Wednesday, September 25
Fort Worth, Texas
8 PM
TCU
vs
Arizona State
Preview: No. 14 Arizona State and Arizona
9/24/2024 2:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
No. 22 TCU opens Big 12 play at home
FORT WORTH – Riding a seven-match winning streak into Big 12 Conference play, No. 22 TCU prepares for the first-ever top-25 matchup in Schollmaier Arena on Wednesday, Sept. 25 against No. 14 Arizona State at 8 p.m. CT and
TCU NOTABLES
• At 8-2 through their first 10 games, the Frogs are off to their best start to a season since 2015 (9-1). Further, TCU's six straight victories at home are the most since winning
• TCU is coming off back-to-back perfect 3-0 weekends at home after winning both the Fight in the Fort and the Horned Frog Invitational.
• Melanie Parra is the first player in Division I women's volleyball history to win back-to-back AVCA/GameChanger Player of the Week honors (Sept. 10 & 17).
• Parra leads the nation with 5.32 kills per set and 6.13 points per set.
• Additionally, the senior was tabbed Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year and landed on the inaugural watchlist for AVCA 2024 Division I Player of the Year.
• After cracking the poll for the first time ever two weeks ago, the Frogs moved up one spot to No. 22 in the AVCA/TARAFLEX Coaches' Poll this week.
• TCU was picked to finish fourth in the Big 12 Conference in the 2024 preseason poll, receiving one first place vote.
• The Horned Frogs are 6-0 at home to start the season for the first time since 2018 when they opened 9-0 in Fort Worth.
» Since 2000, only two players in TCU history have finished with 20 kills and 20 digs in the same match: Jalyn Gibson against No. 18 Minnesota (Sept. 7; 21 kills & 23 digs) and Melanie Parra at Kansas State (Sept. 22, 2023; 22 kills & 21 digs).
SERIES HISTORY
• The Horned Frogs and Sun Devils will meet for the first time in the history of the two programs.
• TCU and Arizona face off for just the second time ever. The Frogs won the lone previous meeting 3-1 in Tucson in 2012.
SCOUTING REPORT
After leading Arizona State to the Sweet 16 in his first season, JJ Van Niel (39-8) has the Sun Devils ranked No. 14 in year two after a strong 11-1 non-conference schedule. ASU opened the season 7-0 before dropping its lone match so far at No. 5 Nebraska in Lincoln. The Sun Devils were swept by the Huskers and have since won four in a row heading into conference play. Picked to finish third in the Big 12, just 12 points ahead of the Frogs, this year marks Arizona State's first season in the conference. As a team, ASU ranks fifth nationally in hitting percentage and 15th in kills per set. It is a balanced offensive attack for the Sun Devils, made up of senior outsides Geli Cyr (3.32 kills per set) and Shania Cromartie (2.74 kills per set). Middle blocker Claire Jeter also ranks second in the country with only two errors on 164 swings for a .530 clip. Defensively, libero Mary Schroll leads the Big 12 with 4.90 digs per set. Arizona State also boasts 2.0 aces per set, the top mark in the conference at the service line.
Undefeated through non-conference play, the Arizona Wildcats and second-year head coach Charita Stubbs (19-23) prepare for their first season in the Big 12 Conference. Picked to finish 11th, Arizona opens conference play at No. 19 Baylor before traveling to Fort Worth on Friday to take on the Frogs. Sitting at 11-0, the Wildcats are balanced on both sides of the ball, ranking seventh nationally in hitting percentage (.291) and opponent hitting percentage (.132). Fifth-year senior Jaelyn Hodge leads the offense with 3.74 kills per set, and freshman setter Avery Scoggins averages the eighth best mark in the country with 11.13 assists per set. Arizona averages 2.0 blocks per set and nearly 15.0 digs per set on defense.
HOME SWEET HOME
• TCU is 6-0 at home in Schollmaier Arena this season.
• It marks the longest home winning streak since 2018 (9, Aug. 24-Sept. 19).
• The Frogs are averaging 14.95 kills per set on a .322 clip on their home court, while holding opponents to a .151 mark thanks to 2.80 blocks per set at the net.
• Four of the six matches at home have been sweeps.
WELCOME TO THE 1K CLUB
• Thrust into the starting role as a freshman, Lily Nicholson took over at setter for the Frogs' final 13 matches last season.
• Leading the TCU offense in 2024 with a full offseason under her belt, the McKinney, Texas, native picked up the 1,000th assist of her career against Rice (Sept. 21) in the first set.
• Nicholson ranks 10th nationally with 11.00 assists per set and has TCU hitting at a .261 clip (37th).
ALL EYES ON PARRA
• Melanie Parra was named to the inaugural watch list for the AVCA's 2024 Division I Player of the Year Award, presented by Nike Volleyball, on Sept. 18.
• The list includes 36 players from 21 schools, featuring some of the top talent in the nation.
For all the latest TCU volleyball news, follow the Frogs on X at @TCUVolleyball, on Instagram at @tcuvolleyball and on Facebook at TCU Volleyball.
TCU NOTABLES
• At 8-2 through their first 10 games, the Frogs are off to their best start to a season since 2015 (9-1). Further, TCU's six straight victories at home are the most since winning
• TCU is coming off back-to-back perfect 3-0 weekends at home after winning both the Fight in the Fort and the Horned Frog Invitational.
• Melanie Parra is the first player in Division I women's volleyball history to win back-to-back AVCA/GameChanger Player of the Week honors (Sept. 10 & 17).
• Parra leads the nation with 5.32 kills per set and 6.13 points per set.
• Additionally, the senior was tabbed Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year and landed on the inaugural watchlist for AVCA 2024 Division I Player of the Year.
• After cracking the poll for the first time ever two weeks ago, the Frogs moved up one spot to No. 22 in the AVCA/TARAFLEX Coaches' Poll this week.
• TCU was picked to finish fourth in the Big 12 Conference in the 2024 preseason poll, receiving one first place vote.
• The Horned Frogs are 6-0 at home to start the season for the first time since 2018 when they opened 9-0 in Fort Worth.
» Since 2000, only two players in TCU history have finished with 20 kills and 20 digs in the same match: Jalyn Gibson against No. 18 Minnesota (Sept. 7; 21 kills & 23 digs) and Melanie Parra at Kansas State (Sept. 22, 2023; 22 kills & 21 digs).
SERIES HISTORY
• The Horned Frogs and Sun Devils will meet for the first time in the history of the two programs.
• TCU and Arizona face off for just the second time ever. The Frogs won the lone previous meeting 3-1 in Tucson in 2012.
SCOUTING REPORT
After leading Arizona State to the Sweet 16 in his first season, JJ Van Niel (39-8) has the Sun Devils ranked No. 14 in year two after a strong 11-1 non-conference schedule. ASU opened the season 7-0 before dropping its lone match so far at No. 5 Nebraska in Lincoln. The Sun Devils were swept by the Huskers and have since won four in a row heading into conference play. Picked to finish third in the Big 12, just 12 points ahead of the Frogs, this year marks Arizona State's first season in the conference. As a team, ASU ranks fifth nationally in hitting percentage and 15th in kills per set. It is a balanced offensive attack for the Sun Devils, made up of senior outsides Geli Cyr (3.32 kills per set) and Shania Cromartie (2.74 kills per set). Middle blocker Claire Jeter also ranks second in the country with only two errors on 164 swings for a .530 clip. Defensively, libero Mary Schroll leads the Big 12 with 4.90 digs per set. Arizona State also boasts 2.0 aces per set, the top mark in the conference at the service line.
Undefeated through non-conference play, the Arizona Wildcats and second-year head coach Charita Stubbs (19-23) prepare for their first season in the Big 12 Conference. Picked to finish 11th, Arizona opens conference play at No. 19 Baylor before traveling to Fort Worth on Friday to take on the Frogs. Sitting at 11-0, the Wildcats are balanced on both sides of the ball, ranking seventh nationally in hitting percentage (.291) and opponent hitting percentage (.132). Fifth-year senior Jaelyn Hodge leads the offense with 3.74 kills per set, and freshman setter Avery Scoggins averages the eighth best mark in the country with 11.13 assists per set. Arizona averages 2.0 blocks per set and nearly 15.0 digs per set on defense.
HOME SWEET HOME
• TCU is 6-0 at home in Schollmaier Arena this season.
• It marks the longest home winning streak since 2018 (9, Aug. 24-Sept. 19).
• The Frogs are averaging 14.95 kills per set on a .322 clip on their home court, while holding opponents to a .151 mark thanks to 2.80 blocks per set at the net.
• Four of the six matches at home have been sweeps.
WELCOME TO THE 1K CLUB
• Thrust into the starting role as a freshman, Lily Nicholson took over at setter for the Frogs' final 13 matches last season.
• Leading the TCU offense in 2024 with a full offseason under her belt, the McKinney, Texas, native picked up the 1,000th assist of her career against Rice (Sept. 21) in the first set.
• Nicholson ranks 10th nationally with 11.00 assists per set and has TCU hitting at a .261 clip (37th).
ALL EYES ON PARRA
• Melanie Parra was named to the inaugural watch list for the AVCA's 2024 Division I Player of the Year Award, presented by Nike Volleyball, on Sept. 18.
• The list includes 36 players from 21 schools, featuring some of the top talent in the nation.
For all the latest TCU volleyball news, follow the Frogs on X at @TCUVolleyball, on Instagram at @tcuvolleyball and on Facebook at TCU Volleyball.
Players Mentioned
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