Arizona State Sun Devils

Arizona State football team in September 2011

The Sun Devils played in the Border Conference between 1931 and 1961, before joining the Western Athletic Conference. Led by head coach Frank Kush, the Sun Devils posted a 64–9 record between 1970 and 1975, culminating in a 17–14 upset of the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 1975 Fiesta Bowl.

After the 2006 season, Dirk Koetter was fired after six seasons, and on December 6, 2006, athletic director Lisa Love hired Dennis Erickson to become the head coach at ASU. Erickson, in his first year as coach of the Arizona State Sun Devils, led the team to 10 wins, a share of the Pac-10 title with USC, and the Holiday Bowl against the University of Texas Longhorns. Erickson was fired on November 28, 2011, after five seasons with the Sun Devils. He was replaced by coach Todd Graham on December 14, 2011. Love was fired from her position as vice president for University Athletics and athletics director on March 28, 2012, and was immediately replaced by Steve Patterson. The current athletics director since 2014 has been Ray Anderson, who selected former NFL player and coach Herm Edwards to replace Graham as Arizona State's head coach in 2018.

In Edwards’ first season in 2018, the Sun Devils went 5–1 at home including two Top-15 upsets over Michigan State and Utah.

Notable football alumni include Terrell Suggs, Jim Jeffcoat, Mike Pagel, Jake Plummer, Todd Heap, J.R. Redmond, Danny White, Randall McDaniel, David Fulcher, Darren Woodson, Pat Tillman, Eric Allen, Zach Miller, Shaun McDonald, John Jefferson, Paul Justin, Jimmy Verdon, Mike Haynes, Al Harris, Vontaze Burfict, Ryan Torain, Brock Osweiler, Jaelen Strong, Curley Culp and N'Keal Harry.

James Harden makes contact with Alfred Aboya inside.

The Arizona State Sun Devils have appeared in the NCAA tournament 17 times, including 3 Elite Eights (1961, 1963, 1975). They have won 8 conference championships (4 WAC and 4 BOR) and finished in the final AP rankings 7 times. The highest national ranking the Sun Devils have achieved was No. 3 under Ned Wulk during the 1980–81 season when the starting lineup included Byron Scott, Fat Lever, and Alton Lister. Ned Wulk was the men's basketball coach from 1958 to 1982 and remains the most successful coach in the history of the program with a record of 406 – 272 (.599).

Arizona State appeared in the NAIA Men's Basketball National Tournament two years (1948 and 1953). In both years they lost in the second round, leaving the NAIA with a tournament record of 2–2.

Bobby Hurley is the current head coach of the Sun Devils, leading Arizona State to a 12–0 non-conference record in 2017, and a signature win over the #1 ranked Kansas Jayhawks on December 22, 2018 – the first win over a top ranked team at home in program history.

Herb Sendek stepped down as head coach of the North Carolina State Wolfpack and accepted the head coaching job at Arizona State in 2006. Sendek took the Wolfpack to five consecutive NCAA Tournaments and also won ACC coach of the year in 2004. Sendek was credited for bringing a "basketball atmosphere" and level of excitement to the ASU campus that had been absent for years. In his first four seasons at ASU, Sendek led the Sun Devils to three consecutive 20 win seasons, the 2009 Pac-10 conference tournament finals, and the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Thirty-six ASU Sun Devils have been selected in the NBA draft, including future NBA Most Valuable Player James Harden, Byron Scott, Isaac Austin, Mark Landsberger, Lafayette Lever, Alton Lister, Lionel Hollins, Sam Williams, Jeff Ayres (known as Jeff Pendergraph when he played at ASU), Stevin "Hedake" Smith, Mario Bennett, Tommy Smith, Ike Diogu, Eddie House. Freddie Lewis, and Joe Caldwell.[5] Paul Stovall was a Charles Barkley type standout with a dominating presence on the court but his non-conducive actions off the court limited his notoriety.

Spencer Torkelson, first overall pick in the 2020 Major League Baseball draft

ASU has one of the most successful baseball programs in the country. The Sun Devils have won five national championships (1965, 1967, 1969, 1977, 1981), the fourth most by any school, and have the third most College World Series victories with 61.[6]

ASU baseball has won 21 conference championships (including four consecutive Pac-10 titles from 2007 to 2010) and reached the College World Series 22 times. The Sun Devils have also reached the NCAA tournament 41 times, most recently in 2021.

Starting with Rick Monday as the No. 1 pick of the first ever Major League Baseball draft in '65, ASU leads all schools with 459 total picks. ASU also has the third most alumni to ever play in Major League Baseball. Notable baseball alumni include Barry Bonds, Paul Lo Duca, Fernando Viña, Dustin Pedroia, Mike Leake, Andre Ethier, Willie Bloomquist, Bob Horner, Sal Bando, Ike Davis, Jason Kipnis, Brett Wallace, Ian Kinsler, Hubie Brooks, Hunter Bishop, and Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson.

The Arizona State Sun Devils have appeared in the NCAA tournament 17 times, including 7 Sweet Sixteens (1982, 1983, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2015, 2019) and 2 Elite Eights (2007, 2009). They have produced WNBA talent such as Kym Hampton, Briann January, Dymond Simon, Monique Ambers, Promise Amukamara, Amanda Levens, Sophie Brunner, Emily Westerberg, and more. Under head coach Charli Turner Thorne, the program has become one of the best in the country. She is currently the winningest coach in ASU history, leading the Sun Devils to two conference championships and 14 NCAA Tournaments in her tenure.

Arizona State began their Sand Volleyball program in 2014. It officially became an NCAA Championship sport in 2016, as they changed the sport's name to Beach Volleyball. ASU is currently one of nine schools to play Beach Volleyball in the Pac-12 Conference, along with Arizona, California, Stanford, Oregon, UCLA, USC, Utah, and Washington. In their first four seasons, the Sun Devils have had three head coaches. Jason Watson led ASU for two seasons from 2014 to 2015, Jackie Bunker for one season in 2016, and Brad Keenan starting in 2017.

Completed in February 2022, ASU opened their new Sun Devil Beach Volleyball Facility on the Tempe campus. It cost $1.2 million and includes four courts. It's located just East of the Alberta B. Farrington Softball Stadium.

Home matches were originally hosted at the PERA Club, which is located on 1 E. Continental Dr. Tempe, Arizona 85281. The PERA Club (short for Project Employees Recreation Association) is a private country club for employees and families of the Salt River Project, the major water and power utility in Phoenix and surrounding cities. It now holds three volleyball courts after completing major renovations to accommodate the Sun Devil Volleyball team.

Led by 30+ year coach John Spini, the Sun Devils women's Gymnastics team has had many strong years in his reign with many all-American Gymnasts to Spinis credit as well as a facility named after Spini. Below is the history of top qualifiers coach has had as well as his predecessors at ASU.

Jean-Luc Cairon served as an assistant coach for the women's gymnastics team.[7]

Jay Santos is currently the head coach, while his wife, Jessica Santos is an associate coach for Sun Devil Gymnastics.

Arizona State University began their Women's Lacrosse program during the 2018 season. ASU is currently one of fourteen schools to play Women's Lacrosse in the Pac-12 Conference, along with California, Colorado, Oregon, Stanford, and USC. Courtney Martinez Connor became Head Coach starting with the 2018 campaign, while Tim McCormack was named Head Coach beginning with the 2020 season.[8] Home games for the Arizona State Sun Devils are played at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. During their inaugural season in 2018, the Sun Devils finished (6–12) overall, (1–9) in Pac-12 play, (1–6) at home, (5–5) on the road, and (0–1) in neutral site games. ASU completed the 2019 campaign (6–12) overall, (2–8) in Pac-12 play, (4–6) at home, (2–5) on the road, and (0–1) in neutral site contests. The Devils finished the shortened 2020 season (5-3) overall, (1-1) in Pac-12 play, (3-1) at home, and (2-2) on the road. Arizona State completed the 2021 campaign (10-6) overall, (5-4) in Pac-12 play, (6-2) at home, (3-3) on the road, and (1-1) in neutral site games. The Sun Devils finished the 2022 season (11-8) overall, (7-3) in Pac-12 play, (7-3) at home, and (4-5) on the road.

One of the nation's founding programs, the two-time NCAA national champion Sun Devils are in their 45th season on the diamond. ASU has recorded twenty-seven seasons of 30 or more wins and twelve with 40 or more, including an all-time high of 66 wins in 2008. The Sun Devils have appeared in 23 NCAA tournaments (33 postseason bids overall) and have made nine trips to the Women's College World Series. Prior to the current NCAA format, ASU went to seven WCWS, claiming back-to-back national titles in 1972 and 1973. Arizona State's storied tradition of softball excellence continues to flourish under head coach Clint Myers, who has led the Sun Devils to two NCAA national championships. Myers joined Linda Vollstedt (women's golf – 7), Greg Kraft (women's track & field indoor – 2, women's track & field outdoor – 1, men's indoor track & field – 1), Bobby Winkles (baseball – 3) and Jim Brock (baseball – 2) as Sun Devil coaches with more than one NCAA title.

The Sun Devils capped off the 2008 season with their first WCWS NCAA national championship on June 3, 2008. Kaitlin Cochran hit a three-run home run, Katie Burkhart pitched a four-hitter and Arizona State routed Texas A&M 11–0 to win the title. Cochran slammed the first pitch from Megan Gibson over the left field fence in the fifth inning to give the sixth-seeded Sun Devils a 4–0 lead in the fifth inning. The margin ended up matching the second-most lopsided game in Women's College World Series history.

On June 7, 2011, the Sun Devils captured their second NCAA national championship by defeating the Florida Gators. ASU pitcher, Dallas Escobedo, became the first freshman pitcher to lead a team to the NCAA title since 1990.

Entering his 19th season, Greg Kraft is the current head coach of the Track and Field team. During his tenure the Sun Devils have won 4 NCAA Championships, 32 NCAA individual titles and produced 13 Olympians.[9] As part of being in the Pac-12 Conference, ASU competes with UCLA, UC Berkeley, University of Stanford, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Arizona, and other schools that are in Pac-12. Among the all-time Pac-12 records, three of the top ten times in the men's 4x400 relay are held by ASU (2004, 2004, 2005). The women currently hold three of the top ten spots in the 400m (1991, 2004, 2015).[10] Notable Sun Devil alumni include Olympian Dwight Phillips (Long Jump Gold Medal at 2004 Olympic games). ASU has a history producing top competitive athletes to compete in the Olympics even before 2004.

The Arizona State golf teams use Papago Golf Course as their home course. They play and practice, as of September 2019 at The Thunderbird Golf Complex, and the Phil and Amy Mickelson Player Development Practice Facility.

In 1960, 1962, 1969 and 1970, JoAnne Gunderson, Carol Sorenson, Jane Bastanchury and Cathy Gaughan, respectively, won the women's intercollegiate individual golf championship (an event conducted by the Division of Girls' and Women's Sports, which was succeeded by the current NCAA women's golf championship). In 1975, the ASU women's golf team won the AIAW national championship. Monica Vaughn won the NCAA women's individual golf championship in 2017.

The women's golf team has won 8 national championships (1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2009, & 2017). There have been 10 women's individual champions in school history (1960 Joanne Gunderson-Carner, 1962 Carol Sorenson, 1969 Jane Bastanchury-Booth, 1970 Cathy Gaughan, 1985 Danielle Ammaccapane, 1994 Emilee Klein, 1995 Kristel Mourgue d'Algue, 1999 Grace Park, 2008 Azahara Munoz, & 2017 Monica Vaughn).

ASU women's golf has had 5 winners of the Honda Award (1994 Wendy Ward, 1995 Wendy Ward, 1998 Kellee Booth, 1999 Grace Park, & 2017 Monica Vaughn). Arizona State has had 5 coaches win the WGCA National Coach of the Year (1989 Linda Vollstedt, 1994 Linda Vollstedt, 1995 Linda Vollstedt -(Co-Winner), 2009 Melissa Luellen, & 2017 Missy Farr-Kaye). The Sun Devils have also claimed 5 winners of the Golfweek National Coach of the Year (1993 Linda Vollstedt, 1994 Linda Vollstedt, 1995 Linda Vollstedt, 1997 Linda Vollstedt, & 2017 Missy Farr-Kaye).

The men's golf team has won 20 conference championships:[11]

• Border Conference (5): 1935, 1957–59, 1961
• Western Athletic Conference (3): 1969, 1971, 1978
• Pac-12 Conference (12): 1979, 1981, 1989–90, 1993, 1995–2000, 2008

They won NCAA regional championships in 1991 (co-champions), 1995, 1998 (co-champions), 1999, 2001, and 2009.[11]

They won the NCAA Division I Championship in 1990 and 1996[11] while claiming six individual titles: Jim Carter (1983), Phil Mickelson (1989, 1990, 1992), Todd Demsey (1993), and Alejandro Cañizares (2003).[12] The ASU women's golf program is the most successful is NCAA history with eight NCAA Division I national championships, most recently in 2017.

Notable golf alumni include Paul Casey, Bob Gilder, Matt Jones, Billy Mayfair, Phil Mickelson (6 time major champion), Mike Morley, Tom Purtzer, Jeff Quinney, Jon Rahm, Chez Reavie, Howard Twitty, JoAnne Carner, Heather Farr, Giulia Molinaro, Azahara Muñoz, Anna Nordqvist, Grace Park, Pearl Sinn and Wendy Ward.

Former students of Arizona State University top the all time money list for PGA tour career earnings. Phil Mickelson ($92.2M), Paul Casey ($32.2M), Pat Perez ($26.8M), Jon Rahm ($23.6M), Billy Mayfair ($20.3M), Chez Reavie ($16.7M), Matt Jones ($13.4M), Dan Forsman ($8.7M), Jim Carter ($4.8M), Tom Purtzer ($4.2M), Bob Gilder ($3.0M), Grayson Murray ($2.9M), Howard Twitty ($2.7M), John Adams ($2.0M), Morris Hatalsky ($1.7M) and Mike Morley ($526K) have collectively earned $255,706,471 from 89 wins.[13]

The Sun Devil wrestling team have captured one NCAA team national championship (1988) beating out powerhouse Iowa for the title, followed by two years of national runners-up in 1989 & 1990 losing out to Oklahoma State both years. The Sun Devil wrestling team has produced eight individual NCAA championships, and over 100+ All-American honors in its history.[14]

Notable wrestling alumni include several Mixed Martial Arts stars, such as: Dan Severn (inductee to UFC Hall of Fame), Don Frye, Cain Velasquez (former UFC Heavyweight Champion), Ryan Bader, Aaron Simpson, Dan Henderson, John Moraga, Clifford Starks, C.B. Dollaway, and Bubba Jenkins (2011 157 lbs NCAA Champion). Other notable wrestlers include: Anthony Robles (2011 125 lbs NCAA Champion with one leg), Curley Culp (1967 NCAA Heavyweight Champion and member of Pro Football Hall of Fame), and Zahid Valencia (two-time NCAA Champion).

Eight Sun Devil wrestlers have participated at the Olympics, most recently in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. There have been two Olympic silver medalists from Arizona State; Zeke Jones and Townsend Saunders.[15] Six Sun Devil wrestlers have participated in the World Championships of Wrestling since 1985 (on 16 occasions). Those wrestlers placed in the top 10 a total of ten times, including Zeke Jones, the 1991 World Champion at 52 kg or 114.6 pounds.

During the 1992–1993 season, the Arizona State wrestling team set a Pacific-10 Conference record for most points in a championship meet.[16]

A men's ice hockey game between Arizona State and Air Force in 2017

ASU announced plans to transition their ACHA men's hockey program to an NCAA varsity program on November 18, 2014. The Sun Devils continued play in the ACHA in 2014–15, played a hybrid schedule in 2015–16 with a mix of NCAA and ACHA competition, and played as a Division I independent in 2016–17 with plans to join a conference in 2017–18.[17] The National Collegiate Hockey Conference, Western Collegiate Hockey Association, and Big Ten[18] were all seen as potential landing spots for Arizona State.[19] However, no conference move materialized until 2023, when ASU was announced as the newest NCHC member effective with the 2024–25 season.[20]

The ASU hockey team has a proud history of ACHA hockey. The highlight included winning the 2013–2014 ACHA National Championship, beating Robert Morris 3–1 to win its first national championship in hockey. The team is led by Coach Greg Powers. Coach Powers enters his eighth overall season on the Sun Devil coaching staff and his first as head coach of ASU's NCAA Division I Hockey program. In the 2013–2014 season, coach Powers helped guide the Sun Devils to their first ever ACHA Division I National Championship. He holds a 164–27–9 career record, and his team ended the 2014–2015 season ranked number three in the ACHA with a 35–4–1 record, qualifying for the team's third-straight ACHA Division I Final Four. Since taking the reins as head coach, Greg has also coached eight ACHA Div. I All-Americans and 15 ACHA Academic All-Americans.[21]

Coach Powers has helped lead Sun Devil Hockey to five consecutive ACHA National Tournament appearances, starting with his first year as head coach in 2010. In 2012–2013, he led ASU to a new program best record and first ever 30 plus win season with a record of 35–8–1, its first ever Final Four Appearance, first ever National Ranking of No. 1, and a benchmark win over NCAA DI Penn State. During the 2013–2014 season, ASU Hockey won the ACHA DI National Championship, with Powers named ACHA DI National Coach of the Year. The Sun Devils were also named WCHL Conference Champions both for 2013–2014 and 2014–2015, and Powers was named WCHL Coach of the Year for 2013–2014. Powers was also named an ACHA Division I National Coach of the Year finalist in 2012–2013, and 2014–2015.[21]

Since 2009, Coach Power's ASU hockey teams held a 37-game winning streak over the rival college hockey team located in Tucson, Arizona.[22]

Founded in 1975, the Arizona State University men's rugby team has played college rugby in Division 1 of the Gold Coast Conference, which is part of American College Rugby, the USA Rugby-sanctioned governing body of Division I-AA, II and III college rugby since the summer of 2019.[23][24] The Sun Devils formerly played in the Division 1-A PAC Rugby Conference, which is part of the College Rugby Association of America (also sanctioned by USA Rugby), in which their rivals included Pac-12 foes such as Arizona and UCLA.[25] With 98 registered players, Arizona State was ranked as the largest college rugby program in the United States in 2009.[26] Arizona State was led by head coach Gary Lane from 2001 until 2017, when he agreed to resign in compliance with a disciplinary action taken by D-I Rugby (the College Rugby Association of America) in response to a violent on-field incident involving an ASU player.[27][28][29] The team is currently coached by Pieter Hugo.[30] Arizona State was regularly ranked in the Top 25 in the country during its time as a Division I-A program. Arizona State's rugby sevens program has been successful in the Collegiate Rugby Championship, the highest profile college rugby tournament in the country, where they finished tenth in the 2010 tournament.[31] Arizona State also participated in the 2013 USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships, where they went 5–1 and finished ninth.[32]

Arizona State has won 24 NCAA team national championships.[33]

• Men (11)
  • Baseball (5): 1965, 1967, 1969, 1977, 1981
  • Golf (2): 1990, 1996
  • Gymnastics (1): 1986
  • Indoor Track & Field (1): 2008
  • Outdoor Track & Field (1): 1977
  • Wrestling (1): 1988
• Women (13)
  • Golf (8): 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2009, 2017
  • Indoor Track and Field (2): 2007, 2008
  • Outdoor Track and Field (1): 2007
  • Softball (2): 2008, 2011
• see also:
  • Pac-12 Conference NCAA championships
  • List of NCAA schools with the most NCAA Division I championships
  • List of NCAA schools with the most Division I national championships

Arizona State has 18 DGWS/AIAW team national championships:

• Women (18)
  • Badminton (7): 1971, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981
  • Golf (1): 1975
  • Softball (2): 1972, 1973
  • Swimming (8): 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978

Below are 105 national team titles won by varsity and club sports teams at the highest collegiate levels in other non-NCAA competition:

• Men (32)
  • Archery (16): 1969, 1974, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993
  • Badminton (13): 1978, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993
  • Bowling (1): 1981
  • Karate (1): 1981
  • Paintball (1): 2005 (Div. AA)
• Women (40)
  • Archery (22): 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994
  • Badminton (10): 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993
  • Bowling (1): 1981
  • Racquetball (1): 2007
  • Rodeo (1): 1966
  • Tennis (3): 1971, 1972, 1974
  • Triathlon (6): 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022
• Combined (34)
  • Archery (20): 1969, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993
  • Badminton (10): 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993
  • Wakeboarding (3): 2013, 2014 (both College and Wake); 2014 (USA Wakeboard)
  • Waterskiing (1): 2001