Homecoming For Sun Devils Begins With Webb-Burbridge Classic

(Photo: Sammy Nute/WCSN)

About a year ago, No. 14 Arizona State volleyball (9-1) couldn’t have predicted how the season opener would set the tone for 2023. On September 21st, 2023, ASU swept in-state rival Arizona in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,816 in attendance. It was the first time since 2015 that a Sun Devil volleyball home match drew over 4,000 attendees. Curiously enough, ASU went on to make the NCAA tournament in 2023 for the first time since that same year.

With the foundation laid by last season’s success, the Sun Devils are set to kick off their 2024 home schedule by hosting the Webb-Burbridge Classic after three weeks on the road. Established in 2022, the home tournament pays homage to two Sun Devil Athletics Hall of Fame inductees Tammy Webb-Leibl and Amanda Burbridge. From Thursday to Saturday, ASU will welcome Prairie View A&M (3-8), Memphis (5-4) and Montana State (1-7) to Desert Financial Arena.

The weekend home slate follows a 2-1 record across the three matches of the Nebraska classic. The Sun Devils swept both Wichita State and Long Beach State but found themselves on the receiving end of a sweep to No. 5 Nebraska. This was the first non-conference loss under head coach JJ Van Niel, who now has a record of 20-1 against non-conference opponents.

Standing out as key contributors for ASU is the graduate duo of libero Mary Shroll and middle blocker Claire Jeter. Shroll was recognized as Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Tuesday, becoming the first Sun Devil ever to receive a Big 12 award. The local Tempe native currently leads the Big 12 with 4.8 digs per set, a figure that ranks 25th in the nation.

Jeter is having her best season from an offensive efficiency standpoint with a career high 2.43 kills per set and 0.4 assists per set. Additionally, her .549 hitting percentage is not only a career high, but the top clip in the nation as well. After ASU lost 2023 All-American outside hitter Marta Levinska, Jeter has expressed how the loss gave her extra incentive to perform well on offense.

“Having to fill (Levinska’s) role means that everyone has to play their best,” Jeter said. “I’ve been really striving to be my best in the offensive realm.”

ASU’s first match of the tournament took place against Prairie View A&M on Thursday morning resulting in a three-set sweep for the Sun Devils. The program from the small town of Prairie View, Texas, traveled to Tempe after going 1-2 in the TCU tournament this past weekend. For the Panthers, this was the second time in two weeks they faced a top 25 opponent after losing in straight sets to No. 23 TCU.

The tournament’s second contest will be against Memphis on Friday night at 7 p.m. MST. The Tigers head to Desert Financial Arena after going 2-1 over the weekend in the Bluff City Showdown. The Sun Devils will aim for a repeat of last season’s match when ASU swept Memphis in the first ever match between these two programs.

The final match of the tournament will take place on Saturday at 12 p.m. MST against Montana State. The Bobcats didn’t see a single win last weekend at the South Dakota Classic and have been victorious in just one match so far.

The Sun Devils are viewed in higher regard heading into this season’s home opener than they were in 2023. That said, Claire Jeter insists there hasn’t been any change in the team’s aspirations.

“We had the same goals last year, I think that people just doubted us,” Jeter said. “I think people know that we’re coming in hot this year.”