Bruce (18), a pupil at Mt Aspiring College in Wanaka, has accepted a four-year scholarship to study commerce at Oregon State University.
"I'm quite excited. It's a pretty big opportunity. It will be a good experience for me because the whole system is different over there."
She will be on a full scholarship that includes fees, books and board and is worth $US35,000 ($NZ44,800) annually.
"I want to test my full capabilities to see how far I can go in the sport of rowing," Bruce said.
There are scouts from American universities in New Zealand and Bruce was approached by two other universities before accepting the offer from Oregon State.
"Once your name is in the pool they all find out about you," she said.
There are 30 girls in the rowing squad at Oregon State, including three other New Zealanders - Nicole Hook (Epsom Girls Grammar, Auckland), Anna Taylor (St Peter's, Taupo) and Gillian Cooper (Macleans College, Auckland).
The university concentrates on big boats.
"They row mainly in eights but occasionally in fours," Bruce said. "I'm not sure if they own any singles."
The Oregon rowing squad competes in the NCAA competition and also in longer distance races.
"It will be fun. I haven't experienced these races in the past," she said.
Rowing in a big squad will be different from the lonely existence Bruce faced in Wanaka when she was the only elite female rower in the local club.
"I've been sculling by myself but I have been in a very good squad," Bruce said. "It's been a really good way to build character and discipline and develop self confidence."
Going to the United States will be different.
"It's probably a good thing for my career at this point," she said. "I want to test myself and see what my capabilities are in the sport of rowing."
The downside of the scholarship is that Bruce will not be eligible to represent New Zealand while she is studying in the United States.
"To row in any international teams you have to live in camp at Lake Karapiro," Bruce said.
"But I can qualify when I come back and get into the New Zealand system."
Her father, Robert Bruce, is a former top North End Club rower who now teaches at Mt Aspiring and was a founding member of the Wanaka Rowing Club.
"It's been a solo effort for Saasha up to now," he said. "It will be an advantage for her to train and race in a large and stimulating rowing environment."
Bruce has had an impressive record in the four years she has been rowing. The highlights have been winning a silver and bronze medal in the girls under-18 single sculls at the Maadi Cup the last two years and a bronze medal in the club single sculls at the New Zealand championships at Lake Ruataniwha this year.
