Release: Hobey Baker Award Fan Voting on a Record Pace

Saint Paul, Minn. – One month remains in the fan balloting for this year’s Hobey Baker Award and college hockey fans are flocking to the voting website in record numbers. Last season’s “Vote for Hobey” campaign yielded a total of 155,474 votes and that number was surpassed yesterday afternoon.

College hockey fans can help determine the 2014 winner of the sports’ most prestigious individual award by visiting the Hobey Baker website: www.hobeybakeraward.com. Click on the Vote for Hobey icon and review the list of 68 of the most outstanding players in this year’s class. The new website includes photos, extensive bio information and latest statistics for each of this year’s nominees.

This first phase of fan balloting will close on March 9, 2014, and along with balloting by all 59 Division I college hockey head coaches, will help determine the top ten candidates for this year’s Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s most outstanding player.

Hobey Baker Award Executive Director Jill Wagner noted the reasons for the terrific interest in the fan ballot saying, “We redesigned the entire website making it easier to vote and includes much more content. The passion of college hockey fans, the fantastic field of candidates and the closeness of conference standings makes for heightened interest. Fan vote is huge this year and prompted us to upgrade our server capacity so we could accommodate everyone.”

Phase two of fan balloting will run March 20 through March 30 from the list of Top Ten Hobey Baker finalists. The fans’ vote accounts for a full 1 percent of the total ballot in each phase in selecting this year’s award recipient.

Award criteria include candidates emulating the exceptional character traits exhibited by the award’s namesake, Hobey Baker. A legendary American hero, Baker was a World War I fighter pilot and was known as America’s greatest amateur athlete in his day, excelling at hockey and football at Princeton University. Award candidates must demonstrate strength of character both on and off the ice, contribute to the integrity of his team and display outstanding skills in all phases of the game. Consideration should be given to scholastic achievement and sportsmanship.

Key Hobey Baker announcement dates for 2014 include:

• Top Ten list of candidates: March 20
• Hobey Hat Trick of three finalists:  April 2
• Hobey Baker Award announcement:  April 11

The 2014 Hobey Baker Award winner will be announced from a field of three Hobey Hat Trick finalists on Friday, April 11, 2014 during the NCAA Frozen Four Championships in Philadelphia, PA. The 34^th annual award announcement honoring college hockey’s top player will be televised live. For more info on the Hobey Baker Award or to access the Hobey logo, please visit www.hobeybakeraward.com. Vote Now!