From California high school standout to nationally recognized champion, junior opposite hitter Noemie Glover has quickly made an impact for ASU volleyball.
After two seasons at Oregon, Glover transferred to ASU and has become a key player for the team, showcasing impressive performances against top programs like Penn State and Pittsburgh.
For Glover, volleyball means more than just wins and performance, as her different experiences and levels of play have shaped her perspective on the sport.
"It teaches me to be grateful for a sport that brings so many people together," Glover said. "All the people on my team now at ASU, we've grown such a great bond, and we're able to have that similar goal of winning matches and making the most out of ourselves."
Head coach JJ Van Niel has known Glover since her club volleyball days and knew she was a player he wanted on his team. When Glover entered the transfer portal, Van Niel knew it was his chance.
"I knew she was someone (who) when she went in the portal, we would for sure want to go after," Van Niel said. "Very physical, good attacker, really good blocker. She's hit all of what we expected there, maybe even a little better in some respects."
One of ASU’s most notable games of the season was the upset over Penn State, where they took down the defending national champions.
READ MORE: ASU shocks volleyball world, defeats defending national champions
Glover played a key role in the win with career highs of 22 kills and 10 blocks, giving Van Niel a strong look at what the addition of Glover means for the team.
"I really like left-handed opposites, I think they create some tough matchups," Van Niel said. "She’s definitely a very competitive person; it shows every time she steps on the court, but she exceeded expectations that night.”
Glover’s presence and energy have become hard to miss. Both Van Niel and graduate middle blocker Colby Neal said her competitiveness and physicality add to the team environment.
Like her coach, Neal knew Glover long before she came to ASU. She played with her during her time at Oregon and has known her since she was in high school, when Glover played with her sister, ASU junior outside hitter Jillian Neal.
READ MORE: Change of scenery: How sisters find themselves on the same side of the net
"There's never a doubt that she's bought in, and she wants the team to succeed," Neal said. "She's always working super, super hard on the court, getting up in transition, blocking. She's so good at all the little technical things, and she's just a great communicator in that way."
Through this hard work, commitment, and communication, Glover's goal is to see the team achieve greatness. She said that greatness will come through trusting one another, relying on experience, and successfully working with the coaching staff.
"I love our team, I love our energy, and I love the environment that we have been creating so far," Glover said. "So just as much as we can, have that trust, have that confidence in each other, and we have proven that it works when we do that."
Looking back on Glover’s journey from high school to college to international play, it's easy to see why she was such a sought-after transfer and how her experience has made her a great addition to the team.
"It's definitely a lot easier to know that there's someone who is very terminal and can score from wherever," Neal said. "It empowers a lot of people to go bigger and take bigger risks because they know that she's there and that she's just so good."
Edited by Jack McCarthy, Henry Smardo and Ellis Preston.
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Melina Suarez is a reporter at the sports department, telling the stories of ASU sports and related topics at The State Press. She is in her 1st semester with the State Press.
