Hounds Sign Scrumhalf Michael Baska

CHICAGO, I.L.- The Hounds announced Thursday that the team has agreed to terms with Michael Baska. The scrumhalf is set to return to Major League Rugby after spending the 2022 season with Rouen Normandie in the French Pro D2 league.

Baska (6-1, 194 pounds) comes to the Hounds with four years of MLR experience, logging 36 career appearances with over 1,600 minutes played. He earned All-Pro Honorable Mention honors in 2021 with the Utah Warriors, a breakout campaign for the scrumhalf.

He was their starting scrumhalf and helped lead Utah to a 10-6 regular season record and western conference championship game appearance. Baska appeared in 13 contests, logging 854 minutes, and completing 774 passes in the process. He had a career-high four tries on his 47 carries, gaining 170 meters on the year (3.6 meters per carry). He was credited with a line break and five broken tackles and on defense, he had 55 tackles on his 72 attempts.

In 2020, his first season with the Warriors, Baska made four appearances during the shortened year. In those four games, he was on the field for 151 minutes and completed 181 passes while making 18 tackles on 22 attempts. He carried the ball 11 times for 82 meters (7.5 meters per carry) and added another try to his career total.

Prior to Utah, Baska spent two seasons in New Orleans. In 2019, he earned 12 caps for the Gold and finished that year with a pair of line breaks and a try scored. He was credited with 18 tackles on his 22 attempts.

Baska appeared in seven contests with six starts for the NOLA Gold during the inaugural season of Major League Rugby in 2018. He finished the year with nine points after scoring a try and kicking two conversions.

Baska played collegiately at Lindenwood University. He has three caps for the United States Men’s National Team.