Photo by: Marley Barboeisel/University of Montana
Batezel, Pyles prepare for final season with Montana
8/28/2025 2:47:00 PM | Volleyball
This story was written for GoGriz.com by Glenn Junkert, a former sport writer at The Missoulian.
This week marks the first serve of the 2025 NCAA D1 Women's Volleyball Season, and Montana Griz fourth-year seniors -- Alexis Batezel and Maddie Pyles – know by heart their personal and team goals.
Not included are details of last year's mid-season woes that effectively eliminated the Griz from the Big Sky Conference post-season tourney, despite a youth-led 4-1 finish over the final two weeks of play.
That is past history. New goals and challenges await, said Batezel firmly.
"It's easy to get sucked into," she added. "All the excuses. All the stuff we can make up in our minds to just take a little weight (from last season) off."
Instead, Batezel and senior teammate Pyles are focused on today. This week. This year. This Griz volleyball team.
Both are excited about the potential of the young team surrounding them.
Don't count Montana out, they say.
"The biggest goal for this season, of course, is making it to the Big Sky Conference tournament and then ultimately setting a goal to win it," said Pyles. And then, she said emphatically: "I really do think that this team has the possibility of making it really far and winning it."
"My and Lex's roles are to do our job playing-wise," Pyles added. "But we also have to lead in a way where the team as a whole becomes really confident in themselves. We want to push them to give more every day because that's what Lex and I are going to be doing."
"We spent some time recently figuring out our team's identity this year," said Batezel. "Everything that we're going to do this year is work to embody 'Montana Tough.' We're trying to be relentless, to focus every day in practice… and to just see where that takes us."
"If we stick to the identity that we just built for our team in our most recent team meeting… it was all 18 of us rallying around one common identity, which was really awesome," said Batezel. "And I think Maddie and my role in this, like she said, is just to just work for the best… and who knows what that's going to look like three months from now."
Batezel and Pyles – despite struggles with injuries – are the team's anchors. Two experienced incoming senior transfers – Olivia LaBeau and Carley Spachman – will vie for considerable front-line play.
Beyond those four however, the overall profile of the 2025 team is youth. Seven of the 18 players are redshirt or true freshmen. Four players are sophomores and three are juniors. As many as five underclass players show promise as probable starters or essential rotation role players.
Three of those underclass players logged considerable minutes last year and were critical in Montana's four-win surge over the last five games last season. Three from that underclass group -- junior Gracie Cagle and sophomores Sydney Pierce and Delaney Russell -- logged considerable minutes last season and will compete for starting roles this season.
Montana head coach Allison Lawrence added that several freshmen have the ability to break into the lineup as role players.
Batezel and Pyles firmly believe this team has high multi-strength potential, especially as the season progresses and newcomers get comfortable with supportive roles.
Batezel is impressed with the team's defensive potential. "I think this is the best our defense has been in the four years we have been here," she said. "Even just based off passing stats, I also think this is the best that we have passed as a team since I've been here."
Pyles is excited with the team's versatility on offense. "This year we'll have a really good hitting offense. We have a lot of heavy arms, and also really good vision.
"We can run offense at a really fast tempo," Pyles added. "Positions on the middle to right side of the court could be very strong. But in order to do that, we'll have to have a really good serve-and-receive game."
Batezel agrees.
"We have some insane arms with the patterns we have practiced and run," Batezel said. "I love how smart our setters are. It will be hard for other teams to stop five people swinging at a time. We have a solid back row option with three hitters, and our setters are always active."
"I really think every single person on the court is going to be an offensive threat," Batezel added.
Asked what the team can accomplish in pre-season play to prepare for the "always brutal" Big Sky action, both players echoed the term: "The Goal is The Struggle."
"You have to learn to become a winner," Pyles said. "If not this game, then the next game. What I want us to carry into the season is that we have to play whole games with the idea of winning every point that's in front of us."
"I think we've been implementing the mentality of failing big on this team," said Batezel. "That is, if we're going to lose, let's lose by playing the most aggressive way possible and not feel like we could have done anything differently at the end of the game."
"Not shying away from the challenge should be the goal of each game," Batezel added. "The goal is the struggle, and I love that so much. There's going to be struggle in every point of this season. The only thing that matters is how we handle the struggle of each game."
However, the senior duo are also aware that players can't do it alone. Of course, the team and coaches all crave the support of Montana fans in the stands.
But for player and team motivation and support, they turn to their four coaches and support staff who, they acknowledge, in return need player support.
"Our coaches are very classy women," said Pyles. "Just as important, I think us players have a lot of respect for them, so they don't need to raise their voice to talk to us,"
Added Batezel: It's not harping. It's not yelling. Because, like Pyles said, "We have such a great relationship with our coaches and we know we all want to make the next play better."
"I think our coaches are really driven with positive, constructive criticism. Like, if something goes wrong on the court, or if you make an error, they're very quick to just be like 'Arms out.' It's very fast, tangible feedback that you need to make a difference in how you play," Batezel added.
Admiration of the seniors from their coaches is reciprocal.
"When I consider how they're both leading in this exact moment as seniors… it is really incredible," said associate head coach Dana Hallisey. "They've set goals on how they want to be with their teammates. It's obviously what they want our team to accomplish this year.
"They've both had an impact on the team already this fall and in ways that are very deliberate. I've just been blown away by their intentionality of leading the team. To me, that is the biggest place of leadership I've seen from them. I know our team needs this from them," said Hallisey.
Lawrence agreed. "When we get to senior year, I just want to celebrate all of their growth and leadership over the past four years," said Lawrence. "I have the best seat in the house celebrating these incredible women who are sharp and decisive and opinionated and driven."
Beyond individual personality and style, Maddie has high respect for the balance among this year's coaching staff, which includes assistants Ollie Nicholson and Sarah Birky.
"We have a very good balance of our coaching staff," said Pyles, "and I think it works out the best because there are moments where one coach will have a higher intensity, not super, not yelling, but they have a higher intensity than the other, and they balance each other out really well."
Beyond individual player personalities, both seniors are convinced Montana's players have the ability to mentally and emotionally transform themselves individually and as a team over the season. Both are willing to step into roles as leaders, Both, however, respect the team balance where any player on the team has the power to step forward as a leader.
"In the past, Maddie and I have had experiences with a lot of different types of leaders," Batezel said. "But I think we know exactly how to be the right leaders for this team. Maddie and I really balance each other out and provide different things for the team, but it also coincides beautifully. It's just so easy doing it with Maddie."
Added Pyles: "It is like one whole unit, and so we kind of reflect off of each other. And so, I think me and Lexi just do a really good job of showing: we can show frustration when necessary… and we can show stress. But it's going to be a very quick reset."
"I agree with Maddie," said Batezel. "And I think also on top of that, I think Maddie and I are just trying to make this space a place where everyone feels equal. Everyone here plays the same role. Everyone plays a part here, and I think just making that a part of our identity is really important because it gives everyone purpose. It makes everyone feel involved.
"So this year," summarized Lexi, "We want to make this team the best: the best of who we've been for four years. We know what we need to do, and then we know what to build off of that.
"The team that we have now makes every day, so worth it," Batezel added. "I love showing up. I love putting my best foot forward for this team. And yeah, the people here make the place and the experience. So I'm really just lucky to be here."
This week marks the first serve of the 2025 NCAA D1 Women's Volleyball Season, and Montana Griz fourth-year seniors -- Alexis Batezel and Maddie Pyles – know by heart their personal and team goals.
Not included are details of last year's mid-season woes that effectively eliminated the Griz from the Big Sky Conference post-season tourney, despite a youth-led 4-1 finish over the final two weeks of play.
That is past history. New goals and challenges await, said Batezel firmly.
"It's easy to get sucked into," she added. "All the excuses. All the stuff we can make up in our minds to just take a little weight (from last season) off."
Instead, Batezel and senior teammate Pyles are focused on today. This week. This year. This Griz volleyball team.
Both are excited about the potential of the young team surrounding them.
Don't count Montana out, they say.
"The biggest goal for this season, of course, is making it to the Big Sky Conference tournament and then ultimately setting a goal to win it," said Pyles. And then, she said emphatically: "I really do think that this team has the possibility of making it really far and winning it."
"My and Lex's roles are to do our job playing-wise," Pyles added. "But we also have to lead in a way where the team as a whole becomes really confident in themselves. We want to push them to give more every day because that's what Lex and I are going to be doing."
"We spent some time recently figuring out our team's identity this year," said Batezel. "Everything that we're going to do this year is work to embody 'Montana Tough.' We're trying to be relentless, to focus every day in practice… and to just see where that takes us."
"If we stick to the identity that we just built for our team in our most recent team meeting… it was all 18 of us rallying around one common identity, which was really awesome," said Batezel. "And I think Maddie and my role in this, like she said, is just to just work for the best… and who knows what that's going to look like three months from now."
Batezel and Pyles – despite struggles with injuries – are the team's anchors. Two experienced incoming senior transfers – Olivia LaBeau and Carley Spachman – will vie for considerable front-line play.
Beyond those four however, the overall profile of the 2025 team is youth. Seven of the 18 players are redshirt or true freshmen. Four players are sophomores and three are juniors. As many as five underclass players show promise as probable starters or essential rotation role players.
Three of those underclass players logged considerable minutes last year and were critical in Montana's four-win surge over the last five games last season. Three from that underclass group -- junior Gracie Cagle and sophomores Sydney Pierce and Delaney Russell -- logged considerable minutes last season and will compete for starting roles this season.
Montana head coach Allison Lawrence added that several freshmen have the ability to break into the lineup as role players.
Batezel and Pyles firmly believe this team has high multi-strength potential, especially as the season progresses and newcomers get comfortable with supportive roles.
Batezel is impressed with the team's defensive potential. "I think this is the best our defense has been in the four years we have been here," she said. "Even just based off passing stats, I also think this is the best that we have passed as a team since I've been here."
Pyles is excited with the team's versatility on offense. "This year we'll have a really good hitting offense. We have a lot of heavy arms, and also really good vision.
"We can run offense at a really fast tempo," Pyles added. "Positions on the middle to right side of the court could be very strong. But in order to do that, we'll have to have a really good serve-and-receive game."
Batezel agrees.
"We have some insane arms with the patterns we have practiced and run," Batezel said. "I love how smart our setters are. It will be hard for other teams to stop five people swinging at a time. We have a solid back row option with three hitters, and our setters are always active."
"I really think every single person on the court is going to be an offensive threat," Batezel added.
Asked what the team can accomplish in pre-season play to prepare for the "always brutal" Big Sky action, both players echoed the term: "The Goal is The Struggle."
"You have to learn to become a winner," Pyles said. "If not this game, then the next game. What I want us to carry into the season is that we have to play whole games with the idea of winning every point that's in front of us."
"I think we've been implementing the mentality of failing big on this team," said Batezel. "That is, if we're going to lose, let's lose by playing the most aggressive way possible and not feel like we could have done anything differently at the end of the game."
"Not shying away from the challenge should be the goal of each game," Batezel added. "The goal is the struggle, and I love that so much. There's going to be struggle in every point of this season. The only thing that matters is how we handle the struggle of each game."
However, the senior duo are also aware that players can't do it alone. Of course, the team and coaches all crave the support of Montana fans in the stands.
But for player and team motivation and support, they turn to their four coaches and support staff who, they acknowledge, in return need player support.
"Our coaches are very classy women," said Pyles. "Just as important, I think us players have a lot of respect for them, so they don't need to raise their voice to talk to us,"
Added Batezel: It's not harping. It's not yelling. Because, like Pyles said, "We have such a great relationship with our coaches and we know we all want to make the next play better."
"I think our coaches are really driven with positive, constructive criticism. Like, if something goes wrong on the court, or if you make an error, they're very quick to just be like 'Arms out.' It's very fast, tangible feedback that you need to make a difference in how you play," Batezel added.
Admiration of the seniors from their coaches is reciprocal.
"When I consider how they're both leading in this exact moment as seniors… it is really incredible," said associate head coach Dana Hallisey. "They've set goals on how they want to be with their teammates. It's obviously what they want our team to accomplish this year.
"They've both had an impact on the team already this fall and in ways that are very deliberate. I've just been blown away by their intentionality of leading the team. To me, that is the biggest place of leadership I've seen from them. I know our team needs this from them," said Hallisey.
Lawrence agreed. "When we get to senior year, I just want to celebrate all of their growth and leadership over the past four years," said Lawrence. "I have the best seat in the house celebrating these incredible women who are sharp and decisive and opinionated and driven."
Beyond individual personality and style, Maddie has high respect for the balance among this year's coaching staff, which includes assistants Ollie Nicholson and Sarah Birky.
"We have a very good balance of our coaching staff," said Pyles, "and I think it works out the best because there are moments where one coach will have a higher intensity, not super, not yelling, but they have a higher intensity than the other, and they balance each other out really well."
Beyond individual player personalities, both seniors are convinced Montana's players have the ability to mentally and emotionally transform themselves individually and as a team over the season. Both are willing to step into roles as leaders, Both, however, respect the team balance where any player on the team has the power to step forward as a leader.
"In the past, Maddie and I have had experiences with a lot of different types of leaders," Batezel said. "But I think we know exactly how to be the right leaders for this team. Maddie and I really balance each other out and provide different things for the team, but it also coincides beautifully. It's just so easy doing it with Maddie."
Added Pyles: "It is like one whole unit, and so we kind of reflect off of each other. And so, I think me and Lexi just do a really good job of showing: we can show frustration when necessary… and we can show stress. But it's going to be a very quick reset."
"I agree with Maddie," said Batezel. "And I think also on top of that, I think Maddie and I are just trying to make this space a place where everyone feels equal. Everyone here plays the same role. Everyone plays a part here, and I think just making that a part of our identity is really important because it gives everyone purpose. It makes everyone feel involved.
"So this year," summarized Lexi, "We want to make this team the best: the best of who we've been for four years. We know what we need to do, and then we know what to build off of that.
"The team that we have now makes every day, so worth it," Batezel added. "I love showing up. I love putting my best foot forward for this team. And yeah, the people here make the place and the experience. So I'm really just lucky to be here."
Players Mentioned
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