The Sun Devils have seen success at home with a 9-0 record so far. With the program's recent growth under head coach JJ Van Niel, the team has seen major spikes in fan attendance and how it reflects positively onto the team’s achievements while in Tempe.
There have been record-setting crowds this season from games as early as the match-up against Memphis, the fifth-largest crowd in program history, to the recent rival game against Arizona, the fourth-largest crowd in program history at Desert Financial Arena.
With the amount of work that players and staff have put into turning this program around, milestones like these mean the world to the team.
"It's huge, I can't even put it into words," senior outside hitter Geli Cyr said. "They don't know what it was like two or three years ago, it was a lot different. So I'm so proud of not only myself but the freshman and every single class who has been able to make this culture happen."
Being able to feel the energy from a rowdy crowd has helped these girls in big match-ups where their backs were against the wall. Other ASU athletic programs have come together in unison to encourage their fellow Sun Devil athletes including the swim team and women's tennis team.
Cyr said that she gets teary-eyed looking around and seeing fans root for them and create an environment she feels lucky to play in. She and her teammates want to give back by winning and giving them moments to cheer for.
And when they do cheer, they do so loudly. It's to the point where the team has made up the name "fan points" for moments when fans yell loud enough that the other team has a serve error, which benefits the Sun Devils.
Assistant coach Presile Anderson said how a thrilling arena like theirs lightens up the team and keeps them moving forward during games.
"Our environment allows our girls to also be silly and be free," Anderson said. "Not really think too much because there's so much energy in the gym that you can't stay focused on one point for too long."
Being in the opponent's home stadium isn't as inviting as Mullet or DFA, but that doesn't stop the Sun Devils from being their support system.
Freshman libero Piper Rama and fellow underclassmen on the bench have been major cheerleaders for heavy-minute players. They’ve come up with ways to liven up the team while away with cheers such as the worm, breakdancing, gymnastics moves, and digs and dives on the floor.
Some of their more creative ones are a chant they do for major kills and blocks that goes, "What'd she say? She said no!" and faking having a dog on a leash that barks at opponents in hopes of distracting them during serves.
The love from the bench players has meant a lot to starters who call them "game changers," because their involvement can adjust the game flow.
"Since we're not on the court we like to contribute as much as we can off the court," Rama said. "We're very passionate about our team, we love our team. I feel like it's so easy to be happy for each other."
She and other freshman can't wait for their chance to embrace to energy from the crowd when they step within the court lines.
With the team's newly competitive nature going to the Sweet 16 last year, and currently ranked No. 13 in the country, the program has likely become more attractive to recruits. Anderson described Arizona as a "volleyball state" and the crowd only makes staying in their home state more appealing for Arizona prospects.
Anderson also talked about how the transition to the Big 12 has brought bigger crowds for games because of the new and exciting competition. The new conference brings new fans of opposing teams to the stadium as well.
It's also special for this program because they represent women in sports. To watch the evolution they’ve had brings them joy as a win for women athletes.
"I think for women in general it's empowering to see all of these people just really want to be here and watch us perform," Cyr said.
To Cyr, what's important is that seats remain full not just for this season, but for the many more to come.
"I will be very proud of this season and what I’ve done if I can come back in five years and it’s the same," Cyr said. "If I can come back and not only is it the same but there's more fans, more people here, and it's a louder arena, that’s when I'm the most proud."
Edited by Henry Smardo, Sophia Ramirez and Madeline Schmitke.
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