TEMPE, Ariz. – In 2019, Arizona State volleyball had its best season in four years, earning upset victories, reaching new milestones and taking a big step forward for the program.
Team Accomplishments
The Sun Devils had the best season under head coach Sanja Tomasevic in her third season. They finished the regular season with a 17-14 record, 9-11 in the Pac-12 to take eighth place, the best finish since 2015. Since joining the Pac-12 in 1986, this season marks the 11th nine-win Pac-12 season for ASU, the first since 2014. In the past 19 years, it is just the fourth time reaching nine conference wins.
Arizona State had season sweeps over Oregon, Oregon State, Washington State and in-state rival Arizona. The Cougars, who made the NCAA tournament, were ranked in both matchups this year for the Sun Devils' biggest wins. In the Territorial Cup matches, ASU beat Arizona in both matches for the first time since 2007. For the season sweeps over the Oregon schools, Arizona State achieved that for the first time since 2002.
Individual Records
Libero Courtney Leffel wrote her name across the ASU record books in her stand-out senior season. She capped of her career in sixth place in career digs with 1,527, the 20th Sun Devil to surpass 1,000 career digs. She is also in eighth place for digs in a single season with 566. This year, she had 15 matches with 20 or more digs and only had less than 10 digs in three matches.
Outside hitter Ivana Jeremic also made a mark during her senior season. She became the 17th Sun Devil to surpass 1,000 career kills and finished in 15th for kills in a career with 1,059. Two other pin hitters reached 1,000 career kills as well: Jada Burse and Andrea Mitrovic. With the totals achieved at their previous schools, the two transfers made their mark at ASU.
Seniors
All five seniors played big roles on the 2019 squad. Setters Callie Jones and Nicole Peterson were two of three setters to split time throughout the year, with Jones leading the way, earning 568 assists. They both finished their careers with over 1,000 career assists, Jones with 1,424 and Peterson finishing just shy of 2,000 with 1,970. Jones was also first on the team in aces with 24 and second in digs with 227, behind Leffel's 566. Leffel was the only player to be in every set this year. Pin hitters Jeremic and Jada Burse both earned over 200 kills this year with 240 and 219, respectively. Jeremic was third on the team in digs with 221 and third in blocks with 57.
Pac-12 Awards
The Sun Devils earned three Pac-12 weekly awards in 2019, the most in a single season since 2012. Leffel was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week twice this year, the first Sun Devil to win a conference weekly award twice in the same season since Macey Gardner did so in 2012. Freshman Iman Isanovic was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week as well.
Jeremic was named to the 2019 Pac-12 Honorable Mention list, representing Arizona State volleyball with her first postseason honor of her career. In Pac-12 play, Jeremic had a strong season, reaching double figures in kills in eight matches and in digs in seven. She also had four double-doubles in conference matches.
Newcomer Impact
Many new faces on the roster made an impact in 2019. Junior outside hitter Andrea Mitrovic was one of the three transfers on the team, and she immediately made a difference. She had a team-high 344 kills this season, earning 20 or more kills twice and double-digit kills in 18 matches. Two other transfers contributed to ASU's strong season: sophomore setter Noa Miller and senior outside hitter Burse. Miller was third on the team in assists with 297 while Burse was one of five Sun Devils to surpass 200 kills in 2019.
Freshmen Isanovic and Kennedi Boyd not only saw playing time but started in many matches. Boyd led the team in solo blocks with 15 and was second in total blocks with 63. Isanovic was one of the five pin hitters to eclipse 200 kills, earning 216 in her freshman campaign.
Smart Devils
Three Sun Devils were named to the inaugural Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll, which recognizes all student-athletes from fall teams who had a 3.3 GPA or better and have been at the institution for a year. Callie Jones, Danica Krstonošic and Nicole Peterson were the three representatives for ASU volleyball.
Looking Forward
Arizona State will lose five seniors, all of whom played key roles in 2019. ASU will return seven players who started a match this season.
Team Accomplishments
The Sun Devils had the best season under head coach Sanja Tomasevic in her third season. They finished the regular season with a 17-14 record, 9-11 in the Pac-12 to take eighth place, the best finish since 2015. Since joining the Pac-12 in 1986, this season marks the 11th nine-win Pac-12 season for ASU, the first since 2014. In the past 19 years, it is just the fourth time reaching nine conference wins.
Arizona State had season sweeps over Oregon, Oregon State, Washington State and in-state rival Arizona. The Cougars, who made the NCAA tournament, were ranked in both matchups this year for the Sun Devils' biggest wins. In the Territorial Cup matches, ASU beat Arizona in both matches for the first time since 2007. For the season sweeps over the Oregon schools, Arizona State achieved that for the first time since 2002.
Individual Records
Libero Courtney Leffel wrote her name across the ASU record books in her stand-out senior season. She capped of her career in sixth place in career digs with 1,527, the 20th Sun Devil to surpass 1,000 career digs. She is also in eighth place for digs in a single season with 566. This year, she had 15 matches with 20 or more digs and only had less than 10 digs in three matches.
Outside hitter Ivana Jeremic also made a mark during her senior season. She became the 17th Sun Devil to surpass 1,000 career kills and finished in 15th for kills in a career with 1,059. Two other pin hitters reached 1,000 career kills as well: Jada Burse and Andrea Mitrovic. With the totals achieved at their previous schools, the two transfers made their mark at ASU.
Seniors
All five seniors played big roles on the 2019 squad. Setters Callie Jones and Nicole Peterson were two of three setters to split time throughout the year, with Jones leading the way, earning 568 assists. They both finished their careers with over 1,000 career assists, Jones with 1,424 and Peterson finishing just shy of 2,000 with 1,970. Jones was also first on the team in aces with 24 and second in digs with 227, behind Leffel's 566. Leffel was the only player to be in every set this year. Pin hitters Jeremic and Jada Burse both earned over 200 kills this year with 240 and 219, respectively. Jeremic was third on the team in digs with 221 and third in blocks with 57.
Pac-12 Awards
The Sun Devils earned three Pac-12 weekly awards in 2019, the most in a single season since 2012. Leffel was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week twice this year, the first Sun Devil to win a conference weekly award twice in the same season since Macey Gardner did so in 2012. Freshman Iman Isanovic was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week as well.
Jeremic was named to the 2019 Pac-12 Honorable Mention list, representing Arizona State volleyball with her first postseason honor of her career. In Pac-12 play, Jeremic had a strong season, reaching double figures in kills in eight matches and in digs in seven. She also had four double-doubles in conference matches.
Newcomer Impact
Many new faces on the roster made an impact in 2019. Junior outside hitter Andrea Mitrovic was one of the three transfers on the team, and she immediately made a difference. She had a team-high 344 kills this season, earning 20 or more kills twice and double-digit kills in 18 matches. Two other transfers contributed to ASU's strong season: sophomore setter Noa Miller and senior outside hitter Burse. Miller was third on the team in assists with 297 while Burse was one of five Sun Devils to surpass 200 kills in 2019.
Freshmen Isanovic and Kennedi Boyd not only saw playing time but started in many matches. Boyd led the team in solo blocks with 15 and was second in total blocks with 63. Isanovic was one of the five pin hitters to eclipse 200 kills, earning 216 in her freshman campaign.
Smart Devils
Three Sun Devils were named to the inaugural Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll, which recognizes all student-athletes from fall teams who had a 3.3 GPA or better and have been at the institution for a year. Callie Jones, Danica Krstonošic and Nicole Peterson were the three representatives for ASU volleyball.
Looking Forward
Arizona State will lose five seniors, all of whom played key roles in 2019. ASU will return seven players who started a match this season.