Daniel Farias
Staff Writer
daniel.farias@hawks.shorter.edu
Photo Credit: SU Athletics
Pruett hugs a curve in a cyclist race.
SU is home to an array of athletes coming from places around the world, but one of its premiere athletes might come as a surprise.
At the age of 10, sophomore Brandon Pruett started riding mountain bikes around trails behind his house for pure fun. Several years later, Pruett finds himself competing in professional cycling road races all over America.
Pruett started talking with a fellow worker who decided to give him a road bike for Christmas when he turned 12 years old at his bike shop, Ordinary Bicycles, in Rome. After taking the bike for a couple of rides, Pruett was hooked.
At 15 years old, Pruett got his first taste of winning. Coming in third place at junior nationals in the 15-18 year old category, he claimed his first ever national race in Augusta, Ga.
“I expected to finish, but I told myself, ‘If I could come away with a top 20’ that would be great,” said Pruett.
The surprising accomplishment led him to another notable success at the Tour of Battenkill in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he took second place.
Pruett performs in long distance races, with his average race ranging from 70 miles to 133 miles. To prepare for competition, he bikes two to six hours a day.
The cyclist looks up to professional cyclist George Hincapie, who he found himself riding for in 2013-2014.
“To actually say I was on the Hicapie cycling team, that’s like a dream come true already,” said Pruett.
He plans on pursuing a degree in nursing after taking the current semester off to focus on the upcoming biking season. Pruett said he wants to become a sonographer, working with ultrasound, if he isn’t successful as a cyclist.
Photo Credit: SU Athletics
Pruett trains for races throughout the year.
