The 2023-24 season was nothing short of historic for the Clemson club ice hockey team, and the team knows it would be remiss to think its success would have been possible without the club president: Ben “Brucks” Brucker.

Brucker took leadership seriously during his time with the club, serving not only as president but also as an alternate captain during the previous two seasons. Though his high-profile roles certainly allowed him to leave a mark on the program, his teammates and experience ensured the program impacted him just the same.

“I hope [my teammates] remember me as a good president who left the organization a better place than I found it,” he said in an interview with The Tiger.

Brucker was born in Ottawa, Canada, but moved to Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, when he was three years old. There, he began his hockey career playing for the Pond Penguins in Delaware. While playing youth hockey, Brucker met a former Ice Tiger, Lance Ralsten, who would eventually introduce the president to Clemson’s club hockey program.

“I played against [Ralsten] in youth hockey growing up,” Brucker said. “So when I was going here – I came in the second semester – he was already playing and told me to come out.”

And the rest is history.

For Brucker, being a part of the club hockey program allowed him to make some of his favorite memories during his time at Clemson. His favorite memory with the team was the road trip to Knoxville last season; his brother attends the University of Tennessee, so he got to spend the weekend with his blood family and his Clemson family.

Following his graduation from Clemson, Brucker – an economics major with a double minor in financial management and management – intends to pursue a career in wealth management.