(Tempe, AZ) For the first time since 2015, Sun Devil Volleyball is back in the NCAA Tournament as a No. 5 seed, facing Georgia in the first round on Friday, December 1, in Provo, Utah.
Arizona State is back in the tournament for the first time since 2015, which was the bookend of four-straight postseason appearances for the Sun Devils. This is the 20th tournament appearance in the 50th season of the program. The last time ASU won an NCAA Tournament game was in 2014 when the team made it to the second round.
ASU’s postseason journey will start in Provo, Utah, playing Georgia in the first round on Friday at 4:30 p.m. MST. With a win, Arizona State would play the winner of the host team No. 4 BYU and Weber State on Saturday. All of the matches will be live on ESPN+.
Team Information
The Sun Devils celebrated the 50th anniversary of the program by making history under first-year head coach JJ Van Niel. They finished the regular season 26-6, which is the best record this century and the third-highest win total in program history. This was the 11th season that ASU has reached 20 wins. Additionally, Arizona State had a 14-6 Pac-12 record, which is the most conference wins in team history. The team started the season strong, finishing non-conference undefeated and going 14-0 to start the year, which is the best start by a new head coach in the NCAA era.
The resume for the Sun Devils is impressive, including two-top five sweeps over Stanford (home) and Oregon (away). The win over the Cardinal was just the second time ever that the Sun Devils swept them. This was just the second time in ASU history beating two top-five teams, but it’s the first time with two top-five sweeps. Speaking of sweeps, the Sun Devils had 18 three-set wins on the year, which is the most in program history.
Leading the team on offense this season has been senior opposite Marta Levinska, who has had her best season in her career. She is top 10 in the nation in kills, kills per set, points and points per set. She has earned four Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week awards, the most in a single season in ASU history. She also was the AVCA National Player of the Week on October 31 following the win over Stanford. In all but two matches, she’s had double-digit kills and she has had 20 or more kills nine times. In the ASU record book, she is currently in sixth for career kills with 1,536.
Pacing the offense all year has been graduate Shannon Shields, who also has had the most productive year of her career to go out on a high note. She has been the primary setter all season, notching 40-plus assists nine times and 50-plus twice. Additionally, she has had nine double-doubles.
The two outside hitters for the squad have been junior Geli Cyr and senior Roberta Rabelo, each with over 200 kills on the year. Cyr has not only been a strong offensive weapon, but her defense has been stellar, putting her second on the team in digs behind the libero. She has had 10 or more digs in 13 matches, the same number as double-digit kills. In three of the last four matches, she has earned a double-double, upping her season total to five. Rabelo has collected 10-plus kills in eight matches, with her career-high of 16 coming in non-conference play.
In the middle, senior Claire Jeter and graduate Maddie McLaughlin have been holding down the defense at the net. Jeter leads the team in blocks with 117, the most she’s had in a single season. McLaughlin, who made the switch from outside hitter to middle this past spring, is not far behind with 97 total blocks. Both have eclipsed 100 kills on the year, with Jeter leading the charge in the middle with 184 and McLaughlin at 104. Jeter is also second on the team in aces with 40.
The starting libero all season has been graduate Mary Shroll, who leads the team in digs with 412. She has been a steady force for the team. Back in late October, she was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week, her first weekly honor of her career. She also is first on the team in aces with 42.
Press Release courtesy Sun Devil Athletics – Kimberlie Haner
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