(Photo: Zac Pacleb/WCSN)
The Arizona State Sun Devils just inked their fourth straight NCAA tournament bid this Sunday and will square off against the Florida State Seminoles on Thursday. It is just the third time ASU has appeared in four consecutive tournaments in program history and the first time since 1992-1995.
Not only has this season been a historic run for the Sun Devils, but this tournament brings with it some intrigue. At the beginning of the season, the Sun Devils were starting one freshman in the rotation.
Now, as we await the starting lineup for the Sun Devils this Thursday, it will more than likely include three freshmen: setter Kylie Pickrell, outside hitter Lexi MacLean, and middle blocker Jasmine Koonts.
While the veterans on the Sun Devils were well aware and used to the selection process, having to wait through a commercial break as ASU did can be unnerving for freshmen.
“I was very nervous, I was shaking,” Koonts said. “But once it said Arizona State, I jumped up.”
One question that might be brought up about these players is whether or not they are ready to step up to the challenge of the national tournament. Experience cannot be stressed enough when the highest stage comes into discussion.
For Pickrell, the experience is there. She has played a majority of the season, 100 sets, and has grown as a player on the court. This season, Pickrell has 458 assists and is averaging 4.58 assists per set. Nothing beats on the court experience and Pickrell has gotten plenty of that.
Next up is MacLean, for whom the season has gone a bit hectically as she was forced to burn her planned redshirt season in the wake of injuries. MacLean had her ups and downs on the season but saw herself grow as a player when it mattered the most, at the end of the season. Over her last six matches, MacLean averaged 6.5 kills per match.
Finally, Koonts, who has seen the least amount of time, will be needed heavily to play solid defense at the net as she has done since stepping into the rotation. Over her last five contests, she averaged 4.8 blocks per match and that will be needed to shut down the other team’s offense.
Being freshmen though, there is still going to be a bit of pre-match jitters because they will be playing on the nations highest stage.
“I’m excited,” Pickrell said. “I think we have been given a chance to prove who we were at the beginning of the season. We have the same mentality and we are working hard every practice.”
For a coach starting, three freshmen can be a bit nerve-racking. ASU head coach Jason Watson only sees it as a huge opportunity for this year’s group.
“I think we are choosing to look at it as a wonderful opportunity,” Watson said. “We always knew that these five seniors were going to graduate and someone would have to step up.”
The older players on the team had to take on a vital role in developing these players.
Watson has made it clear since the freshmen began to see regular playing time that it is up to the juniors and seniors to teach the younger players lessons. They look up to the older group, and they learn from the upperclassmen’s work ethic and tips.
For Koonts, there was an obvious answer as to who helped her out the most.
“(Senior) Whitney (Follette),” Koonts said. “She is helping a lot. The inspiring words. So is (senior setter) Bianca (Arellano). Honestly all of the seniors, and I’m just glad they are.”
It is this team environment that is apparent within ASU that has proven to be of utmost importance. Everyone seems to have the same goals and everyone is working as hard as they can.
A team that was struggling, now has a chance to turn things around. For everyone on this team, it has become a new mentality to prove to everyone that it is still a team that can produce and function at a high level.
“I feel like now we have more motivation,” MacLean said. “There were a lot of people that doubted us (and) did not think we would get into the tournament. Now it is like we are the underdog here, so let’s go prove ourselves.”
It will take a mentality like that to push a team above and beyond what they are expected to do and potentially advance to the second weekend of the tournament for the first time under Watson.
All three freshmen have played an important role on this team and will look to do so in the tournament as well. For each one of them this is a chance to start new again this season.
“Everyone’s record is zero-zero,” Pickrell said. “We have been given a chance to prove what we are capable of. I’m excited to get out there and show them what we have got.”
If you have any questions or comments you can contact Jacob Franklin via twitter @Jacob_Franklin4 or via email at jacobfranklin093@gmail.com.
