Palmerton’s pipeline to Division I women’s soccer is no accident.

Brianna Moore blazed the trail at Duquesne, Bethie Morgan followed at Rider, and now freshman Ella Baumgardt is carrying the legacy forward — three teammates turned torchbearers.

Their stories are different, but their roots are the same. From Colonial League championships to district finals, from soccer to basketball, the trio helped elevate Palmerton girls sports to new heights. Now they’re writing the next chapter on Division I fields, showing how far hard work and small-town pride can carry them.

It’s a connection that stretches across seasons and schools, built on shared experiences and strengthened by community support.

For Morgan, that sense of family she felt at Palmerton followed her to Rider.

“The community here, especially on the women’s soccer team, it’s just such a special community,” said Morgan, a junior. “We’re such a close-knit family. It’s like a second family, which I think is so unique because I also had that at Palmerton.”

College careers

Moore, now a senior at Duquesne, has become one of the program’s most reliable scorers. She ranks among the Dukes’ all-time leaders with 18 career goals and 42 points, already tied for fifth in goals. This fall, she scored her fourth goal of the season in a 3-0 win over Richmond on Sept. 21 that opened Atlantic 10 play. Moore ranks second for the Dukes in scoring this season with 10 points.

She was also named Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Week during the 2024 season.

“It’s been everything I thought it would be, maybe even more than that,” Moore said. “I was able to come in as a freshman and make an impact, and every year I set new goals for myself and for the team. I’m just really happy with how everything has gone.”

Morgan has now started over 40 matches in her Rider career. An All-Academic pick in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and a CSC Academic All-District selection in 2024 – when she started and played all 90 minutes in each of the team’s 17 matches – Morgan’s been outstanding on the back line since arriving on campus, showing the consistency and leadership that made her a standout in high school.

“When I was in middle school, I had to take a step back from basketball and put more into soccer,” Morgan said. “I just really do love the sport of soccer, and that’s when I wanted to make the dream of playing Division I soccer a reality.”

Baumgardt, a freshman back, has wasted no time adjusting to the Division I stage. She’s started all eight games this season, notching her first collegiate assist in a Sept. 6 matchup against Quinnipiac.

“I feel like I’ve improved a lot since I’ve been here,” said Baumgardt, who was the Class of 2025 Salutatorian at Palmerton, earned high honors throughout grades 9-through-12, and was a member of the National Honor Society. “The first few practices were eye-opening, playing with girls that are older and stronger. But once I got the swing of things, I felt like I fit in. My confidence has definitely improved.”

Shared journey

But their stories aren’t just individual ones. They’re connected by years of shared fields, carpools, and community support.

Morgan and Baumgardt are teammates again at Rider, after also sharing time at Palmerton and with Match Fit Academy. Their families have been close since childhood, and Morgan has served as both mentor and friend as Baumgardt transitions to the college game.

“When she came in I would tell all the girls, and even my coaches, how close we were,” said Morgan. “It’s been really cool seeing her spread her own wings here, because I want her to get on her own feet not just through me, but her knowing she always has me no matter what. It’s crazy to think that was me two years ago. Now it’s her turn.”

Baumgardt agreed.

“If I had any questions, I’d go to her,” she said of Morgan. “She always helped me, even with school. She’s definitely been an inspiration to me, not only in soccer but academically, too.”

Moore, Morgan and Baumgardt also spent countless hours together in club soccer, first with Lehigh Valley United before Morgan and Baumgardt went to Match Fit and Moore to Penn Fusion. That foundation translated into some of Palmerton’s most memorable moments on the pitch and court.

High school

accomplishments

In 2021, Moore, Morgan and Baumgardt helped Palmerton play for a District 11 Class 2A soccer title. That winter, they were key players as the Bombers captured the District 11 3A basketball championship — the program’s first district crown since 1997.

Moore capped her senior soccer season in 2021 with a school-record 52 goals, leading Palmerton to the league semifinals and district final as she was named Times News Girls Soccer Player of the Year. She also surpassed 1,000 career points in basketball.

Morgan and Baumgardt also played vital roles in Palmerton’s 2022 Colonial League girls soccer championship, the first in school history. Baumgardt scored in the title match. Morgan, like Moore, also reached 1,000 points in basketball.

As a junior in 2024, Baumgardt helped Palmerton’s girls basketball team win its first Colonial League title since 1997-98.

Their resumes reflect just how versatile and talented they were as multi-sport athletes, something all three say helped prepare them for the challenges of Division I soccer.

“I didn’t expect to be a starter right away,” Baumgardt said. “But I’ve been able to hold my own, and my teammates have given me so much confidence. It makes me feel like I belong here.”

Influence and impact

For Baumgardt, watching Morgan and Moore succeed provided both inspiration and a roadmap.

“Playing with them helped me, inspired me to kind of want to be like them,” she said. “Making runs into the postseason was definitely helpful. High school soccer is a lot different than club, so it was just good to have more time to play with them, and to see what they were capable of, and see if I could eventually reach that same level of play.”

She also hopes her path inspires others.

“The main thing is working hard and staying disciplined,” Baumgardt said. “Having a good balance between sports, academics, family and friends helps you figure out if this is something you want to do. The recruiting process is long and can be hard at times, but if you keep your mind to it, it will work out.”

Moore has taken pride in being part of that legacy.

“I couldn’t be more proud of them,” Moore said. “Going to Rider and following their dreams as well, and both being really successful there too, it’s just really cool to see it all finally come together.”

More than soccer

Just as they balanced sports at Palmerton, they’re now balancing the rigors of Division I soccer with demanding majors.

Moore is pursuing nursing at Duquesne, already logging clinical hours in one of the country’s top programs.

Morgan is majoring in health sciences at Rider, and plans to continue into nursing and eventually become a nurse practitioner.

Baumgardt is a health sciences major with a business minor, setting her sights on medicine.

The balance is demanding, but it speaks to their commitment — and shows that their futures are already being shaped well beyond the field.

The marble jar

For Moore, the reminder feels especially sharp as she enters her final weeks in a Dukes uniform.

Her new coach this season gave each player a jar of marbles — one for every game. As the players — especially the seniors — remove a marble, it is a tangible reminder of how few opportunities remain, and something that has also served to unite the squad.

Moore said it’s made her appreciate each moment even more.

“You don’t realize how fast it goes by,” she said. “It’s important to remember the memories you make with your teammates — in the locker room, traveling, all the little things. That’s what stays with you.”

A lasting bond

That perspective stretches back to Palmerton.

“The support we had in basketball and soccer my senior year was amazing,” Morgan said. “Win or lose, you always had the community behind you. I’ve been graduated for three years, and all the families and people that supported me throughout my high school career still send me a text message, wishing me luck. Nothing really changes, even though I’m not wearing the Palmerton uniform anymore.”

The three are still connected by a community that celebrated their successes then, and continues to follow them now.

The roots are there. And the reach keeps growing.