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Season Starts in Nashville This Weekend

ASU at LUV Invitational notes Opens in a new window 2024 ASU VB Quick Facts Opens in a new window
Season Starts in Nashville This WeekendSeason Starts in Nashville This Weekend
TEMPE – The 2024 season, and the first year in the Big 12, begins this weekend for No. 17 Sun Devil Volleyball at the LUV Invitational hosted by Lipscomb in Nashville this Friday through Saturday. 

How to Follow
Arizona State will kick off the year by facing Butler on Friday at 3 p.m. CDT/1 p.m. MST. Saturday will be against the host team Lipscomb at 6 p.m. CDT/4 p.m. MST. Finally, the tournament will wrap up with a matchup against Cal Baptist on Sunday at 12 p.m. CDT/10 a.m. MST.

Every match will be available to watch on ESPN+, with live stats on StatBroadcast as well. 

Sun Devil Outlook
Arizona State
  • The 2023 season for Sun Devil Volleyball was arguably the best one in program history. With numerous records broken, two wins in the NCAA Tournament, three All-Americans, and many more milestones, the 50th season of the program was a remarkable one. Arizona State went 28-7 under first-year head coach Van Niel. The Sun Devils reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015, winning two matches for the first time in program history. 
  • The Sun Devils lost three key starters, but they return four main starters and bring in more firepower. There are three transfers ready to immediately participate and four freshmen ready to make an impact. 
  • In their inaugural season in the Big 12, Sun Devil Volleyball was picked third in the 2024 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Poll, and graduates Claire Jeter and Argentina Ung were selected to the preseason team. Third is the highest preseason poll ranking for Arizona State since 2015 when the team was picked to finish second in the Pac-12. Additionally, this is the first preseason team nod for both Jeter and Ung.
  • The Sun Devils have two All-Americans on the 2024 roster. ASU returns Jeter, who earned AVCA All-America Honorable Mention. Additionally, Arizona State brings in transfer graduate Ung, who was an honorable mention All-American last year as well while playing for Washington State. Both were first-time All-Americans.
  • JJ Van Niel is now in his second season as a head coach. He made history in his first season as a head coach by leading Arizona State to an incredible turnaround to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015 and winning two matches for the first time in Sun Devil history to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. For his efforts, he was named the AVCA Pacific South Region Coach of the Year and the Pac-12 Coach of the Year.
Opponent Outlook
Butler
  • The Bulldogs went 13-16 in 2023 under first-year head coach Kyle Shondell. In the Big East Conference, they had a 7-11 mark.
  • In the 2024 Big East preseason poll, Butler was picked to finish fifth, predicted to finish better than their eighth-place finish in 2023. Butler returns 12 players from last year's team, adding six freshmen as well. 
  • This will be the third meeting all time between Arizona State and Butler, with ASU winning both. The last meeting was in 2016 when the Sun Devils won in five sets.
Lipscomb
  • The Bisons had a strong 2023 season, going 21-8. They came just short of the NCAA Tournament, falling in the ASUN Championship final to FGCU. 
  • In the ASUN preseason poll, Lipscomb was picked to finish first. The team returns the reigning player of the year Meg Mersman and setter of the year Sophia Hudepohl.
  • This will be the first match between ASU and Lipscomb.
Cal Baptist
  • The Lancers went 14-14 in 2023. The team had an early exit from the WAC Tournament, falling to Grand Canyon who would go on to win.
  • CBU were picked to finish fourth in the WAC preseason poll and have sophomore Nicole Mauser on the All-WAC Preseason Team. She was the 2023 WAC Freshman of the Year. 
  • ASU is facing Cal Baptist for the first time in program history.