ASU Volleyball: 2018 Season Recap for the Sun Devils
By Adam Noel
What to Expect
Although ASU will lose an offensive force in Ford, a defensive-minded star in Carmen Unzue and dangerous attacker in Peyton Grahovac, the Sun Devils are young and are looking to improve even more next year.
ASU has recruited six new girls in the 2019 class, and four of them are liberos. The girls who have signed so far are Madison Berkholz, Kennedi Boyd, Emily Holbrook, Iman Isanovic, Annika Larson, and Hattie Patton.
Berkholz is a libero from Dripping Springs, Texas. She was a two-year starter at Dripping Springs High School, helping the school to a 98-2 record in the last 100 matches. She was named 2018 District Defensive Player of the Year and the 2018 Under Armour All-American Watch List. Madison will come into ASU with a defensive mindset that will help this high-powered defensive team and boost the passing proficiency.
Boyd is a middle blocker from Alpine, Utah. She was an Under Armour All-American Honorable Mention. She was named first team all-state twice and helped lead Lone Peak High to a third-straight Utah 6A State Championship. She will be a physical middle blocker who will work smoothly with Megan Beedie and ASU’s setters.
Holbrook is another libero who is from Plainfield, Illinois. She led her team to a third-place finish in the 2018 state tournament and was named to the all-conference team in both 2017 and 2018. She will be another Nicole Peterson, as she will be ASU’s tallest libero who is capable of playing outside hitter.
Tomasevic will bring in Iman Isanosevic, an outside hitter from Bosnia and Herzegovina. She led her team to a third place finish in U17 of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2015-16 and a fourth place finish on the U18 team of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2016-17. Isanosevic will be a huge pickup as she will be helping fill in Ford’s hole with all the experience she has had.
Larson is the third libero who is from Windsor, Colorado. She has the most achievements as she played on a prestigious high school team and was a multi-sport athlete.
Some key achievements include being the leader in career digs in Colorado with 1,946, she qualifying for the USAV Girls Junior National Championships and taking first at the North West Qualifier. She will help boost the defense and offense tremendously and possibly get lots of playing time early.
Next. ASU Volleyball: Sun Devils swept by second-ranked Stanford. dark
Last but not least is Patton, the fourth libero added to the 2019 squad. She is from Gilbert, Arizona, and played for the prestigious Spiral Volleyball Club. She will help ASU improve on their service errors.