By Matt Gade

605 Sports

RAPID CITY — A season ago, Gracey Brink was behind home plate fielding some of the best pitches from the NSIC pitcher of the year, Grace Glanzer for the Augustana Vikings.

Capping off her senior season, Brink, a Rapid City Stevens alum, was tabbed the NSIC player of the year and a 2024 NCAA Division II Rawlings Gold Glove Award Winner.

On Tuesday, Brink was back where it started. In the Rapid City Stevens dugout. Only this time, she was offering tips and working with the Raiders’ catchers and players.

Brink, who is studying to be a chiropractor from Parker University in Texas, was back home over break and said she hoped to catch a Raiders game while in town.

While there were no games on the schedule, Stevens head coach Sherry Grismer wasn’t going to let the chance for one of her former players to talk to her current team. 

“I just think it's always fun to come back. I had such a great time at Stevens High School playing, and Coach Grismer was a big, big reason for that,” Brink said. “So anytime that I can show my support for her, I'll do that. And I love, I love being around the sport still and getting that time. So I'm happy to come out and help the girls as well.”
At Augustana, Brink was a two-time All-American. She led the NSIC in batting average at .494 her senior season and had the conference's best OPS with 1.534 in 28 games played in 2024. 

During her senior year, she recorded 36 runs on 40 hits in 81 at-bats, recorded nine home runs, with 19 RBIs and an NSIC-best slugging percentage of .963. Behind the plate, she recorded 143 put-outs in helping lead the Vikings to their fourth-straight NSIC Championship.

The Vikings would make it out of the NCAA Division II Central Region and Super Regionals before falling in the national championship tournament 0-2. 

During Tuesday’s practice, Brink, at the request of coach Grismer, showed off her 2024 Golden Glove for the team to see. 

Rapid City Stevens alum and Augustana Golden Glove recipient Gracey Brink, right, shows her Golden Glove to Raiders players including Addie Hock, left, and Sayde Hunt, center, during practice on Tuesday at Parkview Softball Complex. (Matt Gade/605 Sports)

For Rapid City Stevens starting catcher Addie Hock, she said it was fun to get to hear from Brink and her success.

“I think it shows that if you put in the work, you can really get anywhere if you set your mind to it,” Hock said. “The other thing, it’s kind of funny, but Gracey actually coached me when I was little, with little catching lessons. So it’s kind of a full circle moment and hopefully I can succeed as much in college as she did.”

“She was probably eight or nine, and I was in high school,” Brink said of Hock. “So it's funny just seeing how much she's improved and come into her role.”

Brink led Stevens’ eight catchers in blocking drills, framing drills and cutoff throw exercises during practice.

Brink, who graduated from Rapid City Stevens in 2019, said she’s excited to see softball continue to grow. 

It wasn’t until 2022 that the South Dakota High School Activities Association sanctioned softball, with the first official season in 2023.

“I definitely think it was a long time coming to be actually sanctioned with the school,” she said.

Rapid City Stevens alum and Augustana Golden Glove recipient Gracey Brink works with the Raiders catchers during practice on Tuesday at Parkview Softball Complex. (Matt Gade/605 Sports)

Now that her playing career is over, Brink said she already misses the sport but said she still likes to follow her former teammates and teams since and follow their seasons.

In terms of her collegiate success, Brink said she could never have predicted where softball took her, but believes that shows how hard work can pay off.

“I just kind of fulfilled the dreams that I had as a younger girl, you know, to play at the college level and to be successful, it was just a lot of fun to like see that actually come into fruition.

“I feel like it's just like a testament to the hard work and like the time that I put in,” Brink said. “So it's rewarding in that aspect, but also it would not have been possible had I not had the coaches that I had throughout my whole career. They're really supportive of always bettering yourself and pushing yourself to be better.”

Rapid City Stevens alum was a 2024 Golden Glove recipient while playing for Augustana last season. (Matt Gade/605 Sports)