Volleyball Inks Batie, Smith, Bauer and Stahley on National Signing Day
11/12/2025 8:18:00 PM | Volleyball
The Tigers add four offensive weapons to their arsenal ahead of the 2026 season.
Mizzou volleyball has signed Piper Batie (Bentonville, Ark./Fayetteville Virtual Academy), Eva Smith (Durham, N.C./Chapel Hill HS), Amelia Bauer (Springfield, Mo./Springfield Catholic) and Lydia Stahley (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli HS), head coach Dawn Sullivan announced on Wednesday, Nov. 12.
"We're fired up about this incoming class and what they'll bring to Mizzou Volleyball," head coach Dawn Sullivan said. "Each of them adds something special — talent, energy, and a competitive edge that will elevate our gym the moment they arrive."
Piper Batie // 6'1 // S/RS // Bentonville, Arkansas // Fayetteville Virtual Academy
Piper Batie is a 6-1 setter/right side hitter from Bentonville, Arkansas. Batie is highly ranked recruit in Arkansas as the top-ranked setter in the state.
As a six-rotation impact player, Batie has cemented herself as one of the most versatile setters in Arkansas high school volleyball history. Entering her senior year, she is a four-time varsity letter winner, a three-time All-Conference selection, and a three-time All-State honoree.
Some of her other career accolades include:
- Surpassing 1,000 kills
- 1,500+ assists
- Surpassing 1,000 digs
- Two-Time AVCA All-Region
- All-State Tournament Team
- PrepDig Top Player in Arkansas
- PrepVolleyball 2026 Watchlist
- AVCA Phenom
During the span of her junior year, she compiled 413 kills, 535 assists, 331 digs, 97 blocks, and 90 aces. As a pivotal member of her high school squad, she was named team captain for multiple years.
At the club level, she played for Ozark Juniors and helped guide her team to the National Championship in 2023.
Academically, she has excelled as a member of the National Honor Society, as well as being a member of FCA. Battie also spends her time as a guitar instructor for kids and the leader of a 5th-grade girls' church group.
Battie's family has a long history of success at the NCAA level, as her father, Doug Batie, played basketball at the University of the Ozarks, and her brother, Tristan Batie, played basketball at John Brown University.
Why Mizzou?
"I chose Mizzou because it felt like a place where I could grow as an athlete and as a person," Batie said. "I could tell that it's a place I will always be surrounded by people that care about me and will push me to be the best version of myself, on and off the court."
Eva Smith // 6'4 // MB // Durham, North Carolina // Chapel Hill HS
Eva Smith is a 6-4 middle blocker from Durham, North Carolina. The middle blocker is highly regarded as one of the top front-court prospects in the 2026 class.
Smith heads to the Tigers after a successful career at Chapel Hill High School in both volleyball and basketball. She is a four-year letter winner and a two-time All-Conference selection in both volleyball and basketball.
Other career accolades include:
- 94-16 career record at Chapel Hill HS (volleyball)
- Three-time conference winner (volleyball)
- 72-17 career record at Chapel Hill HS (basketball)
- Two-time conference winner (basketball)
As a dual sport athlete she has earned MaxPreps Player of the Match/Game honors six times (three times in volleyball; three times in basketball).
Smith competes with the Triangle Volleyball Club, one of the East Coast's premier programs, which has consistently produced Division I athletes. During those times, she has played in major recruiting showcases and national-level competitions.
Both her parents competed at the NCAA level; her mother was a student-athlete at East Carolina, where she played basketball, and at Chowan University, where she played both basketball and volleyball. Her father played football at East Carolina and High Point University.
Why Mizzou?
"I chose Mizzou because it presented an opportunity to grow in the environment that the coaches have created," Smith said. "I feel like I can contribute to the vision that Coach Sullivan has for the team."
Amelia Bauer // 6'2 // MB // Springfield, Missouri // Springfield Catholic
Amelia "Millie" Bauer is a 6-2 middle blocker from Springfield, Missouri. Bauer is widely regarded as one of the best blockers in the state of Missouri.
During her first three seasons, Bauer has been one of the state's most productive attackers in the class of 2026. She has accumulated All-State honors in both her sophomore and junior seasons, AVCA All-Regional honors, and was part of the AVCA Phenom Watchlist and the AVCA All-American Watchlist. She has earned First Team All-Conference selections multiple times.
Other career accolades include:
- 1,606 kills
- One District Championship
- KY3 News and Springfield Citizen Athlete of the Week (2025)
Over the course of her final season with the Shepherds, she has delivered more than 500 kills and helped lead her team to a district title. Overall, she has produced over 1,600 kills, along with 212 blocks, 116 aces, and 344 digs. Alongside her volleyball accomplishments, she also played volleyball for Springfield Catholic.
Bauer played club volleyball for the Mavs KC squad and played in the open division at Nationals.
Academically, she has excelled, earning Academic All-State honors multiple times. She is also an active member of the following organizations: National Art Honor Society, FCA, DECA, FBLA, and I-Life. She has also studied the piano for seven years.
Bauer's family has deep ties to the NCAA as her father, Pat Bauer, played collegiate basketball.
Why Mizzou?
"I chose Mizzou because it was the best fit for me. I really like the culture and environment this program has built and the family atmosphere that the coaches have all created," Bauer said. "It's also fairly close to home and is a place where I can grow as a player and as a person."
Lydia Stahley // 6'1 // RS/OH // Indianapolis, Indiana // Roncalli HS
Lydia Stahley is a 6-1 right-side and outside hitter from Indianapolis, Indiana. Stahley has made waves as one of the best right-side and outside hitters in the state of Indiana.
Stahley is a highly decorated multi-sport athlete (11-time letterwinner) from Roncalli High School (IN), as her athleticism will be a valuable tool in the Tigers' arsenal. The Indianapolis native is currently on pace to eclipse 1,131 career kills, a milestone reached by a select group of Indiana high school athletes.
Other career accolades include:
- Four conference championships
- Three Marion County Championships
- Three Sectional Championships
- Three Semi-State Championships
- Two Indiana State Championships (2024-25)
- One National Championship (recognized by the AVCA/USA Today Sports)
- AVCA All-Region
As a junior, she averaged nearly 4.3 kills per set, leading the Royals to a perfect 35-0 record. During that season, she earned several accolades, including First Team All-Conference, All-District, and All-State honors, as well as being named a MaxPreps Junior All-American and joining the Indiana Junior All-Star Team. Entering her senior year, she was placed on multiple preseason lists: MaxPreps Top 10 Hitters in the Class of 2026, Preseason All-American Team, and the Best High School Volleyball Player in All 50 States List. According to PrepDig, Stahley also ranks among the top four pin hitters in the state of Indiana.
Competing with Team Indiana, Stahley and her team finished second in the USAV Nationals twice and was a three-time top-three national finalist. Individually, she was a USAV All-Tournament Team honoree, an Under Armour Next Camp invitee, and was named to the Under Armour All-American Watch List.
In high school, she competed in basketball and track and field, and was also a member of the National Honor Society. She is actively engaged in service through Roncalli's faith-based community mission.
Stahley's family has produced several athletes in the college realm, as her mother, Melissa, played soccer at the University of Indianapolis, and her father, Jeremy, played football at the same University. Her grandfather, both uncles, aunt, and two of her cousins all competed in various sports in the NCAA.
Why Mizzou?
"I wanted to be part of an elite program, but the most important thing to me was finding a place that felt like home," Stahley said. "Love. Family. Grit. That already speaks to me, so I think I'm going to fit right in."
NEXT UP
- Mizzou wraps up the regular season with one-last true road trip before the SEC Volleyball Tournament, as it takes on Mississippi State at 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 14 in Starkville, Miss. and Alabama at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 16 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
FOLLOW THE TIGERS
- For all the latest information on Mizzou Volleyball, please visit MUTigers.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Tigers on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
