Bruggeman, who along with fellow CJ student and boat-mate Alexandria “Ally” Flinn of Vandalia, will row on scholarship at college. Bruggeman is the latest in her Oakwood family to head for South Bend, Ind. Flinn is Georgetown-bound.
The Oakwood family ND Club count starts with grandfather Paul Bruggeman of Middletown; her father, Mike Bruggeman; three uncles, Mark, Tim and Tom Bruggeman; and older brother, Matt Bruggeman, an ND senior.
The Golden Dome-Bruggeman connection also includes a cousin, Nathan Bruggeman, an ND freshman from Fenwick.
Keeping it all in the same neighborhood is mom, Beth Bruggeman, graduated from St. Mary’s College, located across the road from ND. An aunt, Claire Rodehaver, plus two more cousins are also St. Mary’s grads.
Molly Bruggeman couldn’t resist adding “my dad and mother actually met when they were in colleges across the street from each other.”
“I had a few other offers, but never really considered going any where else,” said Molly, owner of a 3.8 GPA and honor student who will major in pre-med.
Dayton Boat Club coach Mike Miles, the University of Dayton rowing coach for 12 years, sees smooth waters ahead for Bruggeman, labeling her “one of the best rowers I have ever coached.
“She’s totally competitive with a positive attitude. ... You can see it in her face when she’s handling our No. 4 stroke. She has never let up on being a hard worker and will go far in life.”
Flinn arrives
Flinn, the daughter of Kate and Tim Flinn, failed to make the varsity boat club last year but determination was the key factor for her this past season when the Dayton Boat Club finished fifth in the nationals.
“We had one seat open this season and that was Ally’s goal,” said Miles, who was always impressed with Flinn’s strong work ethics and never-give-up nature. “Ally kept her nose to the grindstone and certainly deserves her scholarship.”
Flinn, also a 3.8 GPA student at CJ, said “I was totally swept up with the great atmosphere when I visited Georgetown in September. I was recruited by head coach Stanley Putyrae and met all the rowers.”
A student Council member and president of the Junior Council of World Affairs, she plans on majoring in international economics.
Flinn was also courted by Cornell and Indiana and had taken official visits to both schools. Recruiters from Virginia and Princeton previously contacted Bruggeman.
Miles honor roll
Miles said rowing scholarships for women “have become much more abundant because of Title IX. But, it isn’t easy to get one because it takes plenty of hard work in the classroom and in the water. Last year, our club had seven rowers graduating and five were recruited.”
And Miles is rightly proud of the fact that seven others from his club received scholarships since ’04, his first year: Katie Holtvolg of Centerville (Tulsa); Nicole Campbell, CJ (Duquesne); Jackie Malone, Oakwood (Notre Dame); Abby Meyers, CJ (Notre Dame); Beth Brun, CJ (Mercyhurst); Hannah Keener, Centerville (Eastern Michigan); Samantha Davidson, CJ (Southeastern); and Annie Haley, CJ (Williams).
Dayton’s Lillian Gehres, who rowed for a Division II NCAA title team at Mercyhurst, was a member of the Greater Dayton Rowing Association.
“And I have two other seniors being seriously recruited this school year,” said Miles.
Contact this writer with story ideas at (937) 236-6032 or mickeyz@zoomtown.com.
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