TEMPE – Sun Devil Volleyball is in the 64-team bracket for the third-straight season, receiving a No. 2 seed and hosting the first two rounds on Dec. 4-5 in Desert Financial Arena.
Arizona State (26-3, 17-1 Big 12) will face Coppin State in the first round on Thursday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m. MST. The other matchup in ASU's bracket is No. 7 seed Tennessee against Utah State at 4:30 p.m. MST on Thursday as well. The winners of both matches will play each other in the second round on Friday, Dec. 5, at 6 p.m. MST. All matches will be live on ESPN+, and more information can be found on the tournament website.
Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Monday (Dec. 1) at 9 a.m. MST. For season ticket holders, tickets go on sale today. Additionally, there is a Cyber Monday deal for $10 general admission tickets, which is just for the upper bowl (lower bowl is assigned seating).
Under third-year head coach JJ Van Niel, the Sun Devils are back in the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season, second consecutive year hosting, and 22nd time appearing overall in program history. Arizona State has won at least one match in each of its last two appearances, including an appearance in the regional semifinals in 2023.
Sun Devil Volleyball NCAA hosting history
2024: NCAA First Round, def. New Hampshire (3-0)
NCAA Second Round, lost to Texas A&M (3-1)
1995: NCAA Second Round (bye in the first round), def. UC Santa Barbara (3-2)
1994: NCAA Second Round (bye in the first round), def. SDSU (3-2)
1993: NCAA Second Round (bye in the first round), lost to Arizona (3-2)
1986: NCAA West Regional (first round only), def. Pepperdine (3-0)
1982: NCAA NW Regional (first round only), def. Illinois State (3-1)
Quotes
Head Coach JJ Van Niel
On ASU’s seeding in the tournament
“I thought we'd be a 2 seed; we had a really strong RPI, but we didn't have a top-10 win, and I know the committee gets that stuff, so it is what it is. I think the Big 12 is a gauntlet, and I hope that that's prepared us for the tournament. Our players have been pretty resilient this year and we'll have some ups and downs in every match we play.”
On getting fans to attend postseason games
“I'm hoping fans are going to come out. I thought we had a dip last year, which is a bummer. This team's done some really cool things over these past few years, and the local community comes out to support us like they have been all year. It makes a difference when you've got a big crowd, and I think our team really feeds off it.”
Outside Hitter Bailey Miller
On the team getting a No. 2 seed in the tournament
“We’re really grateful and just excited for what’s to come. I think no matter who we’re going to play, we’re going to be ready to go, so we will just take the next couple of days to watch film, get ready, and work on the little things so that we're prepared for anyone.”
On what she’s learned from last year’s postseason trip
“Just respect everybody because, being a 2 seed, we have the advantage of playing at home. The opponents that we play might not be at the same level that we're used to in the Big 12 conference, but just respecting everybody, knowing that if they made it to the tournament, they're a good team and we need to be ready.”
Middle Blocker Colby Neal
On the biggest keys for ASU in the tournament
“I think the biggest thing in the tournament is just to make sure that we highlight our strengths. We play the way that we want to play, we are who we are and it's not going to matter who's on the other side of the net if we can accomplish that.”
On the mindset of the team looking forward
“I think this team is really hungry. We have a lot of girls who either haven't been to the tournament or are just really, really excited to have it finally be their turn, and I think that we're super excited going in.”
Team information
Back-to-back Big 12 Champions, Arizona State, enter the NCAA Tournament after another stellar season atop the conference. After taking the new league and opponents by storm in 2024, ASU solidified its place among the best teams in the country and at the top of the Big 12, going 25-3 overall with a 17-1 mark in conference play in 2025.
The season began with a bang, as Arizona State took down the defending national champions, Penn State, in four sets. From there, the Sun Devils put together an impressive campaign that saw eight ranked wins, 11 sweeps and win streaks of 12 and eight.
Despite graduating almost the entirety of last season’s starting lineup, the Sun Devils spent the majority of the season ranked inside the top 10 in the country. Ranking as high as No. 6, the new-look offense powered Arizona State to the fourth-best match win-loss percentage in the country and the best hitting percentage in the Big 12. Additionally, the block played a major role in the team’s success. The Sun Devils led the conference in blocks and blocks per set this season, ranking in the top 25 in those categories as well.
For the second season in a row, the Sun Devils went undefeated at home in the regular season, extending their home win streak to 28 consecutive regular-season games. Additionally, Arizona State has a 36-1 regular-season home record under third-year head coach JJ Van Niel.
The Sun Devils received contributions from every person in the starting lineup, proving how well-rounded the team could be. Six Sun Devils had over 100 kills and two had over 300. Additionally, five Sun Devils collected over 100 digs, three had over 100 blocks and three had over 20 aces.
Junior opposite Noemie Glover lit up the stat sheet in her first season in Tempe, leading the Sun Devils with 375 kills. In all but one match she played, she has reached double-digit kills, including four matches with 20 or more kills. She also led the pin hitters in hitting percentage, swinging at a .345 clip. The southpaw was named a semifinalist for the AVCA National Player of the Year award, one of 14 athletes from across the country and the only one from the Big 12. Additionally, Glover was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the week three times, the most weekly awards of any Sun Devil this season.
Senior outside hitters Bailey Miller and Tatum Parrott provided the Sun Devils with stability and experience on the left side, as the two came into this season with over 2,000 combined kills. Miller, in her second year as a Sun Devil, was second on the team in kills, picking up 359 to go along with 267 digs, also good for second. With her balanced efforts, she had 10 double-doubles, the most on the team. Miller also appeared in every set for Arizona State this season. Parrott joined the Sun Devils as a veteran presence on the court. The senior picked up 199 kills and 187 digs, both third most on the team.
In the middle, the Sun Devils had two experienced players in Colby Neal and Ella Lomigora. Neal, a graduate student, led the Big 12 in blocks with 162, and was fourth in kills for Arizona State. Her 142 block assists are second for blocks in a single season in ASU history. Neal earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors twice. Lomigora, a junior, was second on the team in blocks and sixth in the Big 12, with 123. She was also one of three Sun Devils to play in every set.
Arizona State received consistency in the back court from sophomore libero Faith Frame in her first season in Tempe. A member of the 2024 All-Big 12 Rookie Team, Frame led the Sun Devils in digs and digs per set.
The setting duties were split between senior Sydney Henry and redshirt sophomore Brynn Covell this season. Henry, a senior, led the Sun Devils in assists with 713 and was fourth on the team in digs. Covell, a redshirt sophomore who is graduating at the end of the year, was second on the team in assists with 447. Covell was also one of four Sun Devils to appear in every match this season. Both Henry and Covell handled the offense, as the 6-2 rotation allowed both to get consistent time on the court.