CHANDLER, Ariz. – In front of packed stands at Hamilton High School, No. 12 Sun Devil Volleyball showcased the 2026 squad with an open practice on Friday night.
Arizona State ran various drills and played games to put the new and returning players on display for Sun Devil Nation. With 10 returners and 10 newcomers, there were plenty of new faces for the crowd to get acquainted with.
"Unbelievable crowd tonight," head coach JJ Van Niel said. "Hamilton (High School) did a nice job hosting us. We had so many fans here. I was blown away. Appreciate all the support. As far as the practice went, it was really fun. I thought the kids were just getting after it. It was another level than even what I've seen in practice. So I think they had fun playing in front of a big crowd. Just a reminder, all you fans come out and support Sun Devil Volleyball because we feed off that! But overall, I'm really happy with how our kids performed. What we have in our gym right now is really fun, because every time we go out and play, it's just so competitive.”
Following the practice, fans had a chance to meet the team and get autographs. The fans filled the stands and cheered loud throughout the night.
"It was so awesome," junior Piper Rama, an Arizona native, said. "We were actually talking about how loud it was, saying how it's almost comparable to our normal stadium. It was awesome and I love seeing fans here that I know from Arizona. It was just a great experience, super loud."
Up next
The 2026 season begins for Arizona State at the AVCA First Serve Weekend, playing Texas on August 22 in Milwaukee.
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