TEMPE – Sun Devil Volleyball has announced the schedule for the 2023 season this fall, which will be the first season under new head coach JJ Van Niel as well as the 50th anniversary of the program.
“My staff and I are excited for our first season in Tempe and for this competitive schedule,” Van Niel said. “Starting the season with four weeks on the road will be a challenge that I know the team will be ready for. And when we come back home, I can’t wait to see our fans there cheering us on. On opposing teams, I have always loved playing in Tempe, and now I cannot wait to play here as a Sun Devil with this great squad. We can’t wait to get started!”
The Sun Devils look to improve on last season when the squad went 13-19 in 2022, finishing in ninth in the Pac-12 with a 7-13 conference mark. The schedule will be a good challenge for the team, with eight NCAA Tournament teams, including two Elite Eight teams. As of now, there are 12 games slated to be on the Pac-12 Network. The majority of the home games will be held in Desert Financial Arena, with the home opening weekend and potentially a few others to be held in Mullett Arena.
All four weekends of non-conference play will be on the road for Arizona State, playing three games in three days each of those weekends. The season will begin on August 25 at Florida Gulf Coast, where ASU will play a tournament from August 25-27. After facing the host team on August 25, the next two games will be against St. John’s and Ole Miss. The next weekend, September 1-3, will be games played in New Mexico, with the specific matchups yet to be determined.
From September 7-9, the Sun Devils will stay in state as they travel up north for a tournament at Northern Arizona. ASU will play NAU, Boise State and Stephen F. Austin at this tournament. Finally, the non-conference slate will wrap up with a tournament hosted by Memphis from September 14-16. Arizona State will face Memphis, Little Rock and Southern Miss that weekend.
After four-straight road weekends, the Sun Devils will finally come home to start Pac-12 play. ASU will host in-state rival Arizona on September 21 for the home opener before bringing Washington to town on September 24. These two home games will be part of the 50th anniversary celebration weekend and will be held in Mullett Arena. The rest of the home games will be in…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Arizona State University Athletics…