Maddie Pyles

Photo by: Ella Palulis/University of Montana

Class:
Senior
Position:
Outside Hitter
Height:
5-10
Hometown:
Fort Worth, Texas
High School:
Kennedale HS

2024 (Junior): Academic All-Big Sky… CSC Academic All-District… Grand Canyon Invitational All-Tournament Team… appeared in all 27 matches and all 95 sets… 197 kills on the season, averaging 2.07 per set to rank 3^rd on Montana… hit .174 on the year… had 14 total assists on the season… recorded 22 service aces, averaging 0.23 per set to rank 3^rd on the team… 178 digs, averaging 1.87 per set to rank 3^rd on Montana… 72.0 total blocks, 3^rd most on the team… only player on Montana’s roster to be in the top three in kills, digs, and blocks… had double-digit kills in seven matches… also had double-digit digs in seven matches, which led to two double-doubles… first double-double came at Weber State (10/3) where she had 11 kills and 16 digs… second double-double was at home against Montana State (10/25) with 10 kills, 12 digs… 12 was season high for kills, reached twice… 12 kills on .192 hitting vs. Utah Valley (9/5)… best performance of the season came at Kansas City with 12 kills on .526 hitting to go with 9 digs and 5 blocks… earned a spot on the Grand Canyon Invitational All-Tournament team behind an all-around weekend… averaged 1.70 kills, 1.20 digs, and 1.20 blocks per set… in the final match of the tournament, Pyles had 10 digs, 9 kills, and 7 blocks for a near triple-double in a win over Oregon State (9/1)… had 10+ kills in consecutive matches on 10/3 and 10/5, and had at least 10 in four out of six matches during the stretch… had multiple kills in every match, and hit over .300 six times… had 10+ digs in consecutive matches twice on the season, and they both came in a five-match stretch from 9/28 to 10/12… had multiple digs in 25 matches… had 5+ blocks in four different matches… had at least one block in 25 matches… had double-digit points in 12 matches.

2023 (Sophomore): Academic All-Big Sky… appeared in 27 matches on the season, playing 75 total sets… recorded 88 digs, averaging 1.17 per set to rank sixth on Montana… received 102 serves, the fifth-most on the team… finished the season with eight kills and 22.5 points… 14 service aces on the year… averaged 1.36 digs/set in Big Sky play… had a season-high four kills in a win over Idaho (Oct. 12), hitting .333 on a season-high nine total attacks… season-high 14 digs in win over Northern Arizona (Nov. 2)… recorded at least six digs in six straight matches from Nov. 2-18… recorded four-plus digs just three times in the first 20 matches of the year, then finished the season with four-plus digs in the final nine matches… recorded at least one ace in the final seven matches of the year, and had one in 13 total matches.

2022 (Freshman): Heart of the Grizzly award winner… Appeared in 15 sets across 10 different matches as a freshman… recorded 17 kills (1.13/set) in limited action, hitting .098… six total blocks… played a key role in a road victory against Eastern Washington, playing three sets and recording a season-high six kills on 15 attacks… had a kill late in the second set that gave Montana its first lead since 4-3 and helped clinch the set… had three kills in a couple of non-conference matches, first against UC Davis (8/27) and then against Charleston (9/16)… hit a perfect 1.000 with two kills in a Big Sky win over Idaho (9/24)… in addition to three kills, also finished with a season-high four blocks and her only service ace against UC Davis (8/27).

Career Highs
Kills: 12, two times
Attacks: 31, two times
Assists: 3, vs. Idaho (Oct. 10, 2024)
Aces: 3, two times
Digs: 16, at Weber State (Oct. 3, 2024)
Blocks: 7, vs. Oregon State (Sept. 1, 2024)

High School: Will be a 2022 graduate of Kennedale High School in Texas… Holds Kennedale’s all-time kills record, with more than 1,500 for her career… Helped the Lady Kats to a school-record 118 wins over her four-year career, including a 38-0 districts record… Qualified for back-to-back state semifinal appearances in 2020 and 2021… Honored as the District 10-4A MVP as a senior in 2021… Was a three-time all-state selection (2019, 2020, 2021)… Named one of the top-six attackers in the state of Texas in 2021 by Lone Star Preps… Was named her team’s MVP all four seasons… Head volleyball coach was Kelly Carl… Played club volleyball for Mad Frog… Also earned academic all-state recognition every year.

Personal: Born in Arlington, Texas… Hometown is Kennedale, Texas… Parents are Kathy and Chris Pyles… Has an older sister, Maggie, who played volleyball at Texas Women’s University… Is interested in studying business administration.

Lawrence on Pyles:
"There was something about her that felt special, even from our first phone call. She had a warmth to her that made you want to get to know her more. She's so genuine, personable and charismatic and that showed itself early and just got better and better from there."

"As soon as we saw a few clips of her hitting, we were kind of sold right from the get-go. Recruiting athletes based off of video is a challenge, but the things that stood out about Maddie was her explosiveness and her athleticism. Because she used to play middle, she can block and move well. Because she is now a six-rotation player, she can pass and play defense. She can be a weapon in a lot of ways."

For a feature story on Pyles, click here.