​Arizona State junior middle blocker Antonina “Tosia” Serafinowska had plenty of options after she entered the transfer portal from Wisconsin. But Serafinowska wasn’t simply looking for another place to play volleyball. “I was looking for a program that will help me grow into the athlete, person and student I want to be,” Serafinowska said. Conversations with coach JJ Van Niel and the rest of the staff helped make ASU stand out. “I had multiple meetings with different schools and coaches, and I just had some kind of flow and vibe with JJ,” Serafinowska said. “He was very specific with his expectations and all the coaches try to get to know us more as people, not just volleyball players.”That experience helped separate ASU from the other contenders. It also reflects how the Sun Devils have sustained a level of excellence despite rampant roster turnover.New players. New faces. Same expectations. The Sun Devils have built a program where roster turnover hasn’t meant a drop-off in success. They are 9-2 heading into Friday’s meet at West Virginia, the first Big 12 contest of the season.The faces have changed significantly from last season. ASU graduated six players and brought in 10 newcomers this year, including five transfers and five freshmen. Just 10 players returned from last season – four starters and six non-starters. The Sun Devils have won back-to-back Big-12 championships. Now, with another wave of transfers and freshmen joining the program, ASU entered this season as the favorite to win a third straight conference title.The question isn’t whether the Sun Devils can replace the players they lose. It’s how they continue to replace players without replacing the culture. Van Niel lists three core values for ASU’s culture. Important cultural aspects for Arizona State volleyball“I think usually when I talk about culture, I talk about our values and one of the big ones is just being connected,” Van Niel said. “The other one would be excellence when it comes to standards and intentionality when it comes to training.” For ASU, maintaining that culture starts before a new player ever steps onto the court. It starts in the transfer portal.  “We’re just really selective,” recruiting coordinator Ellen Joiner said. “It’s easy to just want to get the best player, but if the best player is not the right fit for your program, that’s not going to ultimately help you.” Talent matters, but ASU is looking for something beyond a player’s ability to put down a kill or make a big block.“We like motivated players that are trying to be the best versions of themselves,” Joiner said. That selectivity is intentional because the wrong addition can affect more than just a lineup.“One bad egg can kind of ruin an entire culture, unfortunately,” Joiner said. That makes the recruiting process about more than finding players who can contribute on the court. ASU wants players who will buy into what alr