Over the last few seasons, now-senior Charles DuBose has left his mark on the Clemson club hockey program, both on and off the ice.
DuBose, a defenseman, was described by his teammates as an integral part of the team’s atmosphere and is known for being dependable both in and out of uniform. When asked about his impact on the team, DuBose humbly left it in the hands of his teammates.
“He’s a guy that everyone looks up to. We couldn’t wish for better leadership on the team than these three guys [Thomas Samuelsen, Ben Brucker, and DuBose],” a teammate said.
DuBose emphasized how being a part of the club hockey team impacted his Clemson experience; some of his most cherished memories at Clemson were made with his teammates.
“I would say friendships. I think that’s probably the biggest impact the program had on me,” DuBose said. “It’s brought a lot of really good memories. I think maybe the most fun I’ve had would be either Knoxville or mountain weekend, but I just enjoyed skating every day.”
DuBose’s love of hockey started long before he arrived on campus. The Virginia native became inspired after he watched the Norfolk Admirals, his local ECHL team, live for the first time.
“My parents took me to a game, and I thought it was one of the coolest things ever,” DuBose explained. “Shortly after, I started playing.”
His decision to come to Clemson was easy; DuBose’s father grew up nearby in Six Mile, so his family had been following Clemson sports for as long as he could remember. The opportunity to play for Clemson, even at the club level, was unbeatable for DuBose.
“I always knew about club hockey, but before I came here, I googled it, and I saw Clemson had a hockey team … it wasn’t what it is now. We had three guys playing defense.”
Since then, Clemson’s club hockey program has grown exponentially. For DuBose and the rest of the 2024 class, this development has been nothing short of heartwarming.
“It’s been very exciting to watch the program grow,” DuBose explained. “Every year, we always took a step. We beat a better team or something. It was just fun. It was competitive.”
DuBose’s teammates noted that the program’s development – from having three defensemen a few seasons ago to adding a Division III team next year – would not have been possible without the 2024 class, especially DuBose.
Following his graduation from Clemson, the senior psychology major plans to apply to Officer Candidate School, where he will hopefully work a job that allows him to learn a new language. After his service term, he would like to work for the government in Washington, D.C.
