After a four-year stint at Kansas State that featured her making the All-Big 12 Rookie Team and Second Team All-Big 12, graduate outside hitter Aniya Clinton has been just as impactful in her first year as a Sun Devil.
After four years in Manhattan, Clinton was looking to flip a new page in her book, and that was when head coach JJ Van Niel got in contact.
"(I) just wanted to be somewhere where there were connections, where the practice gym every day was super intense," Clinton said. "When I was on the phone with coaches throughout my process, (Van Niel) was straightforward and blunt about everything that was going on in the program."
Clinton has certainly found her place in the maroon and gold. The Midland, Texas, native is third on the team in kills (100) and points (109.5).
"I've let go of so much control over little things that don't really matter and just started to play my game, because I feel like there's an obvious reason that I was brought here," Clinton said.
Clinton helped the Wildcats to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last winter by finishing second on the team in kills (351) and third in digs (235).
"Her physicality, her ability to block. We thought she could run the tempo that we like running," Van Niel said. "Took some time, and now she's really found her groove."
Now that she has established her footing, her scoring has been crucial for a Sun Devils team that is looking to win their third straight Big 12 title.
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"Seeing our other outside being active and getting those kills is amazing," senior setter Isabella Costantini said. "It takes a little bit of pressure out of the other hitters. It's great, and great for me as a setter too, and trusting and knowing she's going to put the ball away."
Clinton has blossomed into form over the last few weeks, with four of her last five contests containing double-digit kills. In her first six matches, she tallied just one such game.
"A lot of it was getting comfortable in our system," Van Niel said. "She's done a really nice job; she's played great the last few weeks, so I'm excited."
While the on-court product has lived up to the billing, Clinton didn't just want a place she could play volleyball.
"One of my big pieces in the portal was city, being able to go somewhere that wasn't two hours away," Clinton said. "Kansas City was the biggest we had, and it was kind of far. Being able to live a life outside of college, and volleyball too, was a big piece for me. When I coupled all those things together, Arizona State sounded like the perfect place for me."
Her experience in big games and playing in a Power Four conference were enticing traits for Van Niel, who wanted to add some scoring depth behind two great offensive weapons in junior outside hitter Una Vajagić and senior opposite Noemie Glover.
"The fact that she's been in the Big 12 is, of course, nice," Van Niel said. "She knows the cadence, she knows the teams. We got to play against her, so we knew her. We felt like (she's a) really good blocker, really good athlete, and she's doing great."
With the addition of Clinton, the Sun Devils hope they have added another crucial scoring piece that can show up when the margins shrink in big matchups.
"Everything that I have worked for throughout my whole tenure of playing volleyball is coming to fruition now," Clinton said. "Now's the time that I have to go, and I'm on a bigger stage than I was at K-State."
For Clinton, ASU has been a breath of fresh air, and she has been looking at volleyball through a new lens since landing in the desert.
"The pressure's off a little bit more, which has also allowed me to play more freely and be who I know I can every day," Clinton said. "I'm just really grateful to be in this position."
Edited by Alex Swift, Carsten Oyer and Alan Deutschendorf III.
Reach the reporter at mseal6@asu.edu and follow @masonseal23 on X.
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Mason Seal is a sports reporter at The State Press. This is his fifth semester working with The State Press and is in his junior year.
