(Tempe, AZ) Following two of the most successful seasons in Sun Devil Volleyball history and arguably the best two-year start for any Sun Devil coach across all sports, head coach JJ Van Niel signed a contract extension, keeping him as the head of the program through 2029.
“We are incredibly excited to have JJ Van Niel as our head coach, both now and for the future,” said Sun Devil Athletics Director Graham Rossini. “Not only has JJ proven himself to be one of the best in the nation with his remarkable on-court success, but his commitment to excellence extends beyond athletics. His team’s achievements in the classroom and their visible dedication to giving back to the community further exemplify the values we strive for in this department and at ASU. JJ’s leadership, goals, and winning record perfectly align with our mission, and while his program has achieved incredible success over the past two seasons, we are confident that the best is yet to come.”
In two seasons as the head coach for Arizona State, and his first two seasons as a head coach, Van Niel amassed a 58-10 record, led the team to two NCAA Tournament appearances (and three wins), won the program’s first conference championship (Big 12 in 2024) and coached players to seven All-America honors. He was the fastest head coach in team history to 50 wins. He has earned numerous awards for his efforts: 2023 and 2024 AVCA Region Coach of the Year, 2024 Big 12 Coach of the Year and 2023 Pac-12 Coach of the Year. His two seasons are the top two for winning percentage, with the 30-3 (.909) record in 2024 being the best and 28-7 (.800) in 2024 the second best.
“First of all, I would like to thank Graham Rossini for his support from day one of my time here,” said Van Niel. “His genuine passion for this department and program is unparalleled, and having someone so invested in our success at the helm made my decision to sign this contract a very easy one. In addition, the way Dr. Crow and the university is supporting not only volleyball, but athletics as a whole makes it such an exciting time to be a part of Sun Devil Athletics. The energy around here is palpable!
“I love what I do and who I get to do it with every day. It’s a real blessing to not only put a quality product on the floor, but to have the opportunity to build relationships with so many amazing people – from our student-athletes to leadership to my immediate staff to our broader support staff to our community, I feel very fortunate to be where I am.”
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Kimberlie Haner
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