CASEY BAUER SIGNS a Division I NCAA National Letter of Intent Wednesday morning to play volleyball at Colorado State University of the Mountain West Conference. Bauer, a standout for four years on the Montezuma-Cortez High School varsity volleyball team, is flanked by her parents Mike and Karen Bauer of Cortez. Watching are MCHS head volleyball coach Lindy Mortensen and MCHS Athletic Director Mike Allison.

BY JIM THOMAS
Journal Sports Editor

On the first minute she was eligible to sign her NCAA Division I National Letter of Intent, Casey Bauer inked bright and early at 7 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14, to play volleyball at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Wednesday was the first day of the National Collegiate Athletic Associaton’s early signing period for those athletes who already have decided which school they are going to play for.

Bauer, a standout outsider for four seasons with the Montezuma-Cortez High School varsity volleyball team, already knew which college where she was going to go. At the beginning of preseason practices way back in August she was already wearing a CSU T-shirt.

"I orally agreed in July," she said after signing her name on the dotted line of the scholarship letter. "I got offers from CU (Colorado University), Utah, Regis College, Oklahoma, and Northern Colorado. She got letters from such schools as Stanford, Utah State, North Carolina, University of Cincinnati, San Diego State, Texas A&M, and Tennessee to name a few."

She started with 40 schools but soon narrowed her list to 10. She went on official visits to CU, CSU, and Utah. She had gone to a camp at CSU a year ago and got to the meet the coaching staff there and some of the players. But it was her visit to Fort Collins that really made her decide.

"I wanted to make sure that I would get along with some of those girls. They made me feel comfortable. I wanted to make sure that if I didn’t play all four years of volleyball at CSU, that I would like the campus and the school. I really, really liked the coach (Tom Hilbert). I also liked Fort Collins, it isn’t a huge town and it is still close to home," she added.

Bauer reported she is undecided about a major at this point. She said she will take core classes and then make her decision after her sophomore year.

Bauer will have to adapt to playing more matches in college and speed scoring. In stead of game scores like 15-10 the scores will be more like 30-22. The Rams play best-of-five games for matches in the Mountain West Conference.

"She is one of those players who completely dedicated herself to volleyball," MCHS head volleyball coach Lindy Mortensen said. "She always gave 100 percent every day at practice and in games. She hardly ever missed an open gym (maybe a couple when she got hurt) in those four years. She played every club tournament (during the summer months). She was a good leader because she led by her dedication to the sport."

Mortensen said the best part of Bauer’s game is definitely hitting.

"I’m sure her hitting ability. She can get so high above the net and hit the ball. She is good at passing, and serve-receiving. She played a full rotation. She’s just a good player all around. She worked hard at the game. She also is a team player and most importantly, Casey is a good person and a good student. She has a love for the game of volleyball," Mortensen added.

Bauer, 18, certainly made her mark at MCHS in her four years on the volleyball court.

She lettered as a freshman. But by her sophomore season she was coming into her own. Bauer was named Second Team All-Conference (Southwest League) and All-State Honorable Mention in helping the Panthers to third place at the Class 4A State Volleyball Tournament. As a junior, she was chosen First Team All-Conference and Second Team All-State and helped the Panthers to be a State qualifier.

This season was really special for her. She was named First Team All-Conference, and Colorado High School Coaches Association All-State (that 4A game is set for this Sunday, Nov. 18, at Broomfield High School). She was chosen Channel 9’s "Athlete of the Week," Denver Post’s "Athlete of the Week," and IBM’s "Hero Athlete of the Week." She established school records for: 517 kills in a season, 7.2 kills average, 17 kills in a single game and set a state record for 43 kills in match. Although not school marks, she averaged 2.7 digs per game and she had 88.6 serving percentage. Bauer helped the Panthers to third place at the just completed State Tournament in Denver.

She finished her four-year school career record with 1,034 kills.

Bauer will forego her senior year in playing girls basketball. She said she did not do any off-season practicing and she said she didn’t want to make stupid mistakes. Bauer will receive a workout and conditioning schedule from CSU and do that during the rest of the school year. She also will play club volleyball this spring and summer.

So how does Bauer look back on her career at MCHS?

"Playing volleyball was a great experience here. I got to play with some wonderful girls who taught me a lot during those four years such as Rikki McNamee, Holly Tanner, and Denise Newlin really helped me become the player that I am today. Coach Mortensen was a great coach who really knows the game and is one of the biggest influences on my life," she added.

She is the daughter of Mike and Karen Bauer of Cortez.