TEMPE, Ariz. – With a strong group of returning players, Arizona State beach volleyball looks to build on that experience to have a strong 2019 season.
In 2018, the Sun Devils compiled an 11-20 record. The season was highlighted by a five-match win streak that included a win over Pac-12 foe Washington, the first in program history over the Huskies.
The team returns 12 players from last year's roster, the majority bringing back significant playing time. In addition to the five incoming freshmen, they will add one grad transfer in Ashley Wenz who has experience playing indoor volleyball at Ohio State. She earned an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention nod in 2017.
Each class in the roster is almost evenly represented. Underclassmen make up the majority of the roster with the six freshmen and five sophomores. For upperclassmen, there are four juniors and five seniors.
The top returning duo of Katelyn Carballo and Ellyson Lundberg, both juniors this year, currently have a 28-14 record, which is the second-highest number of wins for a pair in program history. Individually, Carballo is No. 3 in the ASU record books individually for wins with 34 and Lundberg is right behind her with 33.
Katie Cross is another returning player with a lot of experience. The senior is No. 8 in individual wins all-time at ASU with 23, the third-highest total on the roster behind Carballo and Lundberg.
After taking a year off, Oluoma Okaro is back with the Sand Devils, bringing her 20 wins from 2017 with her. In 2017, she earned All-Pac-12 Second Team honors, the lone returner with a conference nod. The former indoor volleyball star will be joined by two other former ASU indoor players, Carmen Unzue and Halle Johnson, who are both competing in beach for the first time.
Three returning Sun Devils are also returning double-digit win totals. Kate Baldwin and Samantha Plaster, both sophomores, are 18-13 and have played all of their matches together. Cierra Flood, another sophomore, was 17-14 in her first year at ASU, teaming up with Cross for the majority of the 2018 season.
The Maroon and Gold scrimmage is next week, Friday, February 15 at 6 p.m. MST at the Pera Club. The 2019 season will officially begin with a tournament at Grand Canyon on February 23.
In 2018, the Sun Devils compiled an 11-20 record. The season was highlighted by a five-match win streak that included a win over Pac-12 foe Washington, the first in program history over the Huskies.
The team returns 12 players from last year's roster, the majority bringing back significant playing time. In addition to the five incoming freshmen, they will add one grad transfer in Ashley Wenz who has experience playing indoor volleyball at Ohio State. She earned an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention nod in 2017.
Each class in the roster is almost evenly represented. Underclassmen make up the majority of the roster with the six freshmen and five sophomores. For upperclassmen, there are four juniors and five seniors.
The top returning duo of Katelyn Carballo and Ellyson Lundberg, both juniors this year, currently have a 28-14 record, which is the second-highest number of wins for a pair in program history. Individually, Carballo is No. 3 in the ASU record books individually for wins with 34 and Lundberg is right behind her with 33.
Katie Cross is another returning player with a lot of experience. The senior is No. 8 in individual wins all-time at ASU with 23, the third-highest total on the roster behind Carballo and Lundberg.
After taking a year off, Oluoma Okaro is back with the Sand Devils, bringing her 20 wins from 2017 with her. In 2017, she earned All-Pac-12 Second Team honors, the lone returner with a conference nod. The former indoor volleyball star will be joined by two other former ASU indoor players, Carmen Unzue and Halle Johnson, who are both competing in beach for the first time.
Three returning Sun Devils are also returning double-digit win totals. Kate Baldwin and Samantha Plaster, both sophomores, are 18-13 and have played all of their matches together. Cierra Flood, another sophomore, was 17-14 in her first year at ASU, teaming up with Cross for the majority of the 2018 season.
The Maroon and Gold scrimmage is next week, Friday, February 15 at 6 p.m. MST at the Pera Club. The 2019 season will officially begin with a tournament at Grand Canyon on February 23.