BOZEMAN — For a program in its first season with no seniors, the Bozeman Gallatin volleyball team has had to fight through a lot of growing pains. In recent weeks, the Raptors have started making a name for themselves on the court, though, fueled by freshman sensation Addie Swanson, whose main goal is setting up her teammates for success.
“At first it was intimidating, for sure, but now it’s just super fun and it will be like that for the next three years," said Swanson, the team's setter.
It’s not an easy task to make varsity as a freshman, let alone start, but putting in the work is something Swanson is used to.
"I started playing Big Sky volleyball, which is a club, and in sixth grade I was on the lowest level team," said Swanson. "The next year I made USAV, but I never played, so I was like, 'No,' and I just spent a bunch of hours in the gym and worked really hard."
The hard work paid off, as Swanson has played in all 59 sets this season. There wasn’t one time she was ever taken off the court, even for a point.
"I just wanted to run the court, I guess, and setter is the best position to do that," Swanson added.
She set the bar high for her first year as a Raptor, assisting on 406 kills and tying the school record with the most aces in a game with six. With three more seasons to go, the freshman’s potential is limitless.
"I want to play in college for sure," she said. "One of the schools I really want to go to is Carroll (College), so I’m just going to keep working as hard as I can right now, and hopefully I’ll be able to make that happen.”
Thankfully for Swanson, she has a great mentor who knows what it takes to make it to the next level: her mother, who played at Carroll in the early 2000s.
Before following in her mother’s footsteps, she’s enjoying her time as a Raptor and is already looking forward to next year with her teammates.
“I think next year we have a chance of winning state since we’re going to have, like, all seniors. It will be exciting next year," she said.
