FROM BOOKING BANDS TO BASKETBALL BRUGMAN WINS BIG

By Barbara McBreen

When the Iowa State University women’s basketball team made it to the “Sweet 16” B.J. Brugman was watching, analyzing and hoping for a win.

Brugman, a junior in agricultural business, is a point guard for the women’s scout team. That means he studies the plays of the opposing team and employs those same plays during practice sessions to give Iowa State the edge.

“My cousin was on the team 10 years ago and I remember hearing about it, so when I came to Iowa State I contacted the coach and asked about it,” Brugman says.

Playing opposite Alison Lacey, Iowa State’s point guard, isn’t an easy job, Brugman says, but it keeps him on his toes. Lacey, who graduated in May, was drafted by the WNBA Seattle Storms.

Latoja Schaben, the assistant Iowa State women’s basketball coach, said she recruited Brugman as soon as she saw him play. As the scout team point guard he’s a dedicated leader that keeps the team focused, which means the women’s team gets a good workout.

“Basically their job is to get our team ready,” Schaben says. “They have to learn the opposing teams plays in 20 minutes and to do that you have to know the game and understand it.”

Scout team members don’t get paid, but they do get a uniform, shoes and tickets to home games. Even though the practice schedule is demanding – nine hours a week – it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

“It really gives you a different perspective when you watch the game,” Brugman says.

The Iowa State women’s basketball team made it to the final NCAA tournament, but lost its first game to the University of Connecticut. Brugman is proud to have been part of the scout team that may have helped the Iowa State place among the top 16 teams nationally.

Playing on the scout team has kept Brugman in shape, but he hopes his college degree will help him attain another goal. Someday he’d like to hold the position of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

For now he’s the vice president of alumni relations for Alpha Gamma Rho and served as the co-chair for the 2010 Veishea entertainment committee. Organizing and implementing entertainment for the largest student-run event in the nation was challenging and rewarding.

“We had a full house at every event,” Brugman says. “The committee worked extremely hard to bring in a variety of artists. It was exciting to see it all come together.”

This summer Brugman has an internship at CHS Inc., which manufactures soybean oil, as a grain merchandiser in Mankato, Minn.
“Last summer I worked for Syngenta on the production side and this summer I’ll help clients decide when to sell,” Brugman says.

Next year he’ll continue to play on the Iowa State women’s basketball scout team. He’ll also take on a more responsibilities as the general co-chair for the 2011 Veishea.