MISSOULA — The Montana volleyball team added four players on National Signing Day, bringing in a balanced class of exciting new talent from across the west. The Griz added a setter, middle, outside, and defensive specialist.
The players come from California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington as head coach Allison Lawrence looks to replenish her roster, which will lose six seniors this year.
“I think with this class we knew we needed a little bit of everything in terms of position and roles filled,” Lawrence said. “Our mentality with recruiting this class was to build on the ’24 class in terms of bringing people in that play with a lot of joy and have a very high motor when they play, and I think we did that.”
The Grizzlies brought in an extremely large class in 2024, and are now adding pieces to what they hope will be a solid young core. There is the consideration of position and fit on the floor, but a big thing for Lawrence and the program has to do with intangibles.
In order to build a winning program, you need talent and skill, but you also need the traits that go hand-in-hand with winning.
“There were some personality things for sure, and some people that play in a gear that is very resilient and very high energy,” Lawrence said. “And you need both of those things to go from good to great and be in the toughest moments that are going to push the program into contention at the top of the conference.”
The relative youth of the roster also allowed Lawrence to take her time with this class. Patience gave her the unique chance to seek out specific abilities and characteristics at multiple positions, which results in a very diverse class from a position sense, but one that is united by many things as well.
“I think because we have a young roster in some ways right now, we could take our time and be picky and just find the best athletes we could in any given position,” Lawrence said. “I think you’re seeing a class that is highly athletic and that has some rare qualities in certain areas.”
Recruiting is a long process that can go in so many different directions. For Lawrence, this class had so many of the moments that you hope for when you are recruiting young women to your program.
The lightbulb type moments where everything becomes apparent, and you see just how worth it the human side of college athletics can be.
“I think the coolest part of this class was in each one of them, at some point in the recruiting process, I had such a strong personal connection with all of them,” Lawrence said. “There was a moment, or several moments, where we already felt like teammates and that was very rewarding.”
The coach felt it for herself, but the biggest thing for her was to feel it right back from the newest batch of Grizzlies. The attitude and feeling that they are going to do whatever they can for this coach, this place, and this program.
“I think that it felt really personal, and I felt that back from them,” Lawrence said. “Their choosing of this place had as much to do with place, academics, and what UM is and the history of our program and what their goals here as it did the people that they are drawn to and the people that are here and who they want to go through this experience with.”
Annika Wright, setter, Maple Valley, Wash.
Wright played at Tahoma HS and was a four-year letter winner at the 4A high school, serving as a team captain three times. Wright was a two-time All-League First Team selection that was ranked as the No. 1 setter in the state of Washington on Prep Dig.
“Annika was someone that impressed me from a very young age,” Lawrence said. “Being in the northwest region, I had the privilege of watching her from when she was a lot younger from before we could even talk to her. It’s been really fun to watch her development, and she’s just a really rare competitor.”
The setter won numerous team awards and was also a three-time league champion.
“How she holds herself on the court has always been impressive in high school and club, and there’s a maturity to her game to hold that kind of presence and run an offense and work on her own game all at the same time, while competing at a very high level, is a testament to who she is,” Lawrence said. “You look for that leadership quality in setters and when you see it in someone at 14 years old, it’s pretty impressive.”
She played club volleyball for NPJ Seattle, and was a captain from the 12s through the 17s. She participated in the USA Volleyball High-Performance Invitation Camp, and earned a spot on multiple All-Tournament Teams at the club level across the northwest.
“She is such a hard worker,” Lawrence said. “Her growth from freshman year to senior year in high school has been unbelievable. Knowing that there has been that level of maturity and that amount of growth, those are the types of players that excel in a collegiate environment.”
Wright’s mother, Kami, played golf at North Dakota and her grandfather played baseball at Valparaiso. She also has two cousins that played football
“She’s also very fast and smart. Her setting game is really aggressive and risky, and very dynamic,” Lawrence said. “She fights to be in the air and to make the risky set, meaning the long or dynamic set or the move that is more athletic and less safe, and in those ways she keeps her offense fast and gets the most out of her attackers because she’s fighting for kills just as hard as they are.”
Sophia Vella, middle blocker, Danville, Calif.
Vella played her high school volleyball at San Ramon Valley HS, earning three varsity letters and being a team captain three years. Vella was an All-League second team selection in 2023.
“Sophia stands out right away because she has size, but she also has the ability to move really well. Your eyes kind of light up when you see an athlete like that,” Lawrence said. “She’s big and strong and quick, so initially what drew us to her was her slide attack off of one foot. We’ve wanted to add that in the program and have a player coming in that can hit that set and allow that option, and she brings that.”
Her high school team was first place in the North Coast Section in 2022. Vella played for NorCal Volleyball Club and was a multi-sport athlete, also playing soccer for two years.
“When I think of Sophia, I think of someone that is so relentless and so joyous as well,” Lawrence said. “She provides so much energy to her team, and not just in the form of celebrations. She does that part well, but it’s more her work ethic. She’s a middle that is up and available all the time, and I think that is going to pay her back exponentially at this level.”
Vella comes from a family of athletes, and already has a Montana connection. Her uncle, Nick, played football for the Grizzlies.
“I think the theme of this group is growth and connection. Her growth has been outstanding, and she’s worked really hard for that, so I think the sky is the limit,” Lawrence said. “The speed of her arm, the speed of her feet, and how aggressive she is will make her a huge factor for us.”
Mylee Blake, outside hitter, Albany, Ore.
Blake was a four-year starter in her high school career, starting at Siuslaw HS and finishing her final three years at West Albany. She was named the Mid-Willamette Valley 5A Conference Player of the Year this season and was Second Team All-State as a junior.
“Mylee is a standout player in her state, in her high school conference, and in her club,” Lawrence said. “She plays for an elite level club and is a starter on open level teams, so she’s used to winning but more than that she’s used to pressure situations and playing against size and speed.”
Her teams had success every season with state trips at the 4A level once and twice at the 5A level entering her final season. They have finished fourth back-to-back years.
She played her club volleyball for the North Pacific Juniors (NPJ).
“The level that she’s playing at in club is one where every point matters and you’re contending for medals and championships every time. There isn’t a time where she can let off the gas, and I’m sure it’s happening in her training environment too,” Lawrence said. “She’s being recognized as a standout in those types of environments is exactly the type of person, player, and competitor that we want.”
Blake was also an Under Armour Next Camp Invitee as a sophomore. She has been a captain for her team, won the 5A State Sportsmanship Team Award, and was also the recipient of the Bulldog Award, which is given to the best all-around teammate as voted by peers.
“I think athletically she just has so much length. We have a core of pins right now that are jumpy, fast, and springy, and she is all of those things,” Lawrence said. “She also adds a physicality and length where she’s playing high and physical. Height is great. I think if you can get ball control, speed, and agility and then add height to it, that’s the combo you want.”
Madeline Sanderson, defensive specialist/libero, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Sanderson played at Lewis Palmer HS and was a four-year varsity starter. She earned the team’s Most Improved Player award her freshman year and was the best defensive player as a sophomore and junior.
“She plays on an elite level club team with teammates that are at the top of division 1, so she’s playing against those types of athletes as well,” Lawrence said. “I loved watching her consistency, and her aggressiveness and poise under pressure.”
Sanderson has been a team captain for two years, and earned First Team All-Conference and honorable mention All-State honors in 2023 with awards still to come this season. She helped lead her team to back-to-back conference championships.
“There are parts of her game that are very elite, and point to her potential as an elite level libero, and she hasn’t even kind of scratched the surface of that yet,” Lawrence said. “I’m very excited to see her growth in an environment where the same pressures are there and she’s able to just run at it.”
She played club volleyball for the Colorado Juniors, and was also a state qualifier in golf. She also has a connection to a current Grizzly, as she and Delaney Russell are long-time best friends.
“She’s extremely fast, extremely strong and athletic,” Lawrence said. “She’s one of those players like our freshman class that is relentless. Balls don’t drop. She’s also very joyous and a relentless teammate as well.”
