Volleyball
Stillwater Area High School
Volleyball
Stillwater Area High School has 5 teams open to players in grades 9 - 12. There are the following teams: Varsity, JV, B Squad, 9A, and 9B.
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Varsity - This is open to all players in grades 9 - 12.
JV - This is open to all players in grades 9 - 11
B Squad - This is open to all players in grades 9 - 10
9A - This is open to only 9th graders
9B - This is open to only 9th graders
*Players that are in 7th and 8th grade need permission from the head coach and athletic director before trying out for the high school teams.
Practice Times
Varsity 3:30-5:30pm
*Monday and Wednesday ETS from 5:45-6:15pm*
JV 4-6pm
B Squad 4-6pm
9A 3:30-5:30pm
9B 3:30-5:30pm
Coaching Staff
Coach Sara Baumgard
Varsity Head Coach
Sara has been apart of the Stillwater Volleyball program since 2018. She was a 9B coach for one year, Varsity assistant the next year, and became the head coach the following year, 2020. This will be Coach Sara's 6th season as the head coach. She lives in White Bear Lake with her husband and 1 year old son. She graduated from Woodbury High School and played college volleyball at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Favorite Memory:
In 2023, we won the section final match against Roseville in a reverse sweep and won the fifth match 17-15. Then, in the opening round at the State tournament the same scenario happens: we reverse sweep Rogers and win the fifth set 17-15.
Coach AMy Rutherford
Varsity Assistant Coach
Amy has been apart of the Stillwater Volleyball program since 2017. She was the B Squad coach for 3 years until joining Coach Sara at the varsity level in 2020. This will be Coach Amy's 6th season as the varsity assistant coach and booster club coach representative. Coach Amy was apart of the SAJO program for 8 years. During her time at SAJO, she was the club director for 3 years while continuing to coach. Coach Amy played for Stillwater Volleyball from 2005-2008 and loves being apart of the great Pony Volleyball Program.
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Favorite Memory:
State in 2023, we reversed swept Rogers the first game of the tournament. It was unexpected and just a wild game of grit, endurance and teamwork!​
Coach Tess Kovala
Varsity Assistant Coach
This is Coach Tess’s first season coaching at Stillwater High School.
Coach Tess has been coaching club volleyball for 11 years, and for the past 6 years, she has been with Kokoro Volleyball Club. While at Kokoro, she had the opportunity to coach many Stillwater athletes and even against Coach Sarah and Coach Amy in a few tournaments! At Kokoro, she coached the 15-2’s, 14-2’s, and most recently the 13-1’s. As a former White Bear Lake Bear herself, Coach Tess is excited to return to the Suburban East Conference, this time as a Pony!
Favorite Memory:
In 2018, Coach Tess’s club team went 15-0 in Orlando and won Nationals! She had told her team all season long that they truly had what it took to win Nationals, and seeing that dream come true was one of the proudest, and most fun, moments of her coaching career.
Coach Emma Carlson
JV Coach
This will be Emma Carlson’s third year as the Stillwater Volleyball JV coach. Previously, she coached club volleyball at the White Bear Lake Volleyball Club and SAJO. Emma grew up in the Hopkins School District, where she played volleyball throughout her high school years. After high school, she played at Bethel University for 4 years. Currently, Emma is a special education teacher in Shoreview, where she resides.
Favorite memory:
Emma’s favorite memory was watching a few of her JV players during sections reverse sweep Roseville to make it to state!
Coach Chelsey Bockman
B-Squad Coach
Chelsey is returning to the Stillwater Volleyball Program this season as the B Squad coach. Previously she served as the Varsity Assistant for 9 seasons from 2003-2011. From youth volleyball to the Gophers, you can typically find her in a gym where there is volleyball going on! Chelsey played club volleyball growing up and participated through Varsity at Stillwater High School. She has served as a Stillwater Community Education Volleyball Camp Coach for 13 years and a Stillwater Spikers Volleyball Head Coach for five years. Chelsey was an athlete for SAJO, a head coach for a season, and as a SAJO Club Director for five years. Most recently, she has been coaching at Kokoro for the last two club seasons. Chelsey is starting her 18th year as a teacher in the Stillwater School District with her current role as a reading and math interventionist at Brookview Elementary. She is excited to rejoin such an incredible volleyball program.
favorite memory:
Winning the section final game to make it to Stillwater’s first ever appearance at the State Tournament in 2009. Looking forward to making many new memories with this Stillwater Volleyball Program.
Coach Melissa Brown
9A Coach
Melissa is a graduate of the Stillwater High School volleyball program (Go Ponies). She grew up playing soccer and found a passion for volleyball in high school. She played intramural volleyball at Florida State University, indoor and outdoor rec leagues, as well as pick-up volleyball. She began coaching volleyball in 2007. She has been with the Stillwater High School program for over 15 years, coaching 8th grade through JV. She also coaches at SAJO for the U14-U17 age groups.
Favorite Memory:
It has to be winning the JV tournament a few years ago in White Bear Lake. I’ve never seen 1st place champions so excited to win ice cream sandwiches!
COach Breanna Larson
9B Coach
Coming soon
Favorite Memory:
Coming Soon
Coach Mike Zeno
Coach at Large
Coming soon
Favorite Memory:
Coming Soon