BOISE – Paige Bartsch is hard to miss.
It’s not just because of the 6-foot-4-inch frame either.
The Boise State junior right side hitter is a two-time All-Mountain West player, listed 17 times in the program’s record books, ranked top-5 in the country in five different statistical categories and is signed to one of the most lucrative NIL deals in school history by Lithia Ford, which is leasing her a brand new Ford Broncos Sport.
The Broncos (7-7, 3-1 MW) host Fresno State (8-7, 2-2) at 7 p.m. Thursday inside of Bronco Gym.
“I’m just so proud of her. Because you never know what they’re gonna do,” mom Anne Bartsch said. “I always knew Paige loved volleyball and I always thought she would excel at it, but not at this level I don’t think. But she has always worked really hard for it.”
From an early age, too.
Older sisters Amanda and Morgan Bartsch taught her how to set.
A skill she honed from the sidelines of their volleyball games. Anne Bartsch always tossed her a ball to pass and set with during the timeouts of those matches where she served as the line judge.
(Contributed photo)
Paige Bartsch put in the work at home, as well.
There was rarely a moment when she didn’t ask a family member to go out and pepper with her in the front yard.
“I remember my mom’s shoulder would hurt,” laughed twin sister Dani Bartsch, who plays basketball for the University of Montana.
And when that eventually was not enough, Paige Bartsch set up a grass volleyball court with childhood friend Audrey Hofer, who is a junior setter at Montana State, and a makeshift home workstation in the fourth grade.
She placed a blue piece of painters tape on the garage door to represent where the net was. Bartsch then tossed the ball to herself, jumped, spiked, dug and passed it back to herself before repeating the process for hours on end.
“She may have broken a light or two,” said Anne Bartsch with a laugh.
But Paige Bartsch made the investment of a few extra light fixtures more than worth it.
She needed just three games to break Capital High School’s single-season block record her freshman year.
“She was just a natural,” said Anne Bartsch who played volleyball at the University of Montana. “I wish I could say I taught it to her, but I didn’t.”
However, her promising career was almost derailed that same season.
Paige Bartsch went up for a routine hit during a practice and just landed awkwardly on her left foot.
A total of seven screws and a metal plate were required to repair the break.
“It was probably devastating for her. She was probably worried that she’s never gonna be the same afterwards,” Dani Bartsch said. “There’s a lot of what ifs and doubts after when that happens. But she was eager to get back to being the best that she possibly could be.”
Paige Bartsch did and then some.
Longtime Boise State coach Shawn Garus couldn’t believe that he was the only college coach in attendance during a game the following year. She went on to lead Capital to a state title that same sophomore season after rolling her ankle in the final.
“She couldn’t really move laterally very well. But she went up and blocked a ball with one hand and then got a kill even though she could hardly jump or do anything,” Anne Bartsch said. “She was still so hyper focused on the game and just wanted to win.”
And Paige Bartsch did.
Capital went 101-9, including a 71-match unbeaten streak, and won it all two more times to become the first school in state history to win three consecutive state championships with her in the lineup. Bartsch ended her prolific high school career as a three-time state all-state selection and the 2019 Gatorade Montana Player of the Year.
(Contributed photo)
“Everything was just really special about her,” Garus said.
She had a connection to the Broncos well before Garus ever saw her play. Former Boise State middle blocker Kaitlyn Oliver, who went on to become a three time All-MW player, is also from Helena. Bartsch saw her play at Boise in the eighth grade. She even recorded Oliver with her iPod.
“She was kind of my role model growing up,” Bartsch said.
So naturally, she wanted to follow suit.
But her own respected Boise State career got off to a bit of a rough start.
Already struggling with homesickness, Bartsch missed the first month of the season after spraining her right ankle this time around. So all she could do was watch from the sidelines and sit in her dorm room with just her thoughts to keep her company.
Bartsch wanted to return home and enroll at the University of Montana, which her father Kevin played football for. But her parents said no.
There was also another problem. The Broncos already had several upperclassmen at middle blocker, the only position she had ever played at the time. So even upon her return, seeing the court was still going to prove difficult.
“Honestly, the transition to college was very difficult,” Bartsch said. “It was hard for me. But I learned a lot and it was a good experience for me to go through and I’m glad I went through it.”
An injury to the right side changed everything, though.
Despite never playing the right side position before, she did more than just step in.
She recorded the first of many double-digit kill matches with 12 while hitting .647 with six blocks for 16 points during her first career start against Nevada on Oct. 2, 2021.
“I remember she just tattooed a kid in the neck with a hit down the line,” Garus said. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh. She’s so lethal.’”
Bartsch went on to put up team-highs in both points (17) and kills (14) to lead Boise State to the first conference tournament title in program history two years ago as a sixth seed – the lowest in MW Tournament history.
“I remember looking around afterwards and making eye contact with Lauren Ohlinger and we were both like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ It just really set in,” Bartsch said. “It’s a moment that I’ll always remember, especially after everything that had happened before. It was very exciting.”
The Broncos went on to play in the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in program history. They lost to BYU in the opening round.
Bartsch was promptly named the Mountain West Freshman of the Year.
Boise State’s Paige Bartsch prepares to hit the ball in a match at Nevada in 2022. (Photo by Boise State Athletics)
“Paige went from high school volleyball in the fall, high school basketball in the winter, track in the spring and played a little bit of club volleyball when she had time. So Paige really didn’t have a lot of experience battling over Division I athletes across the net,” Garus said. “So for her to come in and make that big of a mark as a freshman, it’s a credit to just the natural athlete that she was.”
The other coaches agreed.
She became the first sophomore in program history to be named the MW Preseason Player of the Year.
But last year didn’t go exactly as planned.
While Bartsch made the All-MW Team after leading the league in kills per set (3.95) and points per set (4.55), injuries ravaged the Broncos. They forced her to have to play multiple positions, including going back to middle.
Boise State went just 15-14 and missed the MW Tournament for its worst season in nine years. But it served as motivation for her.
“We talked in the offseason, we’re training her with no limits. She’s just a volleyball player,” Garus said. “She spent a lot of time this past spring working on the left side of the court as just another option. We’re adding more back-row attacking, more passing duties. She’s just growing into the best player she can be.”
That’s certainly been the case thus far this season.
Bartsch has earned MW Player of the Week honors, twice.
She just etched her name into the school’s record books again. The seven aces against Colorado State on Sept. 21 were the most-ever in the rally scoring era. Two days later, Bartsch racked up 30 kills – the second-most in a single game during the rally scoring era.
And nationally, Bartsch ranks second in aces (38), second in points per set (6.12), second in points (330), third in kills per set (5.15) and fourth in kills (278).
It’s all led to the Broncos winning five of their last six games after a 2-6 start. They’re now in a four-way tie for first place in the Mountain West standings.
So don’t miss out on catching her yourself.
“It’s awesome to see her have so much success. She deserves it for sure,” Dani Bartsch said. “She’s definitely just become a much more all-around player and leader than she ever has been.”
Tickets for Thursday’s 7 p.m. match with Fresno State or Saturday’s Noon match with Nevada at Bronco Gym remain for just $5. Tickets can be purchased at the door, or at BroncoSports.com.
