Bruno to close chapter on her terms
PORTLAND >> First came shock, followed by anger, even resentment.
A sport that had engulfed Marissa Bruno’s life was taken from her without warning. The pandemic put her softball bat and glove in storage — for what she figured was for the final time when the NCAA shut down all sports last spring.
“I thought I was done,” said Bruno, a fifth-year senior at Portland State. “The decision happened so quickly. It felt like it was out of our control. I was bummed. It didn’t sit well with me.”
Having a career campaign last spring with a .384 average, the left-handed-hitting Santa Catalina graduate struggled with the decision brought down by the NCAA for some time.
Even upon learning a month later that the NCAA was granting all seniors another year, Bruno hedged for a few days on a decision.
“No, I didn’t make an immediate decision,” the 22-year-old outfielder said. “I sat on it for a bit and waited for some stuff to fall into place. Initially, you start to find your next steps in life.”
That is until Bruno tried to envision her life without softball. Given a chance to go out on her terms and pursue a master’s degree made the decision simple.
“I started applying for jobs,” Bruno said. “Then I said, ‘No.’ I’ve been given another opportunity to play a game I love. What drove me was getting my master’s. I told my coach I’m 100% in.”
Clearly, there are team and individual goals left on the table for Bruno to pursue. Unfinished business is a part of her vocabulary.
“Having Marissa back for an additional year is a gift — to our 10 newcomers and our program as a whole,” Portland State coach Meadow McWhorter said. “She is a leader by example.”
Yet, as passionate as she is about the sport, the 5-foot-2 Bruno is also treasuring her final season. She’s having the most fun she’s ever had playing softball.
“No matter what, this is my last year,” Bruno said. “Having your season stripped with no notice has me taking it all in this year. I’m trying to have the most fun I can have.”
Of course, winning helps. The Vikings (1-4) have gotten off to a rocky starting, falling to four teams ranked in the top 25 in the nation.
Still Bruno, a four-time member of the Big Sky Conference all-academic team, believes this might be the best team she’s ever played on at Portland State.
“Without a doubt,” Bruno said. “The freshmen have grown up so quickly. I honestly feel we can make a run at the Big Sky title.”
One of those freshmen is Notre Dame graduate Logan Riggenbach, who Bruno trained with during the fall when both remained at home because of the pandemic before returning to Portland in January.
“I didn’t know here before she committed,” Bruno said. “We hit together during the offseason. It’s been one of the best experiences for me. Having her here is like a little piece of home.”
It also shows the leadership qualities that Bruno brings to the table, as one of only two returning seniors that started 15 or more games last year.
“She exemplified every aspect of being a student-athlete,” former Santa Catalina coach Jim Pingree said. “Marissa is such a student of the game, a true leader and someone her teammates respect and look up to.”
Hitting in the leadoff position this spring for the Vikings, Bruno is a contact hitter who sends balls into the gaps, leading the conference last year in triples.
In addition to hitting a teamhigh .384 in 2020, Bruno led Portland State in runs scored, hits, doubles, triples, walks and stolen bases, while striking out just seven times.
“She is the epitome of a tablesetter — competes, goes deep into counts and has multiple tools at the plate,” McWhorter said. “Having Marissa for another year is something we do not take for granted.”
Bruno displayed some pop at the plate last spring with a homer, driving in a career-high 15 runs from the top of the order in just 24 games.
“She has great hand-eye coordination,” Pingree said. “She has great bat speed and stays in the hitting zone a long time. Marissa has worked hard from Day 1 and deserves every accolade that comes her way.”
Ironically, Bruno had doubts about her decision to head to Portland State after four all-league seasons at Santa Catalina, as the coaching staff that recruited her wasn’t brought back before she even arrived.
“I’m thinking I am gonna have to prove myself all over again,” Bruno said. “Honestly, it couldn’t have worked out better. I’m a firm believer in things happening for a reason. These five years have been amazing.”
Bruno’s numbers are climbing the Portland State charts, as she has 150 career hits, 50 runs batted in and a career .322 batting average.
Yet, what has made this season even more special for Bruno is that her parents are being allowed to watch her play this year, even if she can’t get within 6 feet of them because of pandemic protocols.
Her dad, Vince, coached a lot of her travel teams and was an assistant at Santa Catalina when it won six Mission Trail Athletic League titles and two Central Coast Section divisional titles.
“I’m so grateful that my parents are getting to see me play one more time,” said Bruno, who sports a career .980 fielding percentage in the outfield. “That wasn’t something I expected.”
Owner of a degree in Business Administration, while pursuing her master’s in Education Policy, Bruno has not ruled out being a coach someday.
“This game has given me so much,” Bruno said. “To give back would be a cool experience. I’m keeping my options open. I have goals for myself. But I’m open to coaching a little bit.”
While a chapter is closing, Bruno hasn’t thought about what that last at-bat might feel like. In fact, she hopes that she won’t know it’s her last at-bat.
“I tear up just thinking about it,” Bruno said. “It’s emotional. Leaving this game will be a huge transition for me. But I’m ready to move on. This time it will be on my terms.”