Jeff Panzer was an exceptional forward for the University of North Dakota from 1997 to 2001. In his senior season (2000-01), he served as team captain and was a dominant force, leading the nation in scoring with 81 points in 46 games, tallying 26 goals and 55 assists. His outstanding performance earned him a top-ten nomination for the Hobey Baker Award and he was named a First-Team All-American. He helped lead the Fighting Hawks to the NCAA national championship game.

After his collegiate career, Panzer went on to play professionally for several seasons. Although he went undrafted, he played in the AHL for the Worcester IceCats, Syracuse Crunch, and Grand Rapids Griffins. He also played professionally overseas, with stints in the German and Swiss leagues, before retiring in 2008.