ASU women’s volleyball coach J.J. Van Niel knew the type of player he was recruiting when libero Mary Shroll entered the transfer portal prior to the 2023 season. Everyone he talked to said adding her to the team was a “no-brainer,” and the Tempe native eventually made the decision to finish her NCAA volleyball career in her hometown.

That decision, and the success that’s followed it, are the things legends are made of.

“She’s a legend,” Van Niel said. “I think it’s interesting because kids are excited to get away, but there’s nothing like being your hometown hero. I got more texts when we signed Mary than when I got the head coaching job.

“That’s kind of insane, but it’s telling.”

A Hero’s Welcome

Shroll, a four-year letter winner at Corona Del Sol High School in Tempe, competed at Loyola Marymount from 2019-2022, where she helped the team make the NCAA Tournament in 2022. She played as a libero and a defensive specialist, leading the team in 2020-21 with 4.26 digs per set, and said she truly appreciated her time as an undergraduate student in California.

She had some friends who had previously played for Van Niel, and when he was hired as head coach in December 2022, she was immediately interested in returning to her hometown to continue her career.

She’s now etching herself into local lore, developing droves of fans while helping the Sun Devils reach heights that haven’t been seen in decades.

“I knew immediately it was going to be a good fit,” Shroll said. “It was nice to have that experience in Southern California, but being back in Arizona I feel like I’m seeing a different side of it now that I’m a little bit older. It’s been great just having family and friends around me, too.”

And fans. A lot of fans.

“Mary’s always down there getting mobbed by people,” Van Niel said. “It’s pretty special, and it’s awesome that she’s gotten to be here for a couple of years. She’s cementing herself as one of the best liberos to put on a jersey here, but the more special part is just that she’s got so many fans out here.

“That’s what you get when you’re a local kid. You have this really cool built-in fanbase, and those fans are proud of that.”

It’s easy to see why.

Shroll is a natural leader, and has been a huge part of the Sun Devils’ historic 22-2 start, which is all the more impressive considering 2024 marks the team’s first season in the Big 12. She has already made her mark, as she was named the Big 12 defensive player of the three times, most recently on Oct. 15.

Her first season at Arizona State was equally impressive, as Shroll was an All-Pac-12 honorable mention while being named to the AVCA Pacific South All-Region CSC Academic All-District teams.

This season, she ranks 16th in the nation with 5.02 digs per set, establishing herself as one of the top liberos in the country.

“J.J. has so much insight and he sees so much of the game, I feel like he’s leveled up my game in so many different ways. He’s pushed me to be my best,” Shroll said. “He’s worked really hard with me on my passing, and he’s done a lot of different research, a lot of differential learning. Shaughn [McDonald], our assistant, has come in and worked directly with the passers and we did a ton of stuff with him, too.”

The graduate student, currently studying for her Master’s Degree in Business Administration, has led by example since arriving back home prior to last season. Van Niel recalled the squad’s team building retreat in 2023, when the leadership group was selected.

That process is voted upon solely by the players, and Shroll was near the top of the list with votes received. Not only did that impress Van Niel, who had yet to coach Shroll, but it was also a telling sign regarding the quality of player — and person — he and his staff recruited back to the desert.

“It shocked me. Not in hindsight, but it did at the time,” Van Niel said. “She’s got really good vibes from a teammate standpoint. Easy to talk to. Calm, cool, and collected person.”

Shroll doesn’t shy away from that role.

“I’m a pretty vocal leader, especially on the court,” she said. “I always want to be the hardest worker in the gym and in the weight room. Obviously, I hope that’s seen by my teammates and my coaches.”

The hard work is well underway, but there’s still a lot in front of the Sun Devils this season, beginning with a showdown against 20-1 Kansas on Wednesday night at Mullett Arena. Arizona State has won 10 straight matches — the fourth-longest winning streak in program history, and at No. 11 is enjoying its highest ranking since the 2015 season.

Win or lose on Wednesday, the ceiling for this team is exciting to ponder, and Shroll, who said she may consider playing professional volleyball after graduation, is a big part of those expectations.

It all started in Tempe, where it has officially come full circle, and however her career ends up, the local volleyball legend said she will forever be grateful for the opportunities the sport has brought her way.

“All the people who challenged and pushed me in ways that I would have never done without volleyball, it’s just really made me into who I am as a person and how I carry myself,” Shroll said. “It’s been such a huge piece of my life. I’ve been surrounded by it literally since I can remember, and I don’t know who I would be without volleyball.”

Lead Photo credit: Sun Devil Athletics