The official athletics site of Arizona State University Opens in a new window
ASU Home My ASU Colleges and Schools
Sun Devil Athletics
HomeHome
ASU Home My ASU Colleges and Schools
Loading

NCAA Regional Semifinals against Creighton up next for #2 seed Volleyball on Thursday

2025 VB Notables Opens in a new window VB NCAA Tournament Appearances Opens in a new window ASU Notes Opens in a new window
Brynn Covell setting the ball.Brynn Covell setting the ball.
Pete Vander Stoep
by Kimberlie Haner

TEMPE – No. 2 seed Sun Devil Volleyball is ready for its fourth NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinal appearance in program history, facing No. 3 seed Creighton at the Lexington Regional on Thursday, Dec. 11, at 11 a.m. MST/1 p.m. EST on ESPN2. 

This is the first of the two regional semifinal matches in Lexington, Ky. on Thursday. No. 1 seed Kentucky plays Cal Poly 30 minutes following Arizona State’s match. The winner of both matches will face each other in the regional final on Saturday, Dec. 13. The time will be determined following all matches on Thursday. It will be either 5 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. EST. The winner of this region will advance to the national semifinals in Kansas City on Dec. 18. 

For Arizona State, this is the fourth trip to the round of 16 in program history, second in the last three years. The other years were 2023, 1995 and 1994. Additionally, this is the second time in school history that ASU has won two matches in the NCAA Tournament, both under head coach JJ Van Niel. The program record improves to 14-21, 5-2 under Van Niel.

How to follow
The Sun Devils will take on the Bluejays in the first regional semifinal match across the nation on Thursday, starting at 11 a.m. MST. It will be live on ESPN2, with live stats available as well. Updates will be provided on social media on X (@SunDevilVB) and Instagram (@sundevilvolleyball). More information can be found on the NCAA Championship website.

Sun Devil outlook
No. 8 Arizona State (28-3, 17-1 Big 12)

  • Head coach JJ Van Niel has changed the Sun Devil Volleyball program in his three seasons. He has guided the team to back-to-back Big 12 Championships and three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, going 86-13 overall, 5-2 in the postseason. He has been the conference coach of the year in each of his first three seasons as a head coach, the third NCAA volleyball coach to achieve this across the country. The other two are Mary Wise (Florida, 1991-93) and Geoff Carlston (Ohio University, 2003-06). 
  • The regional semifinal match will be Van Niel’s 100th match as a head coach. He has an 86-13 record (.868), all while in Tempe these last three seasons. Of the eight head coaches in the program before him, he has more wins than four of them. He has the best winning percentage of any ASU volleyball head coach through 100 matches, regardless of a win or loss in the regional semifinal.
  • Arizona State is guaranteed at least the second-best winning percentage in program history, currently at .903, which would be second behind 2024’s .909 (30-3). The top three winning percentages in team history are under Van Niel. 
  • Junior opposite Noemie Glover, the Big 12 Player of the Year, has been a force for the Sun Devils this year, particularly in the last three matches. She has hit over .500 in all three wins. She’s hit that clip or better five times. This year, she’s had double-digit kills in all but one match she’s played in, four times surpassing 20 kills. 
  • Not far behind Glover in kill total is senior Bailey Miller, also having a strong offensive season. She’s having her most productive season yet, currently at 383 kills, 50 more than any other year. She’s had double-digit kills in 15 of the last 16 matches and leads the team in double-doubles with 10. 
  • The block has been a big factor in Arizona State’s success this year. There have been 21 matches this season in which the team has had double-digit blocks. Three on the roster have over 100 blocks: Colby Neal (168), Ella Lomigora (132) and Glover (108). Neal ranks nationally in blocks, currently No. 7 in blocks per set (1.50) and No. 8 in total blocks.

Opponent outlook
No. 11 Creighton (27-5, 16-0 BIG EAST)

  • The Bluejays have had a strong season, going undefeated in conference play and winning their sixth-consecutive BIG EAST title. This is their third-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinals, fifth overall. 
  • Hosting the first two rounds, Creighton made the third round after a tough 3-2 win in the first round against Northern Colorado, followed by a 3-1 win over UNI in the second round.
  • This will be the second meeting between ASU and Creighton, the first since 2002, which the Sun Devils won. 

No. 2 Kentucky (27-2, 15-0 SEC)

  • The Wildcats have won the last 24 straight matches heading into this weekend. They won the SEC Tournament and have won nine SEC titles in a row. Their two losses on the year were to Pitt and Nebraska.
  • As a No. 1 seed (No. 2 overall), Kentucky hosted the first two rounds and is hosting this regional. Kentucky beat Wofford in straight sets in the first round, then beat No. 8 seed UCLA in four sets to advance to the regional semifinals.
  • ASU trails in the all-time series against Kentucky, 1-2. However, all meetings were decades ago, the last meeting being in 1986, which ASU won. 

Cal Poly (27-7, 14-4 Big West)

  • The  Mustangs won the Big West Championship to earn the autobid for the NCAA Tournament, their first postseason appearance since 2018. 
  • This is Cal Poly’s seventh appearance in the regional semifinal in team history, the first since 2007. The Mustangs are the only team in this year’s tournament to take down two seeded teams. 
  • Arizona State leads 4-2 in the all-time series against Cal Poly, last winning in 2021 in straight sets.