Four Grizzlies honored by Big Sky

The Montana volleyball program had four players honored by the Big Sky Conference in the league's postseason awards. Alexis Batezel was named Co-Libero of the Year and Olivia LaBeau earned the Top Newcomer Award while three Grizzlies received All-Conference recognition.

Delaney Russell earned First Team honors while Batezel and setter Gracie Cagle earned spots on the Second Team. It's the first time since 2008 that Montana has had a first teamer and at least three players honored. Montana finished the regular season 17-10 overall, 9-7 in Big Sky play, and tied for 4^th in the final league standings.

"I'm so proud of our group," head coach Allison Lawrence said. "We didn't have a lot of matches where it was just one player that was a standout. We had a lot of consistent numbers and evenly distributed kills in a lot of matches. I think the votes that our players got and how they were recognized is a testament not just to their performances, but within that is so much of a team effort."

Batezel has had a historic season for Montana at the libero position and earned co-Libero of the Year and Second Team All-Conference honors as a result. She averaged 4.55 digs per set with her total of 469 ranking 6^th in program history for a single season.

"I'm thrilled for her," Lawrence said. "I think knowing her and getting to be her coach and seeing the particular obstacles that she battled with her body and with how she moved the needle for us, I just feel especially thrilled for her. This honor couldn't go to a more giving and deserving person."

It's the first time since 2009 that Montana has had the conference's Libero of the Year.

Batezel was named the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week three times this season and was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Utah Valley Invitational.

LaBeau becomes the first Grizzly since Hannah Sackett in 2015 to be named the Big Sky Conference's Top Newcomer. The transfer from Montana Tech made a huge impact on the Grizzlies in her lone season in Missoula, ranking 2^nd on the team in both kills (2.51/set) and hitting percentage (.333).

She reached double figures in kills 12 times this season and wins the honor despite missing Montana's final five games due to injury.

"I think she's an athlete that every team had to gameplan around," Lawrence said. "I think she has a level of power and a range in her attacking that felt unstoppable in matches. Teams really had to adjust to slow her down and limit her. I think she's a phenomenal athlete and improved her game so much in her final year of volleyball through a big jump in the level of play. She had to learn, grow, and compete at a different level and she thrived in that."

Russell becomes the first Grizzly since Paige Clark in 2022 to be named to the First Team. The sophomore outside hitter ranked 4^th in the Big Sky in kills (3.54/set) and recorded at least 10 kills in every single Big Sky match.

Russell also had nine double-doubles in conference play as she played all the way around the floor and impacted winning in big ways for the Grizzlies.

"Delaney's game is so well rounded," Lawrence said. "I'm guessing that a lot of those votes were because of how many parts of the game she influences. To pass and ball handle the way she does and then to attack the way she does, you can't help but get swept up in her game. She's such a force and someone that rallies and never gives up. Her motor makes other people play harder and faster and with more grit."

Gracie Cagle earned Second Team All-Conference honors after leading the Big Sky in both assists (9.88/set) and service aces (46). She helped Montana hit .228 as a team this year, the 4^th best single season percentage in program history.

Montana finished 15-2 when hitting over .200 on the season and had five different players average over 1.60 kills per set.

"I think Gracie is unbelievably consistent," Lawrence said. "The quality of her setting is so consistent, she thinks through the gameplan so well. She has allowed us to expand our options on offense and really gets any attacker in any zone on the net such hittable balls. She makes our team feel so calm and confident. Then she also has a serve that is at the top of the conference."

Montana will open postseason play on Monday at 10:00 a.m. against Weber State. The tournament is hosted by Northern Colorado and all matches will stream on ESPN+.

2025 Big Sky Individual Award Winners
Co-Most Valuable Player: Hannah Stoddard, NAU & Victoria Marthaler, Sacramento State
Co-Libero of the Year: Alexis Batezel, Montana & Reese Ampi, Sacramento State
Setter of the Year: Kate Doorn, Sacramento State
Top Newcomer: Olivia LaBeau, Montana
Outstanding Freshman of the Year: Keonahi'ilani Solaita, Sacramento State
Coach of the Year: Ken Murphy, Northern Arizona

Big Sky Volleyball All-Conference First Team
Delaney Russell, Montana
Hannah Stoddard, Northern Arizona
Gigi Greenlee, Northern Arizona
Sophia Wadsworth, Northern Arizona
Isabel Bennett, Northern Colorado
Alivia Eikenberg, Portland State
Kate Doorn, Sacramento State
Victoria Marthaler, Sacramento State
Ashlynn Archer, Sacramento State
Rose Moore, Weber State

Big Sky Volleyball All-Conference Second Team
Marci Bell, Idaho State
Jaydin Watts, Idaho State
Alexis Batezel, Montana
Gracie Cagle, Montana
Lauren Lindseth, Montana State
Brynn Reines, Northern Colorado
Zoe Gibbs, Northern Colorado
Alayna Tessena, Northern Colorado
Ashley Gneiting, Weber State
Kaylie Ray, Weber State

University of Montana Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Alexis Batezel

Gracie Cagle

Paige Clark

Olivia LaBeau

Delaney Russell

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