It’s rare to get to watch history being made in sports. The SUNY Cortland all-time ERA leader graduated in 2016– The RBI leader in 2010, the hits leader in 2006, and the on-base-percentage leader in 2000. But the home run king is on the team today, and he still has another full season of hitting left.
Mat Bruno, a Rye, New York native, is entering his sixth and final season with the Red Dragons. With a career batting average of .332, an OPS of .955, 187 hits, and a record 25 home runs, Bruno has been one of the biggest offensive contributors to the Cortland Baseball team in its long history.
As a captain for the third straight year, Bruno is one of the most well-respected players on the team. His teammates look up to him and recognize what a strong leader he is.
“He knows what goes on and he knows what coach wants from the players,” said fellow outfielder Chris Bonacci. “He has what it takes to be a captain for Cortland baseball.”
As a graduate physical education student, Bruno also receives recognition for his abilities off the field and in the classroom. A member of both the Dean’s and President’s lists at Cortland in multiple semesters, he doesn’t let his baseball life get in the way of his academics.
“He has seen almost everything that can happen in a undergraduate class, graduate class, and the baseball field,” outfielder and catcher Adam Mieczkowski said. “He uses these experiences to help out teammates.”
“[He] is all in all the time no matter what it is,” said Bonacci.
Bruno’s passion for baseball started at an early age, and he plans on keeping it a part of his life for a long, long time.
“Baseball has been in my life since I was a little kid,” said Bruno. “I grew up surrounded with family and friends who loved the game, and I found my own love for the game right from the start. My dad taught me the basics of the game from the ground up, and baseball has been a staple in my life ever since.”
While he may not know what the future holds, he’s certain that baseball will be a part of it.
“I plan on keeping baseball in my life at all costs,” Bruno said. “Whether that be as a player at the next level, a coach, or even a spectator at my future kid’s game, it will follow me everywhere.”
The transition out of Cortland baseball is going to be a huge adjustment, but Bruno has plenty to take away from his six years on the team.
“There are so many qualities that Cortland baseball has taught over the years,” said Bruno. “A Cortland Baseball player will do everything to the best of their ability. They will be a consistent, dependable, and reliable person, and they will lead by example. These qualities are now the foundation of my life, and this will stay with me thanks to Cortland baseball.”
When looking back on his career for Cortland, he has an endless bank of memories, achievements, and lessons to pull from. While every aspect of his game has improved with his time on the team, he believes that his “mental toughness” has developed the most, and he’s still working on it to be the best teammate that he can be.
His teammates won’t soon forget his time with them either. Mieczkowski will remember “celebrating every win [they] have in the outfield right [after they] record the last out.”
“My proudest achievement was being named captain for the third consecutive season,” said Bruno. “I truly would not be where I am today without the help of my coaches and teammates, so I am extremely grateful to be among a select group of leaders this program has produced.
“Not a day goes by that I don’t appreciate the position I am in.”
