Jeff Metcalfe
In early 2023, JJ Van Niel took a chance on inexperienced Preslie Anderson as the first hire for his new Arizona State volleyball staff.
Three years later, Van Niel is taking no chances on losing Anderson.
Before anyone could lure Anderson away with an associate head coach title, Van Niel proactively sought that promotion for the 27-year-old because of her instrumental role in ASU’s stunning three-year NCAA Tournament run and 86-14 combined record.
“He’s literally told me when you’re leaving for a head coaching opportunity then I’ll allow it,” an amused Anderson says. “I’m like how kind of you.”
“That’s pretty much how I feel,” Van Niel admits. “The more I worked with her and the more I saw her grow and develop, I realize she’s an all-star.
“I come from a background where you reward the best and you want to keep them around because you know how hard it is to replace really elite people. I’ve always tried to take care of my people and I’m pretty aggressive about it. The credit goes to her because of how well she’s developed. I really trust her.”
A trust like that motivating ASU football coach Kenny Dillingham to lobby administration for his coordinators as much as himself.
Born in Anderson’s case out of her now requited love for ASU.
ASU family legacy
Mike Anderson raised his five children to look people they meet in the eye and “shake their hand like a Sun Devil.”
Understandable parenting advice coming from a two-time All-America wrestler at ASU, where he met his wife Nancy.
“I used to drag them to ASU wrestling match,” Mike says. “I’m going to buy you popcorn and Sparky will probably be there. Then I got a smile and they would come with me. I never wanted to make any of the kids feel like they had to go to ASU although they know where dad’s heart was.”
Preslie’s heart and head took her elsewhere after an All-Arizona volleyball career at Chandler Hamilton High School. The 6-2 middle blocker played at California for three seasons, earning All-Pac as a junior in 2019, then transferred to Baylor for two pandemic impacted seasons in 2020 and 2021.
Anderson committed to Cal over her second choice ASU when Rich Feller was coach only for Feller to retire in the spring before her arrival. The Bears then had three different head coaches during her time in Berkeley and she played for a fourth at Baylor.
Not ideal but lessons she applies today in coaching.
“The whole reason I went to Cal apart from the academics was the connection to the coaching staff,” she says. “I didn’t really prioritize that in my transfer process to Baylor so what I try and model now that I’m currently recruiting kids is to be at a place that wins and connects with the players. You can absolutely do both. Because it’s not just about winning but also about valuing the people within our program.”
Anderson made All Pac-12 as a Cal junior in 2019, hitting a conference best .402. Baylor reached the NCAA Sweet 16 when she was there, barely missing out on the Elite Eight in 2021. Her true calling, though, finally brought her home to ASU.
Van Niel takes a chance
Anderson’s coaching journey began with volunteer jobs at ASU in spring 2022 and at TCU that fall.
Then Van Niel was hired at ASU, coming from associate head coach at USC, where he recruited Anderson when she was transferring from Cal.
“She knew I had gotten the job before anyone else,” Van Niel says. “I told Brad (Keller, USC head coach) so he told her because she always wanted to come back and work here. She knew she was going to be a college coach and this was going to be a great opportunity.”
Within an hour of Van Niel accepting the ASU job, Anderson texted him about her interest in being on his staff. He found her “big engaging personality” and organic family inspired passion for ASU enough to overcome what she did not yet know about coaching.
Van Niel figured he could train Anderson in “how I do things” without her having many preconceived ideas. “I’ll teach her what she needs to know.”
For Mike Anderson, whose youngest daughter still has a chance to attend ASU, Preslie working for Sun Devil athletics is the alma mater gift he’s always wanted.
Her hiring was “one of my happier Sun Devil days,” Mike says. Her Jan. 15 promotion “makes you proud as a parent. I can’t say I knew she was going to get it, but this is the kind of life Preslie has. She works hard and achieves her goals.
“She’s the ultimate middle child, always battling to stand out. I was (All-America wrestler) Mike Anderson for a long time. When Preslie turned 12 or 13 (starting her volleyball rise), I became Preslie’s dad. We’re just very proud of her.”
Elevating ASU beyond Sweet 16
The stakes are higher than ever for ASU volleyball after their meteoric ascension to the Sweet 16 level.
Van Niel, Anderson, recruiting coordinator Ellen Joiner and operations coordinator Carley Bock have been a team since 2023 with Shaughn McDonald on the coaching staff since 2024.
They are high functioning recruiters, transfer portal proficient, strong in player development and not at all satisfied with Sweet 16 losses to Stanford in 2023 and Creighton in 2025 much less a second-round defeat at home to Texas A&M in between.
Seven incoming players (five transfers, two freshmen) are in school for the spring semester with two more freshmen arriving before fall. All-America Noemie Glover and French national teamer Maeve Schalk, who redshirted in 2025, are among those returning.
ASU again is replacing its setter, for the fourth time under Van Niel, and three other starters. Anderson is largely responsible for middle blockers, helping Maddie McLaughlin, Claire Jeter and Colby Neal to improve their play.
Winning a third consecutive Big 12 title and getting deeper than ever in the postseason is far from a given. The coaches aren’t shirking from the responsibility, taking the approach that the fall season began in January.
“Our big theme for this spring and beyond is anti-fragile,” Anderson says. “A big piece of that is when it’s uncomfortable do you rise. Can you find a way when things are crazy, when you’re down 16-11, love that moment so much and love competing so much that it doesn’t matter. You’re actually going to be better because you’re down,” like against Creighton in the Sweet 16 fourth set.
