Former student-athlete leaves legacy, family creates scholarship

Troy Athletics Photo

Pictured: Leah Brundidge during a Troy softball game.

Former Troy softball player Leah Brundidge passed away on June 25 at the age of 31. Funeral services will be held on July 5.

Brundidge earned three degrees at Troy, including a PhD. She also worked for Troy Athletics in compliance for six years, serving as the director of compliance. Those who worked with her spoke very highly of her impact on the community.

“[Leah] was so wise, encouraging and intentional with her words and actions towards everyone,” said College of Communication and Fine Arts Communication Coordinator Whitney Bowers, who worked with Brundidge at Troy Athletics, in a Facebook post. “Her work ethic and care showed through every interaction that she had with student-athletes, coaches and more.”

As a four-year member of Troy softball, Brundidge appeared in 108 games. She scored 33 runs and stole nine bases as a Trojan. During her time at Troy, Brundidge was named an NFCA Easton Scholar-Athlete and went on to receive a Sun Belt Conference Postgraduate Scholarship as she went on to get her MBA and then her PhD.

“I always looked up to [Brundidge] throughout all my years at Troy,” said former Troy softball player Kelly Horne in a Facebook post. “This world is a better place because of Leah!”

After Brundige's playing career ended, she served as the director of compliance for Troy Athletics.

Following her time at Troy Athletics, Brundidge took a position at Southern Miss as the Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance before moving into sales development with Boehringer Ingelheim.

By playing at Troy, Brundidge took part in a family legacy. Her father, Eddie Brundidge, was a running back at Troy and played a pivotal part in the Trojans 1984 Division II National Championship. He was the first Troy running back to rush for 200 yards in a single game.

The Brundidge family is creating a scholarship fund in honor of Leah, and requests donations be made towards the fund in lieu of flowers.

Public visitation for Brundidge will be held at Presley-Fluker Funeral Home in Brewton, Alabama, on July 4 at 4 p.m. The funeral on July 5 will start at 2:30 p.m. and will be at Baptist Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Brewton.