TEMPE, Ariz.—The Arizona State volleyball team was picked to finish second in the Pac-12 Conference, the league announced on Tuesday in 2015, as voted by the conference’s coaches.
"With every pre-season poll, we become more conscience of now close we are to starting and now little time we have to prepare,” head coach Jason Watson said. “I trust our position in the poll will motivate us to improve. Right now, there is more work to be done, than time."
This matches ASU’s highest-ever Pac-12 preseason ranking, and the last time the Sun Devils were picked to finish second was in 1994. Defending conference champion Stanford was picked to win the regular season with 121 votes, 11 first-place.
For the third time in her career, returning AVCA All-American Macey Gardner was named to the Pac-12 Preseason Team. In 2014, Gardner led the Sun Devils in kills (594), and has led that category in each year of her career. The Gilbert, Ariz., native has amassed 1677 kills over the last three seasons, putting her 194 kills away from the school record of 1,871 (Christine Garner, 1992-95).
Last season, the Sun Devils finished with a 20-14 overall record, and advanced to the NCAA Championship for the third consecutive season. ASU reached the second round for the first time since 1996.
The Sun Devils will open the 2015 season on Aug. 28-29 at the Falcon Classic in Colorado Springs, Colo., against Northeastern, New Mexico State, and Air Force. ASU’s first home match of the season is set for Tuesday, Sept. 8 against Northern Arizona at 7 p.m. PT in Wells Fargo Arena.
Prior to the start of the season, three practice sessions in Wells Fargo Arena will be open for the fans to come watch: Tuesday, Aug. 11 at 7 p.m. PT, Wednesday, Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. PT, and Saturday, Aug. 22 at 11 a.m. PT.
Preseason Pac-12 Coaches Poll
School (1st Place Votes) Points 2013 Finish
Stanford (11) 121 NCAA Semifinals
Arizona State 99 NCAA 2nd Round
Washington (1) 97 NCAA Quarterfinals
Oregon 94 NCAA 3rd Round
USC 84 NCAA 2nd Round
Colorado 61 NCAA 2nd Round
Arizona 60 NCAA 2nd Round
UCLA 57 NCAA 3rd Round
Oregon State 35 NCAA 3rd Round
Utah 34 NCAA 2nd Round
California 28
Washington State 22
Pac-12 Preseason Team
Andora Anae (Utah)
Alexis Austin (Colorado)
Amanda Benson (Oregon)
Martenne Bettendorf (Oregon)
Samantha Bricio (USC)
Madi Bugg (Stanford)
Macey Gardner (Arizona State)
Merete Lutz (Stanford)
Mary-Kate Marshall (Oregon State)
Lillian Schonewise (California)
Penina Snuka (Arizona)
Cassie Strickland (Washington)
Lianna Sybeldon (Washington)