CMB’s Baldwin signs with Waldorf volleyball

MAXWELL — Collins-Maxwell/Baxter head volleyball coach Scott Ranck needed a spark midway through the Raiders season three years ago.

What he may not have known then was his decision to change the lineup may have impacted one of his players beyond her high school career.

Ranck made a change at setter and libero that season. He moved MacKenzie Schmitz from setter to libero and then shifted Kathleen Baldwin over to setter.

That change jump started an end of the season surge for the Raiders and Baldwin never relinquished the role as the primary leader on the court.

Three years later, Baldwin turned that opportunity into a college scholarship. On Thursday she signed a national letter of intent to play volleyball Waldorf University.

“It was a positive change,” Ranck said. “She’s been outstanding for the program and has been a real leader for us the last two years. Her energy and enthusiasm is contagious.”

Ranck believes Baldwin is the only athlete in CMB history to earn a collegiate scholarship for volleyball.

The energy and positive influence she instills in her teammates helped the Raiders improve over her three years with the varsity team.

CMB finished 10-13 and 10-15 during Baldwin’s first two seasons but the Raiders went 13-12 in her final season this past fall.

Ranck doesn’t know a lot about the Waldorf program, but feels his three-year starting setter will fit in nicely in Forest City.

“I think she’ll be able to contribute fairly quickly. We’ll see,” Ranck said.

Baldwin had interest from Grand View University in Des Moines and Clarke College in Dubuque. She chose Waldorf because it just felt like the better fit.

“Waldorf seemed like a good fit for me,” Baldwin said. “The campus was great, the coaches were awesome. I liked the feel of the school.”

Baldwin is a three-sport athlete at CMB. She also plays basketball in the winter and is on the Raider soccer team in the spring. Volleyball has been her favorite sport since seventh grade.

“It was a stressful process, and I am glad its over,” said Baldwin, who plans to major in either business or education. “I am so excited to get up there, and I am looking forward to the summer workouts.”

As a sophomore, Baldwin led the Raider with 184 assists and also finished with 68 digs, 11 kills and six aces. She was 67-of-83 in serves.

Her assist total climbed to 406 during her junior year. Baldwin also had 41 kills, 14 aces, was 134-of-156 in serves and ranked third on the team with 156 digs. Her 406 assists ranked eighth in the Heart of Iowa Conference.

During her final season in a CMB uniform, Baldwin ranked first on the team and sixth in the HOIC with 431 assists. Her 118 digs ranked fourth on the team, and she also collected 36 kills, 19 aces and was 192-of-209 in serves.

Baldwin joins a Waldorf Warrior program that is in a bit of a transition. The program is now under the direction of Bri Ebenhoe, who took over the team after last year’s 17-22 campaign. Assistant coaches Mady Van Metre and Cecilia Brandon are in their second season at Waldorf.

The Warriors, who play in the North Star Athletic Association, have not had a winning season since 2012. Baldwin will a join a roster in 2017 that includes eight seniors, three juniors and six sophomores.

The transition to college is always tough on recent high school graduates but Baldwin will have a familiar face on campus to help with the stress.

Former CMB standout Payge Jurgens is on the Waldorf softball team. She influenced Baldwin’s decision to come to Waldorf, and Baldwin is excited to have a friend on campus.

“She loves it there. It helped me in making the decision just to know that her experience so far has been good,” Baldwin said.

Ranck adds, “That will help her a lot. The change to college life is going to be hard anyway, but if you have someone there who has been through it to show you the way, it makes everything else easier and less stressful. She’s got a good mentality, and I think she’ll do well there.”