Four Avon Lake Athletes Commit to College Sports

In continuing a long tradition, Nick Brady, Kelly Bruce, Collin Holmes and Matt Marron recently became the latest  athletes to commit to colleges to continue their academic/playing career. The seniors announced last week where they will be playing next year.

Brady, who is the Shoremen’s No. 1 pitcher this spring, will be heading to Marietta College to play for the nationally ranked Pioneers.

Marietta last won the D-III National Championship in 2006 and this season are ranked No. 2 in the region with a  (24-3, 9-1 OAC) slate.

"When I went down there, it was very inviting and the programs and everything they had there really fit," Brady said. "They also have a sports business major I am thinking of switching to, and the coaches were just great guys and everything was nice and the fields are the best in Division III."

Bruce, a Shoregals hoopster, will be heading to the University of Mount Union to continue her playing career.

Mount Union (26-4) won the OAC Tournament and regular season titles to advance to the NCAA Tournament. It defeated Wisconsin-Whitewater, 69-55, before falling in the second round to No. 1 ranked Thomas Moore (KY), 76-63.

"I really like their style of play, it’s really up tempo and coach likes to play her bench no matter what grade you are in,” Bruce said. “As long as you have the ability she will put you out there. She is a really good coach, very intense and it’s my style of play."

Last season, she went down with an injury prior to the first game and missed the entire year for Avon Lake, and her presence not being on the court was felt.

"When we lost her before the season, it was tough because we were outmatched without her on the court in a number of games," Shoregal coach Frank Coughlin said. "She took a lot of pressure off Tiffany, was a team leader and really played good defense for us. We missed her skills."

She will be teamed up with a familiar face in Shoregal teammate Bridget Lyons, who is on the Purple Raider roster. She’ll also compete with a number of familiar SWC foes including North Olmsted standout Kori Weidt, Westlake's Rose LaMattina and Olmsted Falls’ Kayla Rossman. 

Bruce will study exercise science with a goal of becoming a physical therapist and is excited to get back on the court again.

"Watching last season from the bench was definitely a learning experience because you saw the other side that you usually don't get to see," Bruce said." But I think that is what got me through rehab, was just knowing I will be able to play again."

Holmes, a golfer, will be taking his skills to Pittsburgh, where he will play for Point Park University. Point Park plays in the American Mideast Conference and is a member of the NAIA. Thus far in 2001, the school has won two tournaments and placed second in another.

"Honestly I was getting a lot of mail from other schools but wasn't interested in playing golf," Holmes said. "I had my mindset on going to OU (Ohio University). But one day I was on a recruiting site and saw a kid I knew from Findley was going to Point Park and he had me interested. So I got in touch with the coach and went down there for a visit and just loved it."

Holmes gets an added bonus when he tees it up in the fall for Point Park. His home matches are on Quicksilver golf club, one of Golf Digest’s elite courses, and the home to various PGA events over the years.

"I haven't seen it yet, but the coaches tell me it that none of the freshman have shot under 80 on it," Holmes said. "So I'm excited to see what I can do on it."

Marron has made a name for himself in just two years of varsity for the Shoremen in cross country and track, and because of it, will be taking his talents to the University of Mount Union, one of the top small schools in the nation for distance runners.

"I'm very, very, happy about it," Marron said. "I went on plenty of college visits, but told my mom this was wrong or that was wrong each time. But when I got into the car after my visit to Mount Union I told her this place was something else, and I am so excited."

The Purple Raiders cross country team have won a record 25 OAC (Ohio Athletic Conference) championships and are consistently ranked nationally, including last season, while its track squad is always among the conference elite.

"They are a solid team and will be going at it with Ohio Northern for the title again," Marron said. "Mount Union had a great recruiting class, one kid from Louisville, who won state in cross country is coming in, and me and my roommate from Bay, Nick Banks, are potentially going to be on varsity and going at it to help bring home the back-to-back titles."

Marron says that while Mount Union is Division III, it didn't matter to him.

"I want to be competitive and Mount Union can run with teams that are D-I and D-II any-day," Marron, who, like Bruce, will major in exercise science to become a physical therapist, said.