TEMPE, AZ — Arizona State volleyball has reached the Big 12 mountaintop in back-to-back seasons - but now, a program that's turned the corner under JJ Van Niel is ready for a run at the top.
As students return to campus for the fall semester, the volleyball program has quietly become one of the most successful teams at ASU, posting a 58-7 record over the past two seasons. The team has won 30 of its last 31 matches at Desert Financial Arena, and they're picked to win the league for a third straight year.
But before the conference slate even begins, the team is focused on taking a leap.
"It's really exciting and it lights a fire under us," junior libero Faith Frame said. "We know people are looking at us as we're the team to beat."
The Sun Devils open the season with a marquee matchup against No. 2 Texas, a game head coach JJ Van Niel says has the team's full attention.
The three-time reigning Big 12 Coach of the Year knows that competing with - and beating - the nation's top programs is what will define this season.
"The top programs that are in there every year, it's like they're used to it," Van Niel said. "We've got a lot of kids that return from last year's team that help with that veteran leadership and kind of understanding what it takes to go to the next level."
One player keying that jump is senior opposite hitter Noemi Glover, a returning first-team All American and the preseason Big 12 Player of the Year.
"We have really big goals in mind," Glover said. "For us that starts in the practice gym and really that mental shift of being prepared for the big moments."
Beyond wins and losses, the Sun Devils say their success is having an impact beyond Desert Financial Arena. They want to inspire the next generation of players.
"Even seeing these little girls' faces and with their little signs and coming up to us after games, it makes everyone wanna keep doing what we're doing," Frame said.
"Girls that are so excited to play on the D-1 level and have family support, it's a lot of motivation to be putting that work in in here and show it on the big stage when we can," Glover said.
The Sun Devils will have their chance at the big stage early and often, facing five ranked teams in their first 10 matches.
Saturday's season opener against Texas is set for 4 p.m. MST. The home opener is September 10.
