The 2023 season brought ASU volleyball a regional appearance in head coach JJ Van Niel's first year. The 2024 season broke records and brought a Big 12 title to Tempe. The bar was set. The bar was raised.
Now, in Niel's third season, the Sun Devils have done it again. Despite losing seven key players, ASU went undefeated at home and dominated the Big 12.
The Sun Devils won back-to-back titles fueled by stars, spirit and a team that just won't quit.
Key Players
Following the 2024 season, ASU volleyball lost eight players and returned just two who played more than 30 games last season, mostly coming off the bench, in junior outside Jillian Neal and redshirt sophomore setter Brynn Covell.
Not new to the team was redshirt freshman outside Kiylah Presley. After redshirting her first season, she has burst onto the scene. She has played in every game but one this season, racking up 146 kills, earning her a spot on the Big 12 All-Rookie team.
Senior outside Bailey Miller continued her ascension from last season. Miller saw her playing time increase as the 2024 season progressed, and in 2025, she started in every game. Miller's production also increased dramatically; the senior was second on the team in both kills and digs, averaging 3.32 and 2.47, respectively, leading her to an All-Big 12 First Team nod.
"I've been working with the setters a lot," Miller said following her 19-kill performance against Cincinnati. "We've been working on hitting those deep corners and high hands."
Following Mary Shroll's departure to the Major League Volleyball's Las Vegas Thrill, ASU acquired Cincinnati libero Faith Frame. The sophomore was on the Big 12 All-Rookie Team in 2024, averaging 4.1 digs and double-digit digs in 21 of her 29 matches. This year, she made the All-Big 12 Second Team, averaging 3.13 digs.
Graduate middle Colby Neal became the second Sun Devil drafted in two years. The future Orlando Valkyrie transferred in from Oregon to join her sister Jillian. Colby earned two Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week awards on her way to a spot on the All-Big 12 First Team. She finished sixth in DI in blocks per set at 1.54 and led the team in hitting percentage at 0.411 with a minimum of two attempts.
Arguably, the biggest addition this season was junior opposite Noemie Glover. Glover transferred from Oregon alongside Colby and spent the summer at the Pan American Cup, helping the United States U21 team win gold.
She joined Frame on the 2025 Big 12 Preseason Team and has lived up to the hype. Glover earned three Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week awards, breaking ASU's rally-scoring record with 31 kills in a match along the way. Additionally, Glover was named the Big 12 Player of the Year and an AVCA National Player of the Year semifinalist. Her 4.21 kills per set and 104 total blocks highlighted her prowess on both sides of the net.
Key Games
Throughout a dominant Big 12 title run, any number of games could be pointed at to encapsulate the team's season performance. Each team was bringing their best against the Sun Devils, hoping to cause an upset.
"We're going to get everybody's best volleyball," Frame said. "(We're) focusing on us playing clean and playing to what we watched on film and what we know our jobs are."
What better way to introduce the new-look Sun Devils than game two against the defending national champions? While Penn State isn't the team it was last year, facing adversity on and off the court, a 3-1 win against a powerful nonconference opponent is always a statement. This game gave ASU fans their first look at Glover's upside, as she racked up 22 kills and 10 blocks against the Nittany Lions.
ASU would get a wake-up call the next day as one of the No. 1 tournament seeds and ACC co-champion Pitt swept the Sun Devils. Glover would still get 16 kills, but ASU hit a measly 0.051 on the night and were out-blocked and out-served by the Panthers.
Following a close call at Texas State and a resounding loss to another No. 1 seed, Texas, ASU found itself opening conference play in Lawrence, Kansas.
The Jayhawks, off the back of a grueling nonconference slate, were looking for a statement win at home. The Sun Devils found themselves down 0-1 following a 28-30 loss; then went down 1-2 after losing the third. With Glover's 25 kills, the Sun Devils managed to come back and win the 5-set thriller.
"A lot of our road matches we've been down and had to come back," Miller said. "That's where one of our strengths is; just being able to chip away, focus on the next point."
Continuing the hot start to October, the Sun Devils found themselves hosting then No. 16 Baylor. ASU won three close sets using a balanced offense and serving pressure to hold strong. Glover starred with 15 kills, but the two middles, Colby and junior middle Ella Lomigora, showed high efficiency in their hitting to secure the win. This win showed ASU's ability to spread the ball and perform in high-pressure situations.
There were so many games that could go into this last spot. However, Glover deserves (another) moment in the spotlight with her 31 kills against Colorado. She wasn't the only star, though, as senior setter Sydney Henry hit the 50-assist mark, and Colby and Miller also eclipsed double-digit kills. This win all but secured ASU's Big 12 title, which the Sun Devils clinched a week later in Houston.
Tournament
Another successful regular season for ASU. Big 12 title. Undefeated at home. Big 12 Player of the Year. This season, the Sun Devils are locked in on the tournament.
"Every single time we step on the court is a chance to get more prepared for the tournament," three-time consecutive coach of the year Van Niel said. "If we can get a little incrementally better, we can get a little more prepared for the tournament."
The Tempe quadrant kicks off Thursday, Dec. 4, with Utah State and Tennessee facing off at 4:30 p.m. before ASU takes on Coppin State. The winners will play on Friday, Dec. 5, at 6 p.m.
Edited by Jack McCarthy, Henry Smardo and Pippa Fung.
Reach the reporter at aldeutsc@asu.edu and follow @AlanDeutschend3 on X.
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Alan Deutschendorf is a sports editor in his fourth semester with State Press. He was previously a sports reporter, covering volleyball, softball and a variety of other sports. Alan also works as an Event Assistant in the Edson Events office and is on the Sun Devils Roundnet club team.
