TEMPE – The Sun Devil Beach Volleyball team preps to start their season a week from today. Coming off of their winningest Pac-12 season and a home slate at the brand new facility under their belts, the team has 14 returners and five newcomers who are looking to build on the successful season.
Looking Into the Future
Coming off of the second-highest winning season, the Sand Devils are looking to do it again. Throughout the season the team is scheduled to play nine teams ranked in the AVCA Coaches Preseason Poll, seven of which they play in the month of March. This includes playing the reigning Pac-12 and national champions USC during the Pac-12 North Tournament on April 7. ASU is receiving votes in the poll.
The Sand Devils will host a total of five matches at home this season. The first home match will happen against Arizona on March 29. The other four home matches will occur during the home tournament on the weekend of April 14-15.
Last Season
Last season marked the inaugural opening of the Sun Devil Beach Volleyball facility. The Sand Devils hosted nine matches last year, including a ranked win over in-state rival Arizona. The Sand Devils ended the season with a record of 17-15, with a 5-6 record in Pac-12 play.
Last season, the Sand Devils went on a run in the Pac-12 tournament, ending in 4th place, which is tied for their best finish. The team lost against then-ranked No. 8 Stanford in the opening match, which led to them being placed in the contenders bracket. After that loss, the Sand Devils rallied and went on to beat Washington and then-ranked No. 17 Arizona to get them into the win-or-go-home part of the tournament. Then, the Sand Devils competed, and lost, to then-ranked No.12 California, which landed them in 4th place in the Pac-12 Championships.
Back For More
Fourteen Sand Devils are returning this season to continue the winning path for the program. Among the returners is senior Lexi Sweeney, who is looking to continue her climb up the individual wins category with 30 total in her career. She is currently ranked No. 11 in the Sun Devil record book and has played the majority of her career on court one. Coming off of her highest single-season win total in 2022 to lead the team with 17, junior Kate Fitzgerald also looks to jump past her ranking of No. 18 in the Sun Devil record book for career wins.
Junior Taryn Ames and sophomore Kylie Wickley come back to the team after both having the second highest wins on the team last season. With both of them earning 16 wins each, they are ranked No. 24 amongst all Sand Devils, past and present. Senior Sarah Waters comes back to the team with 29 career wins, currently ranking her at No. 12 in the Sun Devil record book.
Also coming back to the squad are sophomores Rylie Kael and Anya Pemberton. Both competed the entire season, either on court two or three. During the off-season, Pemberton played for Canada's Next Gen National Beach Volleyball Team.
New Kids On the Block
The 2023 season adds five freshmen to the roster, all with extensive junior careers. Kendall Whitmarsh won the 2021 AAU Hermosa tournament, earned a bid to the Junior Olympics, and won various other tournaments. Another impressive addition to the roster is Carys Thomas. Thomas comes to the Sand Devils with an extensive resume, including fifth place at the AAU Open Nationals Championships, a silver medal at the AAU Junior Olympics, and first place in the College Beach Recruiting Showcase. Puerto Rican freshman Adriana Nieves Papaleo is a big addition to the team. Nieves Papaleo competed for the Puerto Rican national team.
Freshmen Ava Lewison-German and MayaMay Brown also have multiple wins under their belts coming into college. Lewison-German Placed first in the silver bracket at AVP and 4th in silver at the BVCA this past summer. Brown was named one of the top 100 volleyball players in Kansas. and was named to the U17 USA High Performance National Team.
Up Next
The Sand Devils travel down south to compete in the Cactus Classic in Tucson on February 24-25. They will compete against Boise State, Oregon, Colorado Mesa, and UTEP throughout the tournament.
Looking Into the Future
Coming off of the second-highest winning season, the Sand Devils are looking to do it again. Throughout the season the team is scheduled to play nine teams ranked in the AVCA Coaches Preseason Poll, seven of which they play in the month of March. This includes playing the reigning Pac-12 and national champions USC during the Pac-12 North Tournament on April 7. ASU is receiving votes in the poll.
The Sand Devils will host a total of five matches at home this season. The first home match will happen against Arizona on March 29. The other four home matches will occur during the home tournament on the weekend of April 14-15.
Last Season
Last season marked the inaugural opening of the Sun Devil Beach Volleyball facility. The Sand Devils hosted nine matches last year, including a ranked win over in-state rival Arizona. The Sand Devils ended the season with a record of 17-15, with a 5-6 record in Pac-12 play.
Three weeks away ??#SandDevils /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/s78q17JjvX
— Sun Devil Beach VB (@SunDevilBeachVB) February 3, 2023
Last season, the Sand Devils went on a run in the Pac-12 tournament, ending in 4th place, which is tied for their best finish. The team lost against then-ranked No. 8 Stanford in the opening match, which led to them being placed in the contenders bracket. After that loss, the Sand Devils rallied and went on to beat Washington and then-ranked No. 17 Arizona to get them into the win-or-go-home part of the tournament. Then, the Sand Devils competed, and lost, to then-ranked No.12 California, which landed them in 4th place in the Pac-12 Championships.
Back For More
Fourteen Sand Devils are returning this season to continue the winning path for the program. Among the returners is senior Lexi Sweeney, who is looking to continue her climb up the individual wins category with 30 total in her career. She is currently ranked No. 11 in the Sun Devil record book and has played the majority of her career on court one. Coming off of her highest single-season win total in 2022 to lead the team with 17, junior Kate Fitzgerald also looks to jump past her ranking of No. 18 in the Sun Devil record book for career wins.
Junior Taryn Ames and sophomore Kylie Wickley come back to the team after both having the second highest wins on the team last season. With both of them earning 16 wins each, they are ranked No. 24 amongst all Sand Devils, past and present. Senior Sarah Waters comes back to the team with 29 career wins, currently ranking her at No. 12 in the Sun Devil record book.
Also coming back to the squad are sophomores Rylie Kael and Anya Pemberton. Both competed the entire season, either on court two or three. During the off-season, Pemberton played for Canada's Next Gen National Beach Volleyball Team.
New Kids On the Block
The 2023 season adds five freshmen to the roster, all with extensive junior careers. Kendall Whitmarsh won the 2021 AAU Hermosa tournament, earned a bid to the Junior Olympics, and won various other tournaments. Another impressive addition to the roster is Carys Thomas. Thomas comes to the Sand Devils with an extensive resume, including fifth place at the AAU Open Nationals Championships, a silver medal at the AAU Junior Olympics, and first place in the College Beach Recruiting Showcase. Puerto Rican freshman Adriana Nieves Papaleo is a big addition to the team. Nieves Papaleo competed for the Puerto Rican national team.
Freshmen Ava Lewison-German and MayaMay Brown also have multiple wins under their belts coming into college. Lewison-German Placed first in the silver bracket at AVP and 4th in silver at the BVCA this past summer. Brown was named one of the top 100 volleyball players in Kansas. and was named to the U17 USA High Performance National Team.
Up Next
The Sand Devils travel down south to compete in the Cactus Classic in Tucson on February 24-25. They will compete against Boise State, Oregon, Colorado Mesa, and UTEP throughout the tournament.