Baumgardner comes to Loretto after serving as the Director of Coach Development and U19 Head Coach for the Central Penn Field Hockey Club for the last year and a half. Prior to her time with the club team, Baumgardner served as the field hockey head coach at Saint Louis University. During her time with the Bilikens, she guided the team to its most wins in 2017 and 2018 since 2008, including the program's first-ever win against a Big Ten school in Indiana University during the 2017 campaign. In addition, her teams also excelled in the classroom with 24 student-athletes named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFCA) National Academic Squad and had five players earn Scholars of Distinction.
"I am truly honored and humbled by the opportunity to join Coach Ceretta and the Saint Francis University athletic staff as we seek to reach the Northeast Conference Tournament and championship," said Baumgardner. "Having the opportunity to witness Coach Ceretta's work as a former conference opponent, and now a teammate, I respect and admire her care for each student-athlete and commitment to excellence in the classroom and on the pitch. I am looking forward to serving our team each and every day under Coach Ceretta's leadership to help us become better people and better student-athletes/staff. Let's go Red Flash!"
A 2013 graduate of the University of Maryland, Baumgardner (nee Kaufman) was a four-year letterwinner for the Terps and helped the team to the NCAA Division I Final Four all four seasons and to the pinnacle with national championships in 2010 and 2011. The squad also won the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) title in 2009 and 2010. Baumgardner was named to the ACC Honor Roll and to the NFHCA Academic Squad all four years. She was awarded the Sabrina Salem Award in 2011 and 2012 for elite level quality of life academically and athletically while exemplifying heart of a champion.
