By Malcolm Butler
Josh Taylor vividly remembers the first time he saw Bradi Gallaway.
It was April 2, 2022, during Taylor’s inaugural season as the head coach for Louisiana Tech.
Bradi, just 14-years-old and a freshman at Whitesboro (Texas) High School at the time, had returned to Ruston with her older sister, Preslee, for Softball Alumni Weekend.
Preslee was one of 50-plus former Tech players to return that weekend and little sister tagged along … as she had for most of her life.
Following on-the-field recognition of the alums following the conclusion of the game that Saturday, a variety of events were scheduled as part of the celebration, including a facility tour of Origin Bank Softball Complex, dinner, and open hitting on Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.
Hundreds of people stuck around to enjoy the festivities.
One of those was Bradi Gallaway.
And just like she had most of her young life, she managed to open eyes without really trying.
Taylor was standing on the concourse level of the facility overlooking the field – eating some jambalaya and visiting with alumni and fans — when he saw some kid hit ball after ball out of Dr. Billy Bundrick Field.
“I wasn’t even dressed for it,” joked Bradi. “I was in hi-top Vans and skinny jeans.”
And of course, a Louisiana Tech Softball T-shirt.
It did not matter how Bradi was dressed. She stopped Taylor in mid-conversation.
“I didn’t know who the kid was,” said Taylor. “Until Preslee started yelling up to me, ‘That’s my sister. That’s my sister.’”
As little sis continued to swing away and big sis continued to beam with pride, Taylor continued to watch from afar.
It was the starting point of a three-year process of evaluating and then ultimately recruiting Bradi, the Bulldogs current-day shortstop.
“The interaction with Preslee during that Alumni Weekend … you could just see the competitiveness in both of them,” said Taylor. “It was one of those moments that you felt grateful for because Bradi got plopped right in front of us because of who her sister was and the fact she came back with her to Alumni Weekend that year.”
Funny thing is, Bradi said she really did not want to hit. But, Preslee made her.
“She waved me and my friend to come down to the field,” said Bradi. “Preslee was like, ‘You need to go hit. You need to go hit.’ I was not sure about it at first, but other people were doing it.
“Preslee was getting angry at me. So, I grabbed a bat and my first two swings I sent over the left field fence.”
It was just the start of the recruitment process.
“What I witnessed that day blossomed into us being curious and wanting to see more,” said Taylor.
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Bradi Gallaway practically spent half of her childhood in Ruston, or at least that is how she remembers it.
Bradi was an eight-year-old when her sister started her collegiate career with the Bulldogs under then head coach Mark Montgomery.
During Preslee’s four years, Bradi came with her parents to every home game and many of the road contests.
She became as much of a fixture at the old Lady Techster Softball Complex as her big sister.
“My memories revolve around watching everything Preslee did,” said Bradi. “Whether it was in the bullpen or in the dugout or while she was on the field – just commanding the field. I would chase her down and watch her in the bullpen. Or sit behind home plate.”
Who could blame her? Those teams were fun to watch and big sister was a big reason why.
Preslee became one of the most decorated pitchers in Tech Softball history. She was a three-time all-conference performer and earned the Conference USA Pitcher of the Year award during her junior season. She ranks in the top 10 in program history in wins, strikeouts, saves, innings pitched, and appearances.
“Everywhere she went, she was like a light,” said Bradi. “And I had to follow the light.”
But unlike most kids her age, Bradi was not running around the ballpark while her older sibling was playing.
No, she was zeroed in, watching and learning.
“I remember her as a kid running around the complex after games, always paying attention,” said former Bulldog Morgan (Turkoly) Childress, who played during the same four-year stretch as Preslee.
“She’d run by and say, ‘Good game, Mo,’ and you could tell she had actually watched the games, not just played with some of the other kids off to the side.”
Bradi watched – even studied – some pretty good softball during that time as Preslee, Morgan, and the Bulldogs won 146 games and three league titles from 2016 to 2019 while playing in a pair of NCAA Regionals.
The memories of those times still loom large in her mind.
“Sometimes Preslee would let me hang with them if they had a team dinner and it was cool to be around Morgan (Turkoly), and Berkley (Calapp), and Marilyn (Rizzato),” said Bradi, who attended her first Tech softball camp at age eight. “I looked up to all of them so much.”
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Bradi Gallaway is fearless.
It is a Gallaway trait for anyone who knows the family.
However, she admits that during the recruiting process, she felt a little twinge of anxiety when it came to playing at the same school as Preslee.
“Yes, there was some fear,” said Bradi. “My freshman and sophomore year (of high school), I was like, ‘I want to create my own path. I am not going to go to the same college. That’s just following her. I want to create my own name.’”
An admirable goal for any high-level athlete.
However, a talk with Preslee started to calm those fears.
“We had that conversation – me and Bradi – away from mom and dad,” said Preslee. “I told her that the only person that was still a part of the program that knew what I did was Malcolm (Butler). No one else is there. That gave her peace of mind.”
It made sense.
“I didn’t want anyone at practice to go, ‘Hey, your sister made that play. Hey, your sister did this or did that.’ I didn’t want any of that for her,” said Preslee. “I told her when she goes to practice every day, yes, Malcolm is going to be there, but he isn’t going to say, ‘Hey, your sister did this or that.’ I told her, go make your own story, whether that’s at Tech or not.”
The conversation helped.
“Preslee always told me she didn’t think I would be following her,” said Bradi. “It’s a different coach. It’s a different program. It’s a different field. It’s a different staff. Everything is different besides the town and the name on the jersey.”
None of her family pushed her towards Ruston, although her mom Michelle wanted her to stay within reasonable driving distance.
“She told me I had a five-hour radius,” laughed Bradi. “She said, ‘If I have to fly to see you, it’s too far. If I am falling asleep during the drive to see you play, it’s too far.’”
They all just wanted her to be comfortable and happy with whatever decision and whatever program she chose.
“She didn’t want to live in Preslee’s shadow, and that was a compliment to her,” said Jeff Gallaway, the girl’s father. “She admires her sister greatly, but she has always wanted to stand on her own two feet and blaze her own path and make a name for herself.”
Bradi remembers much of the advice she received.
“My Dad said he didn’t care where I went to play ball,” said Bradi. “He just wanted me to have fun. He said, ‘I want you to have fun and have faith, I don’t care where you go. Those are the two things you must take with you.’
“He was one of the ones who said, ‘You can’t think you are following in Preslee’s shadows by going to Louisiana Tech.’ He was one of the first ones to say, ‘You aren’t following her. That’s not what it is. She is different. You are different. Two completely different people. Two completely different generations.’”
As the recruiting process intensified for the younger Gallaway, some doubts still remained until September 1 of her junior year at Whitesboro High School rolled around – the first day college coaches could officially reach out per NCAA rules.
Bradi attended camps at a number of college campuses – something that is legal prior to the September 1 deadline – including Louisiana Tech, Texas State, Wichita State and many more.
It allows the camper to get a feel for the coaching staffs and program and the coaches to get time with the recruits.
Josh Taylor had told Bradi at one of those LA Tech camps that she would be getting a call from him on the first day of September. But she admits, she was not sure what the call would entail.
“She had other options,” said Taylor. “We knew that, but we also knew she was a legacy and that her sister’s experience at Louisiana Tech was extremely positive. As we got to know Bradi and her family, the more we liked everything we saw.
“But Bradi’s ability and her competitiveness and who she is as a person is what really got us excited. We knew there was work that we needed to do with her swing, but we knew there was an explosiveness to it.”
Around 8 a.m. on September 1, 2023, she received a text message from Taylor.
“His message just said, ‘Let’s set up a phone call.’ I had phone calls throughout the night, but his was the one I was the most surprised about,” said Bradi.
That night Bradi’s phone rang with Taylor’s name on the caller ID.
“The first thing he said was, ‘Hey kid. I am cutting right to it. Here is your offer. I want you to think about it. We will talk about more details later, but we want you to come to Louisiana Tech. We want you here. We know you can succeed here,’” said Bradi.
One of the things Bradi said stood out about the conversation was that when she asked about a deadline for the decision, Taylor did not apply pressure.
“When he made me the offer, I asked him what my timeline was,” said Bradi. “And he said, ‘You don’t have one.’”
Two weeks later, Bradi committed to be a Bulldog.
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Life has a way of coming full circle sometimes.
For Bradi Gallaway, one of those moments will be this weekend.
More than 20 former Tech players have RSVP’d to return to campus on Saturday for the 5th Annual Tech Softball Alumni Weekend.
Tech will host FIU in a three-game series at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field starting Friday.
And the once bright-eyed eight-year-old Bradi Gallaway will have a chance to play in front of not only her sister, but so many of the players she began idolizing a decade ago.
“It’s so crazy to me,” said Bradi. “When I was growing up, these girls were larger than life to me. Even just two years ago when I came to Alumni Weekend with Preslee, we sat with a lot of them. Even though we all aged five or six years, I still felt like I was eight years old. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s Berkley. Oh my gosh, that’s Morgan.’”
Berkley (Calapp) Oblender and Morgan (Turkoly) Childress will be on hand. So will Marilyn Rizzato and Katie Smith. And of course, big sis.
And they all will be sitting in the stands, watching Bradi with the same intensity that she viewed them with during their playing days.
Coincidentally enough, Bradi has a chance to set a Louisiana Tech freshman record for home runs, currently held by none other than … Morgan (Turkoly) Childress. Morgan hit 10 in 2016, and Bradi is sitting at nine.
“It’s been really awesome to see her now at our alma mater, especially with the success she’s already had as a freshman,” said Morgan. “I am so proud of her and can’t wait to follow the rest of her career. I hope she goes on to set many records of her own.”
None of this first-year success surprises anyone who knows Bradi Gallaway. She has had little trouble making a name for herself in her first season of college ball, even playing at the same school as her sister.
“She respects everything Preslee did at Louisiana Tech,” said Taylor. “They will always be sisters, but they will certainly have their own journeys at Louisiana Tech. That is what makes them unique, and I think it is what makes Bradi special.
“She has been everything we could have wanted. And the scary thing about Bradi is that she hasn’t even come close to her potential.”
Bradi was named the Conference USA Freshman of the Week Monday after hitting two more home runs and driving in eight runs last week. She is currently hitting .331 with seven doubles, nine home runs and a team-high 36 RBI (another one of Morgan’s freshmen records she is chasing: 43).
She has saved some of her biggest hits for clutch moments, including the walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to beat ULM 3-2 on February 19.
Bradi’s defense at shortstop has been next level, committing just five errors in over 135 chances this year.
“We knew defensively she was going to be a Division I player right away,” said Taylor. “She is the kind of kid who is going to continue to work. Her potential far outweighs what we have already seen this year.”
Bradi Gallaway roamed the stands and the outskirts of the bullpen area while watching her big sister and teammates lead Tech to conference titles almost decade ago.
This weekend she will roam the actual field for the Bulldogs. And she said she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It’s been nothing short of a spectacular experience for me,” said Bradi. “It’s so awesome. I have built such a sisterhood with these girls. It’s like everybody is here for you. It’s home away from home, something that I was searching for. And I found it.”
Less than one full season into her collegiate softball journey, Bradi is writing her own legacy in Ruston.
