By Melissa Triebwasser
Frogs Today staff writer
TCU manager Kirk Saarloos has filled the open position on his bench with Nevada baseball coach TJ Bruce, according to Nevada Sports Net reporter Kirsten Moran, and confirmed by DI Baseball’s Kendall Rogers,
Bruce has spent the past seven seasons at Nevada after being hired away from UCLA after a successful five-year run as an assistant. He was a part of the UCLA staff that guided the program to its first ever College World Series championship in 2013.
Prior to joining the Bruins, Bruce was on the staff of Long Beach State, and Long Beach just happens to be Saarloos’ hometown. Bruce played his prep ball at St. John Bosco High School, located in Long Beach, before matriculating to Cerritos College for two seasons, spending his junior year at Texas Tech and finishing his collegiate career with the Dirtbags.
He batted over .300 in three of his collegiate seasons, earning All-South Coast Conference honors and helping lead Long Beach State to an NCAA Super Regional before falling one game short of the College World Series in 2004.
