Indy Ignite: ‘Volleyball wouldn’t be volleyball without the fans.’
More than 4,000 fans attended the Ignite’s second home match at the Fishers Event Center
Special for IndyStar
INDIANAPOLIS — Caitie Baird was a three-sport athlete with a 4.5 GPA pounding the volleyball as a player at Perry Meridian with no dreams she could one day make a career out of the game as a pro in the United States.
When the 6-3 outside hitter graduated in 2019 after being named the Marion County Female Athlete of the Year by IndyStar, the Pro Volleyball Federation didn’t exist.
Which makes what happened Wednesday a bit surreal for Baird, being signed with the Indy Ignite for the remainder of their 2025 season.
“I am thrilled to return to play pro volleyball in my hometown in front of my family and friends,” Baird said in a statement. “When I was growing up, the dream of playing pro volleyball in the United States was just that – a dream for all of us. Now that dream is coming true for me right here in Indiana.”
Baird joins the Ignite, which ranks fourth in the league with an 11-8 record, after being named a two-time All-American at Stanford where she was part of the team’s 2019 NCAA championship. She was also a four-time Pac-12 all-conference selection, finishing her college career with 1,351 kills.
Before joining the Ignite, Baird played for the Bahcelievler professional team in Turkey. She said “it’s incredibly exciting to get the opportunity to maybe help the Ignite win a Pro Volleyball Federation championship.”
Baird will add depth to the Ignite’s outside hitter position, which is already strong. While PVF All-Star Leketor Member-Meneh is out indefinitely due to an ankle injury, Anna DeBeer, Carly Skjodt, Nina Cajic and Isabel Martin have all started.
The Ignite said Baird gives Indy head coach George Padjen another weapon to work into the outside hitter mix as the team battles for a PVF playoff berth in its remaining nine matches.
“We are incredibly excited to add Caitie to the Ignite. Caitie will bring some size and international experience to our team,” Padjen said in a statement. “We have been following her career this year and, with her being an Indy native, this couldn’t be a better fit for everyone.”
While at Perry Meridian, Baird starred not only in volleyball but basketball and track. Baird was all-Marion County in basketball as well as a two-time Conference Indiana selection. She was also a three-time state qualifier in track in the high jump and earned a spot on the state-qualifying 1,600-meter relay team.
As a high school volleyball player, she was named an Under Armour All-American as well as a three-time all-state selection.
The Ignite’s next match is 3 p.m. Sunday against Orlando and will stream live on the PVF YouTube Channel. The next Ignite home match is 7 p.m. April 12 when Grand Rapids visits the Fishers Event Center.
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Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Benbow on X: @DanaBenbow. Reach her via email: dbenbow@indystar.com.
