By Craig Morgan, thesundevils.com Writer
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Stevie Mussie doesn't care that Arizona State's volleyball team was picked to finish 11th in the preseason Pac-12 media poll. The only opinions that matter to Mussie come from within the program, or within the Sun Devil community.
On the other hand, Mussie relishes the Devils' underdog status because she has intimate knowledge of that role.
"I'm a 5-9 outside hitter," she said, grinning. "I have been an underdog my whole life."
The Sun Devils have only been practicing officially for three weeks, but Mussie has already instilled that mentality in her players as they prepare for their season opener on Friday against Fairfield in the University of New Mexico Tournament in Albuquerque.
"It's really different," senior outside hitter Cassidy Pickrell said. "We have a much more intense workout schedule but I think that's lighting a fire under us, and the coaching staff matches our energy very well. They're fired up in practice."
Mussie approached her players with a simple challenge after her hiring in February. The players took it to heart, upping their offseason weight training and conditioning regimens to a level Pickrell and sophomore outside hitter Lexi MacLean said surpassed anything they had done before.
"I said 'hey, if you want to get good, this is what the best programs in the country are doing,'" Mussie said. "That's definitely what they wanted to do so they committed themselves to a great season from the beginning. It wasn't like they were just going to turn it on in August."
Mussie also made it clear that the past was just that. All players would be judged on their current performance, not their accolades or resumes.
"In our first meeting, the coaching staff was like, "I don't care how old you are, I don't care how young you are and I don't care if you're on scholarship," MacLean said. "The best are going to play. Because of that, everybody is on a grind every single day because they know if they slack off this one day their spot could be taken."
MacLean and Pickrell both admit that when a coaching staff has such impressive credentials, it's easy to follow their lead.
Mussie was an assistant coach for Penn State's 2014 NCAA Title team, and she won a national title as a player at Washington in 2005.
Assistant coach Sanja Tomasevic played eight years of professional ball and was a four-time All-Star. She was also a two-time All-American at Washington and was named the 2005 Asics and CVU.com National Player of the Year.
Assistant Tamari Miyashrio was a member of the U.S. Women's National Team and helped the squad to a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games. She was also the 2007 and 2008 National Defensive Player of the Year at Washington.
Assistant Chris Rose is the son of Hall of Fame Penn State coach Russ Rose and three-time All-American Lori Rose.
"It's kind of crazy," MacLean said. "We're in here every day so you kind of get used to being around them, but if you look at the big picture and what each coach has accomplished, it's insane. We are beyond lucky and blessed to have them as coaches."
The Sun Devils have a lot of big roles to fill this season after losing outside hitter Macey Gardner, middle blockers Whitney Follette, Mercedes Binns and setter Bianca Arellano to graduation, but the current cast of Sun Devils is not impressed with the preseason predictions they are reading.
"I think we're better than people say we are and I can't wait to get out on the court and prove them wrong," Pickrell said. "We might not be the best team talent-wise but we are going to be the best team heart-wise.
"I mean, eleventh out of 12 in the conference? Really? We take that personally. That's their prediction? OK. We'll see you in the season."
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Stevie Mussie doesn't care that Arizona State's volleyball team was picked to finish 11th in the preseason Pac-12 media poll. The only opinions that matter to Mussie come from within the program, or within the Sun Devil community.
On the other hand, Mussie relishes the Devils' underdog status because she has intimate knowledge of that role.
"I'm a 5-9 outside hitter," she said, grinning. "I have been an underdog my whole life."
The Sun Devils have only been practicing officially for three weeks, but Mussie has already instilled that mentality in her players as they prepare for their season opener on Friday against Fairfield in the University of New Mexico Tournament in Albuquerque.
"It's really different," senior outside hitter Cassidy Pickrell said. "We have a much more intense workout schedule but I think that's lighting a fire under us, and the coaching staff matches our energy very well. They're fired up in practice."
Mussie approached her players with a simple challenge after her hiring in February. The players took it to heart, upping their offseason weight training and conditioning regimens to a level Pickrell and sophomore outside hitter Lexi MacLean said surpassed anything they had done before.
"I said 'hey, if you want to get good, this is what the best programs in the country are doing,'" Mussie said. "That's definitely what they wanted to do so they committed themselves to a great season from the beginning. It wasn't like they were just going to turn it on in August."
Mussie also made it clear that the past was just that. All players would be judged on their current performance, not their accolades or resumes.
"In our first meeting, the coaching staff was like, "I don't care how old you are, I don't care how young you are and I don't care if you're on scholarship," MacLean said. "The best are going to play. Because of that, everybody is on a grind every single day because they know if they slack off this one day their spot could be taken."
MacLean and Pickrell both admit that when a coaching staff has such impressive credentials, it's easy to follow their lead.
Mussie was an assistant coach for Penn State's 2014 NCAA Title team, and she won a national title as a player at Washington in 2005.
Assistant coach Sanja Tomasevic played eight years of professional ball and was a four-time All-Star. She was also a two-time All-American at Washington and was named the 2005 Asics and CVU.com National Player of the Year.
Assistant Tamari Miyashrio was a member of the U.S. Women's National Team and helped the squad to a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games. She was also the 2007 and 2008 National Defensive Player of the Year at Washington.
Assistant Chris Rose is the son of Hall of Fame Penn State coach Russ Rose and three-time All-American Lori Rose.
"It's kind of crazy," MacLean said. "We're in here every day so you kind of get used to being around them, but if you look at the big picture and what each coach has accomplished, it's insane. We are beyond lucky and blessed to have them as coaches."
The Sun Devils have a lot of big roles to fill this season after losing outside hitter Macey Gardner, middle blockers Whitney Follette, Mercedes Binns and setter Bianca Arellano to graduation, but the current cast of Sun Devils is not impressed with the preseason predictions they are reading.
"I think we're better than people say we are and I can't wait to get out on the court and prove them wrong," Pickrell said. "We might not be the best team talent-wise but we are going to be the best team heart-wise.
"I mean, eleventh out of 12 in the conference? Really? We take that personally. That's their prediction? OK. We'll see you in the season."