Bruce Rader honored by HU for pioneering coverage of Pirates, HBCUs

HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — In the early 1970s, sports coverage of HBCU sports was not the norm. However, when Bruce Rader joined WAVY-TV in 1976, he saw an opportunity to change that.

Bruce began covering local HBCUs Hampton and Norfolk State and shining a spotlight on the athletes, coaches and administrators that make up various sports programs. Specifically, his basketball coverage was unmatched when he became a consistent voice and presence promoting and covering the CIAA tournament. Alongside NSU legend Bob Dandridge, Bruce did play-by-play for the tournament each season, highlighting HBCU athletes.

Bruce is a multiple winner of the “CIAA Sportscaster of the Year” award, the Chesapeake Athletic Club has honored him several times as “Tidewater Sportscaster of the Year”, and the Virginia Beach Alumni Chapter at Norfolk State University honored him with an award for Excellence in Sports Media. Other honors include several “Best Sports Award” from the Associated Press, “Sportscaster of the Year” from Virginia’s United Press International as well as a “District Leadership Award” from the United Negro College Fund. Bruce has also been inducted into the Peninsula Baseball Hall of Fame.

Under Bruce’s leadership, WAVY-TV’s Sports Department has been honored by the Associated Press as having the “Best Sports Department” in Virginia several times. Also, in numerous years Bruce has been named Hampton Roads’ “Sportscaster of the Year” by the readers of Portfolio Magazine.

Bruce was born and raised in the Washington, D.C. area, but has lived and worked in Hampton Roads for more than 40 years and resides in Virginia Beach. Bruce is retiring at the end of the month after 45 years at WAVY. His final day on air will be February 24.