Tempe, Ariz. – The Arizona State Beach Volleyball team will officially open its 2017 season traveling down south to compete in the Arizona Invitational March 3-4.
The Sun Devils will partake in three matches over the course of the two-day event, first taking on No. 5 Hawai'i (12 p.m./MT) and then facing Jacksonville (4 p.m./MT) on Friday March 3. They will then return to action on Saturday March. 4, against rival No. 6 Arizona at 11:00 a.m. MT with a Territorial Cup point at stake. The matchup will be broadcast live via Pac-12 Networks and Pac-12 Digital with former Olympian Holly McPeak and Daron Sutton on the call.
Scouting the Opposition…
No. 5 Hawai'i (Mar. 3/12 p.m. MT)…
Hot off a 2016 campaign that saw the program capture the Big West Tournament and finish fourth in the inaugural NCAA Championships, Hawai'i returns 13 letter-winners.
Emily Maglio, the 2016 Big West Freshman of the Year and an AVCA All-American and two-time All-American Nikki Taylor highlight the team's returners.
Jacksonville (Mar. 3/4 p.m. MT)…
Under the direction of first-year head coach Ryan Sullivan, Jacksonville is coming off a 2016 season that saw the Dolphins post an 8-16 record. Pre-season All-Conference honoree Cristina Finan highlights the veteran Jacksonville roster, which features eight returners.
No. 6 Arizona…
Posting a 20-7 won/loss record in 2016, the Wildcats notched their best season in program history. Spearheaded by the then junior duo of Madison and McKenna Witt who accumulated a record of 26-4, the Wildcats tied for fifth at the NCAA Beach Volleyball Championships.
Led by Chris Walker, who is in his third at the helm, the Wildcats return eight letter-winners in 2017.
Projected Sun Devil Pairings…
Whitney Follette/Bianca Arellano
Cassidy Pickrell/Katelyn Carballo
Frances Giedraitis/Katie Cross
Oluoma Okaro/Madison Berridge
Kwyn Johnson/Mia Rivera
Natalie Braun/Jourdan Parnell
2017 SCHEDULE…
On March 11-12, the Sun Devils will return home to host the program's annual Sun Devil Challenge at the PERA Club. Arizona State will play host to New Mexico, Texas A&M Kingsville, and Arizona.
The Sun Devils will then travel to California to face CSU Bakersfield and Pepperdine on March 17 and 18, respectively.
Keenan's squad home will return to the valley on March 23 for a midday (11 a.m. MST) tilt with Nebraska before flying to Fort Worth, Texas for the TCU Tournament on March 25-26.
The Sun Devils will stay on the road for a three week stretch starting March 31-April 1 at the Florida International 5th Annual Surf & Turf Invitational in Miami, Fla. Next they will have a two-week stint in Southern California, facing Pac-12 foe USC on April 7, playing in the USAV Challenge on April 8, and then playing in a double-header against Concordia and CSUN in Northridge, Calif. on April 14.
ASU will then wrap-up it's home slate hosting three matches at the PERA Club against New Mexico and the California Bears on April 21, and the Stanford Cardinal on April 22.
The team will conclude the 2017 season at the Pac-12 Championships, hosted by Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., set for Thursday, April 27. The NCAA Beach Volleyball Championships follow on May 5-7 in Gulf Shores, Ala.
2017 ASU Beach Volleyball Home Schedule…
Date Time Opponent
Saturday 2/25 3:00 PM Maroon and Gold
Sun Devil Challenge 3/11-3/12
Saturday 3/11 5:00 PM New Mexico vs. Texas A&M Kingsville
Saturday 3/11 7:00 PM ASU vs. Arizona
Sunday 3/12
9:00 AM
Arizona vs. Texas A&M Kingsville
Sunday 3/12 11:00 AM ASU vs. New Mexico
Sunday 3/12 2:00 PM Arizona vs. New Mexico
Saturday 3/12 4:00 PM ASU vs. Texas A&M Kingsville
Thursday 3/23
3:00 PM
ASU vs. Nebraska
Friday 4/21 11:00 AM ASU vs. New Mexico
Friday 4/21 1:00 PM New Mexico vs. Cal
Friday 4/21 3:00 PM ASU vs. Cal
Saturday 4/22 3:00 PM ASU vs. Stanford
2017 RETURNERS...
The Sun Devils return ten letter-winners in 2017, including the No. 1s duo of Bianca Arellano and Whitney Follettewho were named to the inaugural All-Pac-12 First Team at the culmination of the 2016 season.
Name Record Career
Bianca Arellano 15-9 33-25
Madison Berridge 9-15 9-15
Natalie Braun 1-9 1-9
Whitney Follette 15-9 35-23
Frances Giedraitis 11-9 19-22
Kwyn Johnson 9-15 10-18
Sydney Palmer 8-13 15-24
Jourdan Parnell 13-11 13-11
Mia Rivera 10-14 10-18
Bethany Wedepohl 13-9 13-9
NEWCOMERS...
The Sun Devils roster features a plethora of new faces in 2017. Newcomers include freshman Ellyson Lundberg(Larksupr, Calif.), freshman Katelyn Carballo (Laguna Beach, Calif.), freshman Kara Woodard (Phoenix, Ariz.), freshman Sage Patchell (Laguna Beach, Calif.), University of South Carolina transfer Katie Cross (Flagstaff, Ariz.), and indoor competitor Oluoma Okaro (Lakewood, Calif.).
The Sun Devils will partake in three matches over the course of the two-day event, first taking on No. 5 Hawai'i (12 p.m./MT) and then facing Jacksonville (4 p.m./MT) on Friday March 3. They will then return to action on Saturday March. 4, against rival No. 6 Arizona at 11:00 a.m. MT with a Territorial Cup point at stake. The matchup will be broadcast live via Pac-12 Networks and Pac-12 Digital with former Olympian Holly McPeak and Daron Sutton on the call.
Scouting the Opposition…
No. 5 Hawai'i (Mar. 3/12 p.m. MT)…
Hot off a 2016 campaign that saw the program capture the Big West Tournament and finish fourth in the inaugural NCAA Championships, Hawai'i returns 13 letter-winners.
Emily Maglio, the 2016 Big West Freshman of the Year and an AVCA All-American and two-time All-American Nikki Taylor highlight the team's returners.
Jacksonville (Mar. 3/4 p.m. MT)…
Under the direction of first-year head coach Ryan Sullivan, Jacksonville is coming off a 2016 season that saw the Dolphins post an 8-16 record. Pre-season All-Conference honoree Cristina Finan highlights the veteran Jacksonville roster, which features eight returners.
No. 6 Arizona…
Posting a 20-7 won/loss record in 2016, the Wildcats notched their best season in program history. Spearheaded by the then junior duo of Madison and McKenna Witt who accumulated a record of 26-4, the Wildcats tied for fifth at the NCAA Beach Volleyball Championships.
Led by Chris Walker, who is in his third at the helm, the Wildcats return eight letter-winners in 2017.
Projected Sun Devil Pairings…
Whitney Follette/Bianca Arellano
Cassidy Pickrell/Katelyn Carballo
Frances Giedraitis/Katie Cross
Oluoma Okaro/Madison Berridge
Kwyn Johnson/Mia Rivera
Natalie Braun/Jourdan Parnell
2017 SCHEDULE…
On March 11-12, the Sun Devils will return home to host the program's annual Sun Devil Challenge at the PERA Club. Arizona State will play host to New Mexico, Texas A&M Kingsville, and Arizona.
The Sun Devils will then travel to California to face CSU Bakersfield and Pepperdine on March 17 and 18, respectively.
Keenan's squad home will return to the valley on March 23 for a midday (11 a.m. MST) tilt with Nebraska before flying to Fort Worth, Texas for the TCU Tournament on March 25-26.
The Sun Devils will stay on the road for a three week stretch starting March 31-April 1 at the Florida International 5th Annual Surf & Turf Invitational in Miami, Fla. Next they will have a two-week stint in Southern California, facing Pac-12 foe USC on April 7, playing in the USAV Challenge on April 8, and then playing in a double-header against Concordia and CSUN in Northridge, Calif. on April 14.
ASU will then wrap-up it's home slate hosting three matches at the PERA Club against New Mexico and the California Bears on April 21, and the Stanford Cardinal on April 22.
The team will conclude the 2017 season at the Pac-12 Championships, hosted by Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., set for Thursday, April 27. The NCAA Beach Volleyball Championships follow on May 5-7 in Gulf Shores, Ala.
2017 ASU Beach Volleyball Home Schedule…
Date Time Opponent
Saturday 2/25 3:00 PM Maroon and Gold
Sun Devil Challenge 3/11-3/12
Saturday 3/11 5:00 PM New Mexico vs. Texas A&M Kingsville
Saturday 3/11 7:00 PM ASU vs. Arizona
Sunday 3/12
9:00 AM
Arizona vs. Texas A&M Kingsville
Sunday 3/12 11:00 AM ASU vs. New Mexico
Sunday 3/12 2:00 PM Arizona vs. New Mexico
Saturday 3/12 4:00 PM ASU vs. Texas A&M Kingsville
Thursday 3/23
3:00 PM
ASU vs. Nebraska
Friday 4/21 11:00 AM ASU vs. New Mexico
Friday 4/21 1:00 PM New Mexico vs. Cal
Friday 4/21 3:00 PM ASU vs. Cal
Saturday 4/22 3:00 PM ASU vs. Stanford
2017 RETURNERS...
The Sun Devils return ten letter-winners in 2017, including the No. 1s duo of Bianca Arellano and Whitney Follettewho were named to the inaugural All-Pac-12 First Team at the culmination of the 2016 season.
Name Record Career
Bianca Arellano 15-9 33-25
Madison Berridge 9-15 9-15
Natalie Braun 1-9 1-9
Whitney Follette 15-9 35-23
Frances Giedraitis 11-9 19-22
Kwyn Johnson 9-15 10-18
Sydney Palmer 8-13 15-24
Jourdan Parnell 13-11 13-11
Mia Rivera 10-14 10-18
Bethany Wedepohl 13-9 13-9
NEWCOMERS...
The Sun Devils roster features a plethora of new faces in 2017. Newcomers include freshman Ellyson Lundberg(Larksupr, Calif.), freshman Katelyn Carballo (Laguna Beach, Calif.), freshman Kara Woodard (Phoenix, Ariz.), freshman Sage Patchell (Laguna Beach, Calif.), University of South Carolina transfer Katie Cross (Flagstaff, Ariz.), and indoor competitor Oluoma Okaro (Lakewood, Calif.).