Upon any new student’s arrival to campus, they’re told that one of the most defining features of their college experience will be their “Clemson Family.” This is especially daunting for transfer students hoping Tigertown will give them the college experience they couldn’t find elsewhere.
For Brian “Bloomy” Blomquist, a sophomore transfer from the University of Massachusetts–Amherst, he quickly found his Clemson Family within the club ice hockey team.
“When COVID-19 hit, my school shut down,” Blomquist said. “I kind of wanted to go to a place that was a little bit more laid back in terms of that. So, I transferred here for my sophomore year … I met some of the guys, and they told me to try out (for the hockey team). I made it, and the rest is history.”
Inspired by his father’s love of the sport, the Massachusetts native started playing hockey at age four. His earliest hockey memory is waking up early every Sunday morning to go to the rink.
“It was called the pond. It was a wreck,” Blomquist said. “I just remember playing house league there. And that’s kind of where it all started,”
Fast forward 18 years, and Blomquist found himself at a birthday party during his first semester at Clemson. Unbeknownst to him then, this party would alter the trajectory of his entire Clemson experience.
“I met Cade (Heinold), my roommate now, at a birthday party or something,” Blomquist explained. “I started talking to him about hockey, and then he was like, ‘Oh, you should come to a thing we have next week.’ So, I went to a team event, and I met some of the guys there … I really clicked with them. They told me to try out, and I did … I’ll give them credit for that.”
During his time with the club ice hockey team, Blomquist, a defenseman, amassed more than 20 points. His veteran presence was essential to the team’s success last season, highlighted by trips to the College Hockey South Division II playoffs and the AAU national tournament.
Blomquist’s favorite memory during his Clemson career was the team’s playoff matchup against the University of Florida last season. Despite suffering a 3-0 deficit early in the contest, the Tigers bounced back and defeated the No. 2 seeded Gators, 4-3.
“We were down, I think it was 3-0. And then we came back and won 4-3. That was probably the biggest win we’d had in Clemson history up to that point,” he said.
Following his graduation from Clemson, the marketing major plans to return to Boston to work in sales.
All interviews were conducted at the conclusion of the spring 2024 semester.
