Sophomore setter Amanda Otten has certainly been cooking up on the court this season, averaging 8.50 assists per set, which is good enough to earn her fourth currently in the Mid-American Conference (MAC). What many don’t know is that she has a second, much tastier talent hidden up her sleeve.
“Ever since I was little, I’ve always absolutely loved baking; both of my grandmas were bakers, and my mom taught me a bunch of stuff as well,” Otten said.
This passion is more than just a mere hobby, as the setter has her eyes set on much bigger things.
“I’ve just always knew that I wanted to go to college for business, and I wanted to start my own bakery from scratch and make it my own,” she stated.
No matter the time, Otten is looking for chances to spread her special talent to everyone that she possibly can.
“I have been able to kind of brand myself through the volleyball program, specifically through our Dream Big Fundraiser. I was able to bake cheesecake brownies the past two years, and then last year I made cake pops, and this year I made cookies, and I’m already getting asked if I’m taking orders,” Otten explained.
Her drive for baking was certainly picked up by Falcon volleyball’s head coach, Danijela Tomic, who has helped point Otten in the right direction since day one.
“When we recruited her and we were talking about her possible major, and when she said business because she wanted to own her own bakery, we said, ‘okay‘, we are going to find ways to help you achieve your dreams,” Tomic said.
Otten’s dreams are more than just that, as she has already seen a flow of customers to her start-up business, “Mandy’s Candys.”
“As I baked more over Covid, I actually started selling some baked goods, and because I had so much time, I printed out a little logo for myself, decorated, had different catering orders as well and it just made it feel real and super cool because something that I dreamed of kind of my whole life was becoming a reality,” the setter said.
Otten’s love is contagious, and you can just tell by talking to everyone around her, especially her coaches.
“Amanda loves people; she loves to make people happy,” coach Tomic said.
The Batavia, Illinois, native has a lot of options for where she might settle down to start her baking business, but it doesn’t seem like it will be too far from where she currently plays.
“I definitely think it’s a possibility to open in BG because a lot of our fans know about my baking and have tried my baked goods, so I know that I would have customers,” Otten stated.
The biggest roadblock right now is space, with dorm life not making it easy for the future baker, but that won’t stop her in the future.
“Hopefully next year and the year after I’ll really be able to start sliding my goods, spreading the joy, and just showing everybody that they always deserve a sweet treat.”
For more stories related to BGSU Athletics, follow Falcon Media Sports Network on X (@bg_fmsn).
