TEMPE – With the new school year underway, Sun Devil Beach Volleyball Head Coach Kristen Rohr has announced the seven new signees for the 2024 roster, including two freshmen, four sophomore transfers and one junior transfer.
"I'm really excited about the talent and experience we are bringing in with this group," Rohr said. "We have some strong, physical athletes that have experience at a high level. Along with our other incoming freshman and returners, we are planning to really start a new culture and tradition of winning here at ASU."
Junior Samaya Morin comes to Tempe from across the city at Grand Canyon, joining her former coach. Freshman Rylen Bourguet will join the Sand Devils from down south in Tucson. She joins her brothers Trenton and Corbin Bourguet in Tempe, both members of Sun Devil Football. Another freshman is Ella Gray, from California, is a flip from GCU. The four transfers coming to ASU are all sophomores. Two are California natives and coming from California schools: Daniella Kensinger from Saint Mary's and Ava Kirunchyk from USC. Arden Besecker is a transfer from Florida State and rounding out the group is Hayden Huber from TCU.
The 2024 roster is at 24 student-athletes with 11 returners and 13 newcomers. In addition to the seven mentioned in this release, six previously announced freshmen have come to Tempe: Annalyse Askew, Brynn Dowd, Ava Haughy, Elsa Snipes, Ava Williamson and Deanie Woodruff.
Arden Besecker
Sophomore | 5-10 | Austin, Texas | Lake Travis HS | Florida State
Freshman | 5-8 | Tucson, Ariz. | Salpointe Catholic HS
Freshman | 6-0 | Redondo Beach, Calif. | Redondo Union HS
Sophomore | 5-9 | Erie, Colo. | Silver Creek HS | TCU
Sophomore | 5-9 | Los Angeles | Venice HS | Saint Mary's
Junior | 5-8 | Redondo Beach, Calif. | Redondo Union HS | USC
Junior | 6-0 | Lake Stevens, Wash. | Lake Stevens HS | GCU
"I'm really excited about the talent and experience we are bringing in with this group," Rohr said. "We have some strong, physical athletes that have experience at a high level. Along with our other incoming freshman and returners, we are planning to really start a new culture and tradition of winning here at ASU."
Junior Samaya Morin comes to Tempe from across the city at Grand Canyon, joining her former coach. Freshman Rylen Bourguet will join the Sand Devils from down south in Tucson. She joins her brothers Trenton and Corbin Bourguet in Tempe, both members of Sun Devil Football. Another freshman is Ella Gray, from California, is a flip from GCU. The four transfers coming to ASU are all sophomores. Two are California natives and coming from California schools: Daniella Kensinger from Saint Mary's and Ava Kirunchyk from USC. Arden Besecker is a transfer from Florida State and rounding out the group is Hayden Huber from TCU.
The 2024 roster is at 24 student-athletes with 11 returners and 13 newcomers. In addition to the seven mentioned in this release, six previously announced freshmen have come to Tempe: Annalyse Askew, Brynn Dowd, Ava Haughy, Elsa Snipes, Ava Williamson and Deanie Woodruff.
Arden Besecker
Sophomore | 5-10 | Austin, Texas | Lake Travis HS | Florida State
- A member of Florida State's 2023 NCAA Tournament team which advanced to the semifinals of the national championship.
- Prior to FSU, graduated from Lake Travis High School in 2022 where she played both indoor and beach volleyball.
- Won 52 beach events at U14, U16, and U18 divisions.
- Named to the 2020 TGCA 6A High School All-State All-Star Team.
- First-Team All-State selection by the TGCA in 2021 and was named to the 2021 TGCA All-Star Legacy Team.
- In 2019, 2020 and 2021, was a High School 6A First Team All-District outside hitter and 6A Region IV 26 District Champion.
- Voted as the 2021 HS Most Valuable Hitter 6A Region IV District 26 honoree.
- Participated on USAV HP Beach National Team A1 at U13, U15, U17, and U18.
- Placed top-10 11 times, five of which were top five, at the Beach National Championships including AAU, BVCA, USAV, HP, AVP, and P1440.
- Placed third at 2020 U18 P1440 National Championship.
- Named P1440 Fab Fifty in 2021.
Rylen BourguetAnother Texan in Tempe ??
— Sun Devil Beach VB (@SunDevilBeachVB) August 15, 2023
Welcome sophomore Arden Besecker to the 2024 roster! She comes to ASU after her freshman season at Florida State. #SandDevils /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/7QtlmrUzcr
Freshman | 5-8 | Tucson, Ariz. | Salpointe Catholic HS
- Won seven state titles at Salpointe Catholic HS: three in beach volleyball, three in soccer and one in indoor volleyball.
- Named the Southern Arizona Female Athlete of the Year three times.
- Was named to the all-conference team for beach volleyball three times and twice for indoor volleyball.
- Two-time Salpointe High School Female Athlete of the Year.
- Played club at Walker Beach.
- Her older brothers Trenton, Coben and Treyson all play college football, the first two at ASU and Treyson at Western Michigan. She also has two younger siblings.
Ella GrayThe Bourguet family is running Tempe ??
— Sun Devil Beach VB (@SunDevilBeachVB) August 14, 2023
Thrilled to officially say 7x state champ Rylen is part of 2024 roster! ??#SandDevils /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/hLP4CqPWb2
Freshman | 6-0 | Redondo Beach, Calif. | Redondo Union HS
- Was part of the USA High Performance program.
- Has a CBVA AAA rating.
- On VolleyballMag's 2022 list of Beach 25 Underclassmen to Watch.
- Her parents are David and Erin and she has four siblings.
- Her mom Erin played beach volleyball professionally and her older sister Madi played beach volleyball at GCU.
Hayden HuberTurning Gray into a Sun Devil ??
— Sun Devil Beach VB (@SunDevilBeachVB) August 3, 2023
Welcome the first of many newcomers to the 2024 roster, Ella Gray! ????#SandDevils /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/x9aBWxumvd
Sophomore | 5-9 | Erie, Colo. | Silver Creek HS | TCU
- Spent her freshman year at TCU.
- Earned all-conference honors for indoor volleyball at Silver Creek High School.
- Named to the 2016 A1 USA Beach Volleyball Training Team.
- An honor roll student.
Daniella KensingerRoster is complete ??
— Sun Devil Beach VB (@SunDevilBeachVB) August 17, 2023
Hayden Huber is a Sand Devil! The sophomore transfer comes to Tempe from TCU ??#SandDevils /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/jCekI0XvCs
Sophomore | 5-9 | Los Angeles | Venice HS | Saint Mary's
- Had an impressive freshman year with the Gaels, going 21-13 to lead the team.
- Played the majority of the year on the top spot, going 17-12.
- Earned four wins over duos from ranked teams: No. 7 Stanford, No. 9 Cal, No. 17 Tulane and No. 18 Pepperdine.
- Named to the WCC All-Freshman Team.
- Prior to college, played indoor at Venice High School.
- Racked up the stats as a senior, where she posted 327 kills, 244 digs, 64 aces and 30 blocks for Venice
- Named the Player of the Year for CIF-LA and the Western League during the 2021 season, part of several high school honors
- Named First Team All-Western League twice, and added another First Team All-CIF-LA to her resume in 2020.
Ava KirunchykMore talent incoming ??
— Sun Devil Beach VB (@SunDevilBeachVB) August 11, 2023
Daniella is joining the squad this fall! She is a transfer sophomore from Saint Mary's. Can't wait to have her in Tempe ??#SandDevils /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/kTBFgMbOco
Junior | 5-8 | Redondo Beach, Calif. | Redondo Union HS | USC
- Spent her first two years at USC, the 2022 and 2023 NCAA National Champions.
- Prior to college, attended Redondo Union High School where she played indoor and beach volleyball, starting on varsity all four years.
- Earned all-tournament honors during her time in high school.
- Helped her team become CIF D1 Southern Section Champions.
- Played for SCVC for indoor and Elite BVC for beach.
- Placed first in the ISF Qualifier #1 and #2 in 2019.
- Named ISF World Champion in 2019.
- Her parents are Mark and Liane Kirunchyk and she is an only child.
- Her father Mark played on the AVP Tour, placing 25th twice.
Samaya MorinThis national champion is coming to Tempe ??
— Sun Devil Beach VB (@SunDevilBeachVB) August 15, 2023
Transfer junior @avakirunchykk is joining the roster this year! She comes from USC, where she just last year won the 2023 NCAA National Championships ??#SandDevils /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/zQeUESnrhR
Junior | 6-0 | Lake Stevens, Wash. | Lake Stevens HS | GCU
- She spent her first two seasons across town at Grand Canyon where she was a two-year starter and helped the team to two-straight NCAA Tournament appearances and top-10 finishes.
- In June, she won the 2023 USA Volleyball U21 FIVB Beach World Championship Trials with partner Taylor Wilson of Stanford. The pair will represent the U.S. at the 2023 FIVB U21 Beach World Championships in Roi-Et, Thailand on Nov. 8-12.
- As a sophomore in 2023, she was named to the 2023 AVCA Top Flight Award in the No. 2 spot, where she earned a 19-1 record on the year, including an NCAA Tournament win.
- In her freshman year in 2022, she compiled a 23-9 record and earned 10 wins over opponents from ranked teams.
- Prior to college, she played four years of indoor volleyball at Lake Stevens High School, as well as one year of basketball.
- She earned all-conference first team honors in 2018 and 2019, as well as being a first team all-state selection in 2019.
- Named to the All-Seattle Area First Team in 2018 and 2019.
- Named the 2019 Wesco and Everett Herald All-Area Player of the Year.
- She was a 2019 Gatorade Player of the Year nominee.
- In 2017, she received All-State honorable mention.
If you don't know, now you know ??
— Sun Devil Beach VB (@SunDevilBeachVB) August 14, 2023
Samaya is a Sand Devil! The junior spent her first two seasons at GCU. This November will represent the U.S at the 2023 FIVB U21 World Championships! ??#SandDevils /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/6CoHa1JYEC