How Carly Baker Built A National Championship Program: Seeing Beyond the X's & O's

Written by Mia Kaczmarek '27 (major: sport management | minor: communication & journalism)
- ECGulls.com Contributor

BEVERLY, Mass. — When Carly Baker picked up the phone in 2018 and learned she was being offered the head coaching position for Endicott College's women's rugby team, she knew immediately it was an opportunity she couldn't pass up. Young, driven, and eager to make her mark, Baker stepped into a role that would soon transform not just her career but the entire trajectory of the program.

"I'll always remember that call," Baker recalls. "Even though I was young, I knew I couldn't let it slip away."

At the time, Endicott's women's rugby program was still relatively new, sometimes struggling just to fill a roster. Baker had been an assistant coach under Emily Record, and she knew the program's potential. What she didn't know was how quickly she would elevate it to the national stage.

One of Baker's first challenges was numbers. The Gulls barely had 15 student-athletes, forcing her to rethink how to grow the roster. That's when she began building her unique approach to recruiting.

"Of course, I love when someone comes in with rugby knowledge," Baker explained. "But if they don't, that's okay. Are they coachable? Are they willing to try something different? You may not have all the skills on day one, but I'll work with you and develop you. People surprise you."

That philosophy has allowed Endicott to welcome athletes from all backgrounds, including lacrosse, soccer, softball, or sometimes no sport at all, and turn them into rugby players. Baker looks first for character, leadership, and drive, believing that with the right mindset, any athlete can succeed.

While recruiting builds the team, it's the culture that has fueled Endicott's success. Baker emphasizes resilience and connection as much as skills and strategy.

"Developing resilience is huge; it carries into real life," she said. "When you get to a national championship, it's never just about the X's and O's. It's about trusting your training and mental toughness."

That belief was put to the test in one of Baker's most memorable games, a national tournament matchup against Colorado School of Mines on December 8, 2024. Endicott trailed at halftime, and the team was rattled by the 0-5 score. 

"I got into the huddle and told them, 'We can do this. It's a battle, but we can win this,'" Baker said. "The way they looked at me, you could see the belief sinking in. They came back and won. That's resilience."

Moments like that, Baker says, are why she coaches. "The player mirrors the coach, and the coach mirrors the player. When that connection is real, success follows."

For Baker, coaching is about much more than what happens on the field. She is just as invested in academics, relationships, and personal growth.

"You gain respect when you care about them as a person," she said. "We're doing hard things together, but we're on the same side."

Baker makes time for one-on-one check-ins, collaborates with professors, and has her athletes set personal and team goals each semester. "It's never 'I,' it's always 'we,'" she tells them. "I'm pulling the rope with you."

That approach, demanding but supportive, has become a hallmark of Endicott women's rugby.

Like many programs, Endicott faced setbacks during COVID-19. While some clubs around the country folded, Baker and her team found ways to regroup.

"Not only were we able to rebuild," she said, "but we climbed the ladder and kept winning."

The payoff came quickly: four national championships in five years, including both 7s and 15s titles. 

For Baker, the first one still stands out. "You're never emotionally ready for that moment," she admitted. "You don't think it's possible until it happens."

Now in her eighth season, Baker continues to juggle the responsibilities of a club coach, often filling the roles of both head and assistant. But her passion has never wavered.

"I love watching when it finally clicks for a player," she said. "It might take weeks or months, but that moment when they push past their boundaries, that's why I do this."

With a culture rooted in resilience, inclusivity, and connection, Endicott women's rugby has become one of the college's most successful programs. 

And with Baker at the helm, the Gulls continue to soar higher each year. 

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(Photo Credit - Craig Chase)