program's third national title in 2009, as part of her family in her acceptance speech. Lawler has been around Madison for much of the season, and Duggan said she has been a great example of how to lead a team.
""[Lawler] has been an incredible role model for me, an amazing leader and my best friend in the world, my sister,"" Duggan said. ""I'm glad that she was here today and got to share in the moment.""
Duggan knows her work is not done, however, as she and the team get set for Sunday's title game. After her success throughout the regular season and playoffs, Johnson said Duggan has one more step to cap off her historic career at Wisconsin.
""You knock on wood and hope that her best game is tomorrow,"" Johnson said.
