middle blocker for the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team and is playing in her third year.
She said she has been playing volleyball since her club sports days in middle school, when she first started playing volleyball at the local YMCA.
“Once I got to sixth grade, I started club ball and played that all the way through,” Baker said.
Volleyball has always been a passion for Baker. It wasn’t until she went to Mentor High School in Mentor, Ohio, that her success was being heard by Mid-American Conference schools. There she found a lot of success under her coach Richard Woodman.
“I considered mostly MAC schools, but I was always the second pick,” Baker said. “Then, I got an offer from here so I chose here. Eastern had a great education school; that’s what I want to go into, so that’s why I chose Eastern.”
In high school, she led her team to the Lake Erie League championships and was named MVP of the league her senior season. That year she was also co-captain of her team and was named Division I District II first team. She was a three year starter and was even awarded the Lake County News Herald player of the year.
“I just enjoyed this sport the most because I was very athletic and sporty when I was younger,” Baker said. “I like to get a big block, and it goes straight down on the other team. It makes them look really silly.”
Her teammate, Rachel Iaquaniello, who led the Eagles in kills last year with 515, said when Baker gets into game mode there’s no stopping her.
“Her game pulls you in,” Iaquaniello said. “She’s a solid leader, and she’s very focused.”
Iaquaniello and Baker are not only teammates but also close friends off the court. Baker said she loves hanging out with her friends and helping younger athletes to make the team that much better.
“I love how we’re always together off the court,” Baker said. “No matter what we’re doing, we are always together. We all live together.”
She said living together helps with the team’s chemistry and adds to the cohesiveness they are trying to build.
Baker specializes in blocks, blocks assisted and kills. In her freshman season, Baker led her team in blocks with 98, she was third in kills on the team with 216 and finished second on the team with 85 block assists.
Iaquaniello said, “Off the court, Kristen is a very loyal friend and on the court if you’re down she’ll be there to pat you on the back.”
She out did herself a year later when she had the second most kills on the team with 24, she also led her team in blocks with 98 and was second on her team with 84 block assists.
She has played alongside her close friend and teammate Iaquaniello for three years now. And every year they have played under coach Kim Berrington. Last season, the three were a part of a 24-11 Eagles team that recorded the biggest turnaround in program history.
The volleyball team at Eastern Michigan is on a four-game win streak after Saturday’s match at Bowling Green, where the Eagles swept the Falcons 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-16). Baker had 11 kills for .474 hitting percentage to go along with a team-high three blocks.
The win against Bowling Green was proceded by a 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-23) victory against the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks on Friday night in Ohio. Baker posted a .750 hitting percentage on 13 kills. She also had three blocks in the match.
The team will now face Buffalo and Akron this weekend at home. Buffalo will face the Eagles Friday, and Akron will face the Eagles on Saturday for their Dig Pink Match, which is an annual effort to raise money for breast cancer awareness. The matches are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Convocation Center.
