ROCKINGHAM — Kearston Bruce, a junior at Richmond Senior High School, treated herself to an early Christmas present this week.
Bruce took to social media Tuesday to announce her verbal commitment to attend and play softball at Bridgewater College.
“So excited to announce that I have verbally committed to Bridgewater College to further my academic and athletic career,” Bruce’s Tweet said. “Thank you to my family, coaches, and teammates that have supported me! Go Eagles!!!!”
With her announcement, Bruce became the fourth Richmond student-athlete to commit this school year. She joins D’Marcus Harrington (Campbell, football), Devon Tillman (Pfeiffer, cross country) and Allexis Swiney (Coker, gymnastics).
Recruited by Bridgewater assistant coach Howard Smiley, who also serves as the Eagles’ pitching coach, Bruce will spend her college career tucked in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. Predominantly a right-handed pitcher, Bruce also plays the middle infield positions.
“I’ve always wanted to play softball in college, so it’s crazy that it’s actually happening,” Bruce smiled. “It’s a big relief to know where I’ll be going to school and playing softball. I’ve played this sport since I was three, and started pitching when I was seven, so I’m really happy.”
Having spent the past two seasons as the ace for the junior varsity Lady Raiders, Bruce will make the jump to varsity this spring. Richmond softball is undergoing a transition that will see first-year head coach Mike Way take over for former coach Wendy Wallace.
As a sophomore, Bruce floated between varsity and junior varsity, before settling in as the JV team’s pitcher. She recorded six wins from the circle and struck out an impressive 106 batters (10.6 per game).
Bridgewater, a Division III school that competes in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, will bring Bruce on board following her graduation from Richmond in 2021. The Eagles recently named Megan Pleskovic their new head coach on Sept. 2, but Bruce noted her relationship with Bridgewater is based on Smiley’s recruiting of her.
Bruce plays travel ball for N.C. Spark, a showcase team located in Cary, N.C. While playing at a tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C., with the Spark last November as a sophomore, Bruce said Smiley reached out to her by inviting her to an Eagles camp.
“I went to the camp in February and I really enjoyed the program and the school,” Bruce explained. “Our tournament in Myrtle Beach this year got canceled, but (Smiley) invited me to visit campus again, this time to check out the team and the school.”
Bruce traveled to Bridgewater over the weekend and stayed overnight in a dorm with some of the current players. On Monday, she got to check out the team’s facilities while also attending a physiology class. Before she left, Bruce was “offered on the spot” by Pleskovic.
“The coaches were a big reason why I chose Bridgewater, and the players too,” Bruce explained. “Coach Smiley has worked with me the most, and he helped me a lot like I was already a player. I also like Coach Pleskovic, she seems really nice.
“I liked the small feel of the campus,” she added. “Academics are really important to me and I like the small class sizes and felt like it was a good fit. Campus in general was really nice, and the girls and the team are really close, which is good.”
In 2019, the Eagles posted a 23-17 overall record and finished fifth of 11 teams in the ODAC. Bridgewater made it to the second round of the ODAC tournament before losing to Shenandoah University.
Having just wrapped up her second full season with the Spark, Bruce credited her coach Shayne Latino, as well as her former JV coach Casey Campolieta, for helping her get to this point. She’s also been working with local trainer Errol Hood since August, getting faster and stronger for when softball season rolls around.
While the four years after her high school career are set, Bruce isn’t looking past her role with the Lady Raiders the next two seasons. She hopes to become the team’s starting pitcher, which was left vacant following the graduation of current UNC-Greensboro player Greyson Way.
Fall workouts went well for her and the rest of the Lady Raiders, and spring practices will soon be underway toward the end of January. One thing she hopes to prove over the next two seasons is her willingness to compete and contribute to the team’s success.
“I definitely want to help the team win and get back to state playoffs,” Bruce said. “The most exciting thing will be to play in front of a big crowd in games that are important.
“I want to show people I’m a competitor, and I want to emerge as a leader on the team,” she continued. “Richmond is still going to be really good even though we’re transitioning.”
When she attends Bridgewater, Bruce plans to major in either biology or psychology. Of the four and a half hour drive from home, she said “it’ll be tough being so far from home, but I’m excited to get a chance to keep playing softball.”
“I want to thank all of my coaches and my parents, Melody and Jason Bruce,” she closed. “They’ve been really supportive during the whole process. I also want to thank all of my NC Spark and Richmond teammates who have helped make me a better player.”
