Michael Macari has a passionate love of the game of hockey. During his senior year at Crestwood High School, he played for Team Michigan and subsequently was drafted by the Marquette Rangers. After playing for the Rangers for two years, he followed in his parents’ footsteps by enrolling at UM-Dearborn, where he became a key player for the UM-Dearborn Hockey team.

Given his passion for the game, it’s not surprising that Michael played a critical role in helping to turn UM-Dearborn Wolves around and win 18 more games than the team had won the previous year. Due to his efforts on the ice, the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) named Michael Rookie of the Year, and the Wolves and the Central States Collegiate Hockey League named him Most Valuable Player. But for Michael, playing hockey is “not about the plaques but the pure pleasure of playing the game” he loves. “The hockey team has become an extended arm of my family,” he says. “We practice and study together and when someone is having difficulty we pitch in and help [the person] out.” Michael says he is a "Difference Maker" because he leads his team by example.