TEMPE – No. 12 Sun Devil Volleyball begins the 2026 season this week, facing No. 2 Texas on Saturday at Jeep AVCA First Serve at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.
How to follow
The match will be televised live on FS1 at 4 p.m. MST/7 p.m. EDT. There will be live stats as well. Updates will be provided on social media on X (@SunDevilVB) and Instagram (@sundevilvolleyball).
Sun Devil outlook
No. 12 Arizona State (0-0)
- In 2025, back-to-back Big 12 Champion Arizona State made it to the NCAA Regional Semifinal for the second time in the last three seasons (fourth overall) after another stellar season atop the conference. Despite an entirely new starting lineup, ASU had a 28-4 overall record (second in team history for winning percentage) with a 17-1 mark in conference play in 2025. The full season recap can be read on the team website.
- In the 2026 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Poll, ASU was voted as the preseason No. 1 team by the coaches in the conference. Additionally, senior Noemie Glover was named the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year and Glover, graduate Aniya Clinton and junior Una Vajagić were on the preseason team.
- In 2025, Glover had a breakout year in her first season in Tempe. She collected the first conference player of the year award in Sun Devil history, being named the Big 12 Player of the Year. She was also named an AVCA First Team All-American and is the only member of the Big 12 represented on the first team. Additionally, Glover was one of three Sun Devils named to the AVCA Pacific All-Region Team. She was also named to the All-Big 12 First Team and earned Big 12 Offensive Player of the week three times, the most weekly awards of any Sun Devil that season.
- Glover is one of six Sun Devils in team history to be a returning All-American. She joins notable ASU alumni Lisa Stuck, Regina Stahl, Tammy Webb, Macey Gardner and Claire Jeter.
- Head coach JJ Van Niel is entering his fourth season with the Sun Devils. He has an 86-14 record as a head coach (all at ASU). Van Niel has been the conference coach of the year in each of his first three seasons. He is 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).
- From last year’s roster, Arizona State returns four starters that played in the majority of matches in 2025: Faith Frame, Noemie Glover, Ella Lomigora and Kiylah Presley. The team graduated two All-Americans and three additional starters. In total, ASU returned 10 from last year’s roster and gained 10 newcomers.
Opponent outlook
No. 2 Texas (0-0)
- The Longhorns went 26-4 last season, falling in the NCAA Regional Final to Wisconsin. They placed third in the SEC.
- ASU is 1-6 against Texas all-time. The two teams met last year in Austin, which the Longhorns won in straight sets.
Follow us
Sun Devil Volleyball updates can be found by following @SunDevilVB on X, @sundevilvolleyball on Instagram, Sun Devil Volleyball on Facebook and on sundevils.com.