Sun Devil Athletics by the numbers: A look back at the 2023–24 season

With the 2024–25 season — and Arizona State University's entrance to the Big 12 — right around the corner, here's a quick look back at Sun Devils' top moments during the 2023–24 season.

In addition to men's swimming winning the NCAA title, Sun Devil Athletics earned Pac-12 championships in men's swimming, wrestling and men's golf, while triathlon won its seventh national title. Volleyball and beach volleyball both had their best seasons, led by a pair of first-year head coaches who both earned Pac-12 Coach of the Year. Women's soccer continued its solid and consistent work with its third NCAA appearance in four seasons.

Individually, Richard Figueroa claimed a NCAA wrestling crown, while three other Sun Devil swimmers won individual crowns, as did three relay teams. No Sun Devil has won more NCAA individual titles than Léon Marchand, who won three in 2024.

1

The Sun Devil men's swimming team won its first NCAA title after winning its second straight Pac-12 title. ASU became the first school not named Cal or Texas to win an NCAA title since Michigan in 2013. ASU won seven events, as nine school records fell throughout the four-day competition in Indiana, along with three NCAA records. Additionally, 14 Sun Devils received All-American honors throughout their time at the meet.

HISTORY MADE IN INDY ‼️‼️‼️‼️

Congratulations to the Sun Devil men on their first NCAA championship title in program history! 💛#ForksUp /// #NCAASwimDive pic.twitter.com/896aQHLQCc

— Sun Devil Swim/Dive (@ASUSwimDive) March 31, 2024

2

The first two All-Americans in Sand Devil history were Daniella Kensinger and Ava Williamson. They both were AVCA Second Team All-Americans as the finished with its highest ranking.

We finish the season ranked No. 12 🔱

For the first time in team history, we were ranked for the entire season! 👏#SandDevils /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/3nB4q3jVQk

— Sun Devil Beach VB (@SunDevilBeachVB) May 7, 2024

3

Three female athletes were named the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Lindsay Looney of women’s swimming, Gigi Gaspar of lacrosse and Marianna Argyrokastriti of women’s tennis.

3

In the final ITA regular-season polls, men's tennis boasted the highest-ranked singles player, freshman and doubles pair in the Pac-12. 

3:01.79

Sun Devil Track and Field closed the Pac-12 Championships with a title in the men's 4x400 relay via Jayden Davis-Kaleb Simpson-Nicholas Ramey-Gamali Felix at 3:01.79, rounding out six podium finishes across three days of action at Potts Field in Boulder, Colorado. The winning time, now the ninth-fastest in team history, also clinched the second 4x400 title in as many seasons.

Bringing a conference title back to Tempe 🏆 pic.twitter.com/qZ0x4KyOxC

— Sun Devil Track and Field/XC (@SunDevilTFXC) May 12, 2024

3:02.35

Justin Robinson-Kaleb Simpson-Jayden Davis-Gamali Felix of Sun Devil Men's Track delivered a 3:02.35 performance to win the 4x400 relay at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in March. They set a new school record and facility record while also owning the fastest indoor time in college this season. They brought the school its first Indoor relay title, outlasting Florida (3:02.53) and Texas A&M (3:03.35) at the Track at New Balance in Boston.

SUN DEVILS WIN THE 4x400!!

💻 ESPN+#NCAATF x @SunDevilTFXC pic.twitter.com/WaAhZkvQsV

— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) March 9, 2024

4

ASU had four Pac-12 Coaches of the Year in 2023–24, its most since it had six in 2007–08. Matt Thurmond (men's golf), JJ Van Niel (volleyball), Kristen Rohr (beach volleyball) and Bob Bowman (men's swimming) all took home the honor.

Volleyball school 😤

Congratulations to @KristenBatt for being named Pac-12 Coach of the Year for @SunDevilBeachVB ! It is the first time in Pac-12 history that the same school has had both the indoor and beach volleyball coach of the year! #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/I9CNV4MJrP

— Sun Devil Volleyball (@SunDevilVB) May 1, 2024

4

Four Sun Devil Wrestlers earned All-American status at the 2024 NCAA Championships: Richard Figueroa (125/first), Kyle Parco (149/fifth), Jacori Teemer (157/second) and Cohlton Schultz (HWT/sixth). It's the fourth consecutive season the Sun Devils have had at least four All-Americans.

5

Five skaters signed professional contracts at the conclusion of the hockey season. Each professional signee also earned his undergraduate degree from ASU in May 2024: Matthew Kopperud, Brian Chambers, Tyler Gratton, Brandon Tabakin and Alex Young. 

6

After placing sixth at the NCAA Championships in March, head coach Zeke Jones has now led Sun Devil Wrestling to four consecutive top-seven finishes.

Made for March. pic.twitter.com/6Rta0rR3gD

— Sun Devil Wrestling (@ASUWrestling) March 26, 2024

7

The triathlon team and head coach Cliff English won their seventh straight national title in fall of 2023.

8

Men’s swimming standout Léon Marchand finished his career with eight individual NCAA titles, most by any Sun Devil.

9

On July 5, 2023, Sun Devil Hockey became the ninth team to become a member of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. The NCHC is the premier hockey conference in college hockey with six of the last eight national champions. 

9

Soccer's Pauline Nellis set the ASU record by recording nine shutouts in goal during the 2023 season. The previous record of 8 was set by Erin Reinke during the 2000 season.

9.9375

Anaya Smith from Sun Devil Gymnastics placed second in the nation on vault at the 2024 NCAA Championships, scoring a 9.9375. She earned First Team All-America honors for her efforts, ASU's first on vault since 2010.

STUCK ON THE BIGGEST STAGE‼️‼️ 9️⃣.9️⃣3️⃣7️⃣5️⃣, the best score of the day so far for @anayasmith_!!!

📲: ESPN2#NCAAGym /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/SelFM3CHsZ

— Sun Devil Gymnastics (@SunDevilGym) April 18, 2024

10

Soccer reached 10 wins for the third time in the past six seasons. That had happened only three times in the previous 14 seasons before the current streak.

11

Beach Volleyball had 11 wins over ranked opponents in 2024, including two top-10 wins over No. 2 Stanford and No. 7 Cal. Prior to this year, the Sand Devils had 13 total ranked wins over their history.

12

Twelve Sun Devils won individual Pac-12 crowns across four sports along with six relay teams.

13

Men's golf won its 13th Pac-12 title in April, most by anyone since league expansion in 1978-79.

16

The gymnastics squad finished the season ranked No. 16 on Road to Nationals, which was the second consecutive year in the top 20 and seventh straight season ending in the top 25. The Gym Devils earned a spot in the postseason for the sixth straight season under two-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year Jay Santos. Two Gym Devils qualified as individuals to the NCAA Championships in Jada Mangahas (bars) and Anaya Smith (vault). Smith scored a 9.9375 on the biggest stage to be the national runner-up and earn First Team All-America status, the first All-American on vault since 2010.

Another season in the books 📚

The season recap is here! Read about all of the milestones reached, records broken and history made 😈#GymDevils /// #ForksUp

— Sun Devil Gymnastics (@SunDevilGym) May 8, 2024

17

Hockey's Matthew Kopperud finished the season as the statistical champion in the power-play goal category with 17. His finished his Sun Devil career with 41 career power plays, which ties for fourth in the NCAA's all-time power-play scoring record books. 

17

The 17 triples softball recorded are the most by the team this century and tied for ninth-most in program history.

18

Tanya Windle was named to the NFCA All-West Region Third Team to extend the streak to 18 consecutive seasons with an all-region selection for Sun Devil softball.

18

The 18 wins by men's tennis was the most for the program since the team's reinstatement. 

19

After 19 draw controls in lacrosse's Pac-12 semifinals game against No. 1 Stanford, senior defender Zoe Mazur set the ASU and Pac-12 single-game draw control record. Mazur was one of four players in the NCAA with 19-plus draw controls in a single game this season. 

19

Sun Devil Track and Field had 19 qualify for the NCAA West Regionals with national championship hopes on the line. 

21

Beach volleyball earned 21 wins under first-year ASU head coach and 2024 Pac-12 Coach of the Year Kristen Rohr, which is tied for the highest win total in team history.

Team 💛#NCAABeachVB /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/kUfXlfwoWj

— Sun Devil Beach VB (@SunDevilBeachVB) May 2, 2024

24

Wrestling won its 24th conference title with its Pac-12 title in March under the leadership of Zeke Jones. It's also the fourth title in the past five years and the sixth total under Jones.

24

Sun Devil Hockey earned a program-record 24 wins under head coach and ASU alum Greg Powers.

28

Volleyball’s JJ Van Niel earned Pac-12 Coach of the Year in his first season as ASU posted 28 wins and made the Sweet 16.

34

The Gym Devils had 34 total event titles this season, with the most coming from vault (13). Individually, Emily White and Anaya Smith had the most with seven. Others with titles are Sarah Clark (5), Hannah Scharf (5), Jada Mangahas (4), Halle Gregoire (2), Alex Theodorou (2), Kayla Lee (1) and Gracie Reeves (1).

A THIRD 9️⃣.9️⃣5️⃣0️⃣ FOR EMILY WHITE TODAY‼️‼️

🖥️: ASU Live Stream#GymDevils /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/PMO0GefAkL

— Sun Devil Gymnastics (@SunDevilGym) March 16, 2024

44

Volleyball's First Team All-American Marta Levinska led the team in many statistical categories in 2023, including in aces — where she had 44. This was the first season sine 2002 that a Sun Devil has had 40-plus aces. Her best service outing was in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against Brigham Young University, when she had five aces to help the squad to a sweep.

All-American Latvian 🫡#ForksUp pic.twitter.com/v9nokfYcVd

— Sun Devil Volleyball (@SunDevilVB) December 15, 2023

48

Lacrosse's leading goal scorer, sophomore Lydia Oldknow, tallied 48 goals on the season and was the only Sun Devil to record a goal in each of the team's 19 games this season.

61

Two from beach volleyball reached 61 career individual wins: Taryn Ames and Lexi Sweeney. That number is tied for the third-most in team history.

⭐️ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM⭐️

Congrats to @taryn10ames and Lexi Sweeney for representing the Sand Devils on the Pac-12 All-Tournament Team! 👏#Pac12BVB /// #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/DY6efkQwwW

— Sun Devil Beach VB (@SunDevilBeachVB) April 27, 2024

71

Softball finished the year with 71 stolen bases which is the most since 2007 and sixth-most in program history.

122

Water polo senior Luca Petovary smashed not only the Sun Devil record but the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation record with 122 goals in a season (31 games), rightfully earning MPSF Player of the Year and a spot on the All-MPSF first-team, leading ASU to 23 wins, the second most in program history.

125

Sun Devil Wrestling's 125-pounder Richard Figueroa brought home the team's first individual national championship in five years (Zahid Valencia in 2019) when he defeated Iowa's Drake Ayala, 7-1, at the 2024 NCAA Championships in March. The eighth-seeded Figueroa rattled off five victories at Kansas City's T-Mobile Center, knocking off two top-three seeds, to help the Sun Devils place sixth overall.

HE'S DONE IT!

RICHIE FIGUEROA CONQUERS KC!

HE BEATS AYALA BY A 7-2 DECISION!!! pic.twitter.com/f4BYndyNiy

— Sun Devil Wrestling (@ASUWrestling) March 24, 2024

330

Lacrosse's Zoe Mazur ended her Sun Devil career with 330 career draw controls, most in ASU program and Pac-12 history. 

336:37

ASU goalkeeper Pauline Nellis went over 336 minutes over a four-game span without allowing a goal during October. She finished the season with four shutout streaks over 200 minutes.

417

Sun Devil Water Polo posted 417 goals in its 2024 season, averaging 13.5 goals a game and had seven games with 20-goals or more this season.