BUCKINGHAM TOWNSHIP, PA — Buckingham resident Michael Citara, who is playing forward for the Nanooks at the University of Alaska (Fairbanks), has been nominated for the prestigious Hobey Baker Award, the most coveted award in college hockey.
The award was created to promote amateur hockey in the United States by recognizing individuals who embody the legacy of Hobey Baker through exceptional hockey skills, leadership, character, sportsmanship, and scholastic achievement. It is given each year to the top National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s ice hockey player.
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Citara joined the Nanooks hockey program in 2025 after spending his first four seasons with Providence College and Merrimack College.
“Michael is a forward who plays with intensity and has an ability to shoot a puck,” said Erik Largen, the Nanooks’ head coach. “He’s also a humble, driven individual who fits in well with our group.”
The 5-11, 188-pound right-handed shot played for the Sioux Falls Stampede before making the jump to the NCAA. With the Stampede in the USHL, he skated in 51 games and put up 35 points on 17 goals and 18 assists.
His first season with Providence was 2021-22; he appeared in 28 games as a rookie and recorded 4 points, including 3 goals and 1 assist. The following year, he saw time in eight games, scoring a goal and an assist for two points.
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He transferred to Merrimack in 2023-24 and posted a career-high in his first year. He appeared in 31 games and scored six goals and added nine assists for 15 points. Last season, he skated in nine games and posted one goal.
Players are nominated for the Hobey Baker Award by their NCAA Division 1 head coaches. During the first part of the process, hockey fans are encouraged to vote for their favorite players, which is ongoing through April 10.
Following the initial voting, Price Waterhouse Coopers tabulates the votes and narrows the field to the top 10 candidates. Voting then commences for the “Hobey Hat Trick,” which is a narrowing of the field from 10 players to three, from which the winner is picked.
The primary voting in this part of the selection process is by the Hobey Baker Memorial Award Selection Committee, a geographically balanced group of 29 individuals representing print and electronic sports media, college hockey coaches and officials, and NHL scouts.
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Fans may also vote online for their favorite candidate during this phase of the process. After the three finalists for the award are announced (“Hobey Hat Trick”), the countdown begins toward the announcement of the award winner in a nationally televised ceremony.
Citara, 23, began playing hockey at age 3. Two years later, at the age of 5, he joined the Philadelphia Generals Mites program at Face Off Circle in Warminster.
His early career included playing AAA hockey for the Glaciers at Face Off and with various travel teams, including the New Jersey Colonials, Mercer Chiefs, ISS Kings, and JR Flyers. During his senior year of high school, Citara transferred from Central Bucks East to Mount Saint Charles in Rhode Island to further his hockey pursuits.
In 2018, the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders of the USHL drafted Citara. His official start in the league was delayed until the 2020 season due to school and the COVID-19 pandemic. A derecho storm then damaged the Cedar Rapids rink in 2020, leading the Sioux Falls Stampede to acquire him. Citara played one season in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, before starting college.
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Citara attended Providence College for two seasons beginning in 2021 before transferring to Merrimack College. He completed his bachelor’s degree in criminology and criminal justice at Merrimack, playing two hockey seasons there. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, where he plays for the Nanooks hockey team. During the summer, Citara returns home to train on and off the ice.
Community members can support Michael Citara’s nomination by voting daily until April 10. Votes can be cast by texting the code 26081 to 844-623-9688. Each person can cast one vote per day. To read about the players nominated for the award, click here.
Buckingham Hockey Player Nominated For Prestigious Hobey Baker Award originally appeared on the Doylestown Patch
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