On a team with high scoring talent, it can be easy for defensemen to get lost in the sauce. However, senior Sam Hembree is what made this d-core truly special. 

Game after game, shift after shift and play after play, Hembree wore pucks, blocked shots and set up his offense to succeed this season. As the only defensemen to be a captain, Hembree used his final year as a Coug to show off his leadership. 

Now heading for the graduation stage, Hembree has mixed emotions. 

“It’s definitely kind of sad,” he said. “But, I’m definitely happy that I’m going out with such a great group. I think this is one of the most fun groups of hockey I’ve played with here.” 

That group has been the source of some of Hembree’s favorite memories. Some of which were made this season.

“The bus trip to Montana,” he said. “That got all the boys tighter right before playoffs. We didn’t go far. But it was such a great time with all the guys… I’ll never forget that.” 

After three years in the Crimson and Gray, Hembree has a mental scrapbook of great memories. But, last year he had an entry that stands above the rest. 

“Last year Winthrop was amazing,” he said. “We obviously won that game, but it was such a good game because I think that was only my second time playing outdoors.”

When he came to WSU, Hembree knew that he wanted to play hockey. He did not play much his first year, but over time worked his way up. 

Flash forward three years and he has the A on his sweater with 70 games on his resume. After all that time with head coach John Lupinacci, Hembree understands the program well. 

“There’s so much to say about [Lupinacci],” he said. “He’s your best friend but also your coach at the same time. He’s so easy to talk to… He’s not too strict on the guys but everyone respects him.”

With a strong freshman class this year, Hembree is excited to see where the program is heading. 

“There’s a lot of really good young guys. Specifically on the d-core,” he said. “It’s stepping up big time. We got three or four who consistently play. That’s something we haven’t had in the past.” 

Moving into his professional career, Hembree will be trying to get a job in project management this summer. But, after all that time on the ice, saying goodbye is harder than it seems. 

“I’m just going to miss all the guys,” he said. “The locker room, coming here twice a week, just hanging out with the guys every single day of the week. It’s just amazing.”