All Business: Student Athlete a Double Threat On & Off the Court

There’s no doubt Gavin Baumgartner can get things done on the court. The six-year Dragon men’s basketball player has an impressive stat sheet to prove it. He helped lead the team to two NSIC conference tournament championships, three NCAA tournament appearances, is third in school history in three-pointers made, career assists and career points scored. He has also played in more games than any other player in Dragon history.

His basketball career started early. Baumgartner remembers working on his game in the unfinished basement of his childhood home in Plymouth, Minn., mimicking the moves of his favorite Timberwolves players. He started playing in kindergarten and began traveling with competitive teams a couple years later with his dad as his coach. At Wayzata High School, he helped lead the way to the school’s first state tournament appearance since 1959. Baumgartner credits the support of his parents, great coaches and mentors, and teammates who pushed him along the way.

Now, after completing his education at MSUM, Baumgartner is embarking on a new chapter: the real world. He earned undergraduate majors in finance and accounting, and this spring he graduated with his Master of Business Administration. It didn’t take long for him to land his first job—management trainee at Cintas in Minneapolis. He says a 15-month rotating period will help develop him as a business leader while focusing on operations, service and sales. “It will prepare me well for the future,” he said.

And his future looks promising. Baumgartner says he will rely on the qualities he acquired as a student-athlete to guide his path in the workforce. Through juggling classes, homework, practices, games, training, and time with family and friends, he created a routine that worked well. “I learned how to prioritize what’s important and be organized,” he said. Receiving a scholarship was also a blessing, as he didn’t have to work a job while in school. “It really lifted that financial burden and let me focus on what mattered,” he added.

Baumgartner learned a lot during his time at MSUM, but most of all, he learned how to be a dragon. "To me, that means doing things the right way," he said. “It means helping people around you. You might not always feel like you’re being rewarded, but you look back and see the benefits later down the line."

Maybe one day Baumgartner will step on the basketball court again, but for now, he’s focusing on his career. “I always thought being an assistant coach would be up my alley,” he said. The memories he’s made as a Dragon will always stay with him. “It’s been a fun run,” he said. “And now I’m happy to be an alum.”

Gavin Baumgartner's Stats & Accolades

Three-time All-NSIC performer

Four-time NSIC All-Academic performer

NSIC Tournament MVP (2022)

NSIC All-Tournament Team (2023)

NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award Winner (2023)

Fourth in school history in field goals made (697)

Third in school history in three-point field goals made (235)

Third in school history in career assists (432)

Third in school history in career points scored (1,945)

Most games played in school history (140)

Gavin Baumgartner Little Known Facts

Speaks Spanish

Plays piano and guitar

Played high school basketball with the Beeningas

A fan of disc golf

Played football, soccer and baseball as a kid

Two-time slam dunk champion

Dates fellow Dragon alum Peyton Boom

Is a rapper

Working on his volleyball game