BAUMSTARCK SIGNS WITH BISMARK

BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune

Northwest College volleyball sophomore Ellianna Baumstarck signed her letter of intent in January to continue her playing career at Bismarck State University, an NAIA school in North Dakota.
"The thing that got me looking at them in the first place is I have a ton of family around that area," Baumstarck said. "I knew I wanted to be close to family, especially going far away as hard as it is."
She said Mystic coach Kyle Kuether got in contact with her and she talked to him before eventually going on a campus visit to tour the school.
"I love the campus," Baumstarck said. "It's a super big campus, all of their facilities were super nice. They just built a new arena. I got to talk to the coaches and some of the girls, and it just clicked so well up there … It was just a really good school and I just kind of felt like it was a place I can call home for the next two years. It was comfortable."
Baumstarck came to the Trappers after playing her high school career in Worland, making the short journey north to play two years in Cabre Gym.
"It was so close to home," Baumstarck said. "If I wanted to go see my family, I could, and they could easily come watch my games. I loved it here. It is going to be hard for me to leave, because even with two different coaches and two completely different teams, I loved volleyball."
Baumstarck said it was difficult to compete at times over the two seasons after issues with her hip, but she battled through and performed well, improving even more her sophomore year.
She came to Powell after her sister, Emily, played with the Trappers in 2020 and 2021 and then signed with the University of Mary, which also plays volleyball in Bismarck, North Dakota.
"It was nice, because I knew what to expect in a way from what she said. But also, it was different teams, and I'm kind of in a different program of study and different interests, it was a new experience for me," Baumstarck said of NWC. "Then with a new coach, it was kind of almost like starting fresh."
In her freshman season Baumstarck played in 15 matches as a middle blocker and outside hitter, recording 12 kills as well as 17 total blocks, four of them solo. 
Following that season, Baumstarck knew this year would be a year for her to prove her spot on the team with a late recruiting cycle after hiring coach Nicole Buck in April.
"I knew it was going to be more of a battle this year, we had really late recruiting and a whole new team," Baumstarck said. "I knew that I would have to step it up, because we had all these new people and a new coach and everything. I knew that I really wanted to play on, so that was a motivator to really make sure that I made an impression this season, that coaches could look out for."
This past fall she made a significant impact for the Trappers, playing 21 matches and recording 90 kills and 83 blocks, 48 of them solo.
"I had a good team to back me up and help me with those blocks," Baumstarck said. "I had them telling me where to go. It was really great to have their help."
She said throughout her two years as a Trapper she had learned a significant amount about defense, while also becoming more court aware in order to improve her volleyball IQ.
Baumstarck recently had surgery on her hip, and said she will likely be out for several months but is hopeful she can be ready to compete for a middle blocking spot when the fall rolls around.
The Mystics finished this past season 5-22 record competing in the Frontier Conference.
She said she plans to study behavioral health, and continue on into either occupational therapy or behavioral therapy.
"I love Northwest. It's made such an impact on everything and I'm really going to miss it," Baumstarck said. "I'm excited to see how the girls do next year with the continued rebuilding program. I'll be supporting them from afar."