Following the Clemson club ice hockey team’s historic season, The Tiger reached out to leading scorer Nick Chesare to talk about his experience as a Tiger and his journey to Clemson. 

Kelly Kaelblein (KK): Where are you from, and how did you start playing hockey?

Nick Chesare (NC): I’m from Greenville, South Carolina, and my Dad started teaching me to play when I was 4 years old. 

KK: What is your earliest/best memory of playing hockey?

NC: Making nationals for the first time with Clemson.

KK: Outside of hockey, what is something you want people to know about you?

NC: I’m in graduate school for accounting.

KK: Why did you decide to come to Clemson?

NC: I grew up less than an hour from Clemson and would always watch their football games.

KK: How did you find out Clemson had a hockey team?

NC: When I went to a couple of games when I was younger.

KK: What are you hoping to do once you leave Clemson?

NC: Keeping in touch with everyone on the hockey team.

KK: What is your favorite memory from your time at Clemson? 

NC: Hanging with the boys every weekend and having hockey tailgates every game day.

KK: How will you remember Clemson?

NC: I’ll remember it as the place where I was able to grow into the person I am today.

KK: How do you want Clemson and the people you’ve met to remember you?

NC: I hope they remember me as someone who’s fun to be around.

KK: Is there anything else you want people to know about you? 

NC: I actually played against the Clemson hockey team during my senior year of high school.

Interview responses were edited for length and clarity.