
HAMPTON ROADS— Virginia Peninsula Community College baseball is ready to hit the diamond. Ahead of Sunday’s home opener, members of Gators Baseball sat down with WYDaily to discuss the 2025 season.
Today, meet third baseman and shortstop Justin Bryson.
Bryson, who hails from Las Vegas, transferred to VPCC after playing Division II ball at Dordt University.
“I sent my videos out to hundreds of coaches and Coach Shane Harrison came back to me within the hour of receiving my video. He was on it. It was a long stretch for me, being one of the farthest students that they recruited,” Bryson says.
After meeting with Coach Harrison, Bryson was hooked.
“I did a lot of research on what this school had to offer before I signed. This year, we have four or five transfer guys who have played at higher levels so it’s kind of like we’re stepping down, but in reality, we bring a lot of experience to the new guys on the team,” Bryson said.
Moving from Iowa to Hampton Roads also helped bring him closer to his sister, who resides in the area with her husband, who serves in the Air Force.
Bryson will contribute to the Gators as a member of the infield. While at Dordt, Bryson was primarily used as a pitcher. He appeared in 13 games and earned a combined 3-10 win/loss record. He was also used as a utility player.
He hopes to be a leader for the Gators during his first season.
“When I came in, I was able to help a lot of guys. It’s hard when you are a new guy and the returners are looking at you like ‘who is this?’ These guys are absorbent, they call, they text, they want to know what it was like to play at the DII level. They are hungry for the knowledge,” Bryson said.
As the 2025 season gets underway, Bryson looks for the team to take it one game at a time.
“Our goal right now is to be ready for the first series. If we can take two games from the start, it’s going to put something out there. Coaches talk, players talk, and teams evaluate competition right from the start. If we were to get swept the first series, they’ll write us off that we’re the same team we were last year. If you go out strong and take wins, it’s a whole new mentality,” Bryson said.
Bryson said while he’s sacrificed a lot for the sport he loves, he wouldn’t change a thing.
“I was talking to my mom the other day and I realized that I had never been to a high school football game. Baseball is time-consuming, but I would do everything I’ve done all over again to be able to continue to play,” Bryson said.
When Bryson takes to the field for the first time as a Gator, he hopes the public will be there to show support.
“It’s going to be electric. These guys want it. It’s going to be fast, it’s going to be exciting, you don’t want to miss out,” Bryson said.
VPCC will host the College of Southern Maryland at War Memorial Stadium for a doubleheader on Feb. 9. For more information on VPCC Baseball, visit vpccgators.com.