Friday, November 10
South Orange, N.J.
5 PM
Creighton University
at
Seton Hall
Photo by: Catherine Grosdidier
#15 Volleyball Heads East For Final League Road Swing
11/7/2023 1:45:00 PM | Volleyball
Bluejays look to stretch win streak into double-figures
Match #26: #15 Creighton at Seton Hall • South Orange, N.J. • Friday, Nov. 10 • 5 p.m. CST
| LIVE VIDEO ($) | LIVE STATS | CU NOTES (PDF) | SHU NOTES |
Match #27: #15 Creighton at St. John's • Queens, N.Y. • Saturday, Nov. 11 • 4 p.m. CST
| LIVE VIDEO ($) | LIVE STATS | CU NOTES (PDF) | SJU NOTES |
Next Up
No. 15 Creighton (21-4, 12-2 BIG EAST) makes its final road trip of the regular-season as it continues its push for a 10th straight BIG EAST regular-season title.
On Friday at 5 p.m. Central the Bluejays meet Seton Hall (13-12, 7-7 BIG EAST before Wednesday's match vs. St. John's) in a contest played at Walsh Gymnasium in South Orange, N.J.
On Saturday at 4 p.m. Central, Creighton squares off against league co-leader St. John's (20-6, 12-2 BIG EAST before Wednesday's match at Seton Hall). That contest will be held inside Carnesecca Arena in Queens, N.Y.
Broadcast Information
Friday's match will be video webcast on FloSports, a subscription-based service at https://flosports.link/3QzdSlE. More information about discounted subscriptions to FloSports programming can be found at http://GoCreighton.com/FloSports.
Saturday's showdown will be video webcast on ESPN+, a subscription-based service at https://GoCreighton.com/CU-SJU-11-11
Live Stats Information
Both matches will have free live stats at http://creighton.statbroadcast.com.
A link is also on the GoCreighton.com volleyball schedule page.
Scouting #15 Creighton
Winners of the last nine BIG EAST regular-season titles, Creighton returns four All-BIG EAST selections from a year ago. That's helped CU start 21-4, including last Sunday's 3-0 win vs. then-No. 25 Marquette and non-conference road victories at No. 9 Minnesota and No. 16 Purdue.
The Bluejays have swept each of their last nine matches to climb back into a tie for first place in the BIG EAST standings with two weeks left.
Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year Norah Sis (3.68 kps., 3.04 dps.) missed 11 matches with an injury, but the Jays have won all 24 sets since she returned and are 13-1 with her in the line-up.
Reigning BIG EAST Freshman of the Year Ava Martin (3.68 kps.) is fourth in the BIG EAST in kills per set and gives CU one of the best pin pairs in the league.
Senior Kiana Schmitt (2.70 kps., 1.09 bps., .373%) leads the BIG EAST in blocks per set and hitting percentage, while fellow middle Kiara Reinhardt is hitting a BIG EAST-leading .453 in league play.
Two-time All-BIG EAST choice Kendra Wait (9.93 aps., 3.62 dps., 1.13 kps., 0.83 bps., .342%) directs the Bluejay offense, and Sydney Breissinger (2.59 dps.) has handled libero duties the past two weekends in the absence of Ellie Bolton (4.25 dps.).
Creighton leads the BIG EAST in kills per set (14.33), digs per set (16.70), assists per set (13.19), opponent hitting percentage (.136) and hitting percentage (.272) and also averages 2.24 blocks and 1.47 aces per set.
Scouting Seton Hall
Seton Hall enters Wednesday's test vs. St. John's with an 13-12 record and are tied for fifth in the league standings with a 7-7 BIG EAST mark.
Madeline Matheny (3.01 kps.) leads a Pirates offense that features 10 different women with 10 or more kills this fall.
Madison Klungel (5.05 aps.) and Taylor Jakubowski (4.60 aps.) share setting duties. Asli Subasili (1.04 bps.) leads SHU in blocks.
As a team, Seton Hall averages 12.39 kills, 14.95 digs, 2.11 blocks and 1.49 aces per set on .190 hitting.
Scouting St. John's
St. John's entered Wednesday's match at Seton Hall with a 20-6 record this season and are part of a three-way tie atop the BIG EAST standings with a 12-2 league record.
Erin Jones (3.59 kps.), Giorgia Walther (3.13 kps.) and Lucrezia Lodi (3.10 kps.) give the Red Storm offense some serious firepower for setter Wiktoria Kowalczyk (9.14 aps., 0.43 saps.) to choose from, though Jones sees occasional time at setter as well.
Rashanny Solano Smith (3.94 dps.) leads the team in digs and Ludovica Zola (0.88 bps.) paces the squad in blocks.
As a team, SJU averages 13.11 kills, 1.62 aces, 12.84 digs and 1.99 blocks per set on .224 hitting.
Creighton Coaches
Creighton is coached by Kirsten Bernthal Booth (Truman State, 1997), who owns a 462-188 record in her 21st season with the Bluejays. She's led Creighton to nine straight BIG EAST titles (2014-22), and 10 league crowns in the last 11 years. Booth led the Bluejays to their first two Sweet 16's (2015, 2016) and first Elite Eight (2016) in program history. In 2016 she was recognized as VolleyballMag.com National Coach of the Year, BIG EAST Coach of the Year and AVCA East Region Coach of the Year. Booth was tabbed BIG EAST Coach of the Year for the third time in 2019.
The winningest coach in school history, Booth has taken Creighton to its only 12 NCAA Tournament bids in the program's modern history. She's also coached CU into the top-25 each of the last 12 seasons (including 2023), another program first.
Booth came to Creighton after going 112-41 in three years at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. A native of Lincoln, Neb., Booth played volleyball at Truman State, where she was named conference MVP, an Academic All-American and Missouri's 1997 NCAA Woman of the Year. She ranked third in Division II history with 6,077 assists when she graduated.
Booth is assisted by Angie Oxley Behrens, Brian Rosen and Adam Kessenich.
Series History vs. Seton Hall
Creighton is 18-3 all-time against Seton Hall, and 7-2 in South Orange. The Bluejays have won 17 straight meetings in the series, including 15 consecutive sweeps. In the last three meetings, Creighton has trailed for a total of three points.
Kirsten Bernthal Booth is 18-3 against Seton Hall and 3-0 against Shannon Thompson.
Series History vs. St. John's
Creighton leads the all-time series with St. John's by a 17-3 margin, including an 8-1 mark in Queens.
After losing the first meeting, Creighton won 13 straight contests vs. St. John's until that streak was snapped in the 2019 BIG EAST Tournament semifinals in Milwaukee. Creighton has swept the past four meetings against the Red Storm at all sites, and won 17 consecutive sets over SJU in Omaha.
Of note, Creighton swept the Johnnies at Carnesecca Arena in 2017 in a match interrupted by a third-set fire alarm.
Kirsten Bernthal Booth is 17-3 vs. St. John's and coach Joanne Persico.
We Ball vs. The Hall
Creighton owns 17 straight wins over Seton Hall, its sixth-longest win streak ever against one program.
Last weekend the Bluejays earned their 23rd straight win over DePaul, tying a mark it had snapped earlier this season vs. Xavier.
Most Consecutive Match Wins Over One Team
Wins Opponent Dates
23 Xavier 2013-22
23 DePaul 2013-Present
20 Georgetown 2013-Present
19 Southern Illinois 2003-11
19 Butler 2013-Present
17 Seton Hall 2014-Present
16 Indiana State 2005-Present
16 Providence 2014-Present
Hall Mark
Including its 3-0 victory on Oct. 1st, Creighton has swept Seton Hall each of the last 15 meetings, and won each of the last 47 sets against the Pirates.
The 47 straight set victories over the Pirates is easily the longest in program history over one opponent.
Most Consecutive Set Wins Over One Team
Wins Opponent Dates
47 Seton Hall 2015-Present
29 Providence 2017-Present
25 Indiana State 2005-09
24 Xavier 2015-18
23 Indiana State 2009-Present
22 Georgetown 2019-Present
19 Providence 2014-17
19 Butler 2018-21
A Bunch of Winners
Creighton's 21 victories entering the week are tied for 15th-most in the nation and its .840 win percentage is tied for 19th-best.
Creighton also ranks tied for seventh nationally in fewest sets lost (18). Here's that list:
Fewest Sets Lost (through 11/5)
Rk. Sets Lost Team
1. 12 Nebraska
12 Wisconsin
3. 15 Dayton
4. 16 Pittsburgh
16 Tennessee
6. 17 Western Michigan
7. 18 Creighton
18 Louisville
Clean Sweeps
Creighton has won 27 straight sets, sweeping each of its past nine matches, since losing 3-0 at Marquette on Oct. 6th. That's the second-longest set win streak in program history, trailing only a 29-set stretch last season.
Creighton's 27 straight set victories is the nation's longest active streak.
Creighton enters Friday's contest at Seton Hall having won 47 consecutive sets against the Pirates.
Creighton's Most Consecutive Sets Won
Set Wins Dates Snapped By
29 Oct. 16-Nov. 18, 2022 at #16 Marquette
27 Oct.7, 2023 - Present ? ? ?
25 Oct. 22-Nov. 20, 2016 Villanova
25 Oct. 26-Nov. 23, 2018 #16 Marquette
22 Nov. 7-Dec. 2, 2021 Kansas
19 Oct. 12-Nov. 3, 2019 at Villanova
They Say Defense Wins Championships
Creighton has held opponents to .136 hitting, a figure that ranks second-best nationally and behind only Nebraska (.135) and just ahead of Pittsburgh (.138) and Wisconsin (.138). In league play, foes hit an even smaller .104.
Including 2023, Creighton has finished first or second in the BIG EAST in opponent's hitting percentage each of the last eight seasons.
Creighton is letting foes hit .104 in conference play this year. Since the BIG EAST's reconfiguration in 2013, the best previous defensive mark was the .122 by Creighton in 2022 and the .124 mark in 2021, also by Creighton.
Straight Sets
Creighton is 18-0 this season when winning the second set. St. John's is 14-0 this year when winning the second set, 18-0 when winning the third set and 5-0 in the fifth set.
Jak Of All Trades
Seton Hall setter Taylor Jakubowski is the younger sister of former Creighton women's soccer standout Taryn Jakubowski.
Going Streaking
Creighton has won nine consecutive matches, tied for the nation's 19th-longest active streak through contests of Nov. 6th.
That's one of many active streaks for the Bluejays right now. Here's a look at a bunch of them:
Nation's Longest Active Win Streaks (11/6)
Rk. Streak Team
1. 23 Nebraska
2. 22 Dayton
3. 19 Western Kentucky
4. 18 Southeastern Louisiana
5. 16 Northern Iowa
6. 15 Western Michigan
15 Florida Gulf Coast
15 Pepperdine
9. 14 Stephen F. Austin
14 High Point
14 Alabama State
14 Loyola (Chicago
13. 13 Texas
13 Yale
15. 11 Utah State
11 Delaware
17. 10 Kentucky
10 Middle Tennessee
19. 9 Creighton
9 SMU
Nation's Longest Active Home Win Streaks (11/6)
Rk. Streak Team
1. 28 Stephen F. Austin
2. 20 Yale
3. 16 Nebraska
4. 15 Western Michigan
5. 14 High Point
6. 12 USC
12 BYU
12 Western Kentucky
12 James Madison
12 Kansas
11. 11 Wisconsin
12. 10 Pittsburgh
10 Lipscomb
10 Dayton
15. 9 Creighton
9 Northern Iowa
9 Arkansas
9 Fairfield
9 Florida Gulf Coast
Creighton's Most Consecutive Wins
Wins Dates Snapped By
23 Sept. 23-Dec. 9, 2016 at #5 Texas, 3-0
21 Sept. 21 - Nov. 30, 2018 #22 Washington, 3-0
17 Sept. 29-Nov. 30, 2012 at #11 Minnesota, 3-1
17 Sept. 23-Nov. 18, 2022 at #16 Marquette, 3-0
14 Sept. 19-Nov. 3, 2019 at Villanova, 3-0
14 Oct. 17-Dec. 2, 2021 Kansas, 3-1
12 Sept. 20-Oct. 25, 2015 at Villanova, 3-2
11 Oct. 11-Nov. 21, 2014 Seton Hall, 3-0
11 Oct. 6-Nov. 12, 2017 at Villanova, 3-0
10 Oct. 31-Dec. 5, 2015 vs. #2 USC, 3-1
9 Oct. 7, 2023 - Present ? ? ?
CU's Most Consecutive Regular-Season League Wins
Wins Dates Snapped By League
31 Nov. 18, 2017 - Nov. 3, 2019 at Villanova, 3-0 BIG EAST
28 Oct. 31, 2015 - Sept. 30, 2017 at Marquette, 3-0 BIG EAST
28 Oct. 17, 2021- Nov. 18, 2022 at #16 Marquette, 3-0 BIG EAST
14 Sept. 29, 2012 - End of 2012 Never (left MVC) MVC
12 Sept. 20-Oct. 25, 2015 at Villanova, 3-2 BIG EAST
11 Oct. 11-Nov. 21, 2014 Seton Hall, 3-0 BIG EAST
11 Oct. 6-Nov. 12, 2017 at Villanova, 3-0 BIG EAST
9 Nov. 4, 2005-Sept. 30, 2006 Northern Iowa, 3-2 MVC
9 Nov. 17, 2006-Oct. 6, 2007 at Wichita State, 3-0 MVC
9 Oct. 25, 2008-Sept. 18, 2009 Northern Iowa, 3-1 MVC
9 Oct. 7, 2023 - Present ? ? ? BIG EAST
Creighton's Longest Road Win Streaks
Wins Dates Snapped By
9 Sept. 30-Dec. 2, 2016 at #5 Texas, 3-0
8 Sept. 29 - Nov. 30, 2012 at #11 Minnesota, 3-1
8 Sept. 28 - Nov. 3, 2018 at #2 Nebraska, 3-1
8 Oct. 2, 2021-Sept. 10, 2022 at Rice, 3-2
7 Sept. 21-Nov. 9, 2007 at #24 Wichita State, 3-0
7 Nov. 21, 2009-Oct. 2, 2010 at Drake, 3-1
7 Sept. 6-Oct. 26, 2018 at Villanova, 3-0
7 Oct. 7-Nov. 18, 2022 at #16 Marquette, 3-0
6 Oct. 14-Nov. 17, 2000 at Missouri State, 3-0
6 Oct. 31, 2015-Aug. 28, 2016 at USC, 3-2
5 Nov. 21, 2003-Sept. 14, 2004 at Wichita State, 3-1
5 Oct. 11-Nov. 15, 2014 at #8 Illinois, 3-0
5 Oct. 6-Nov. 12, 2017 at Villanova, 3-0
5 Aug. 28-Sept. 25, 2021 at St. John's, 3-1
5 Oct. 7, 2023 - Present ? ? ?
Creighton's Longest Home Win Streaks
Wins Dates Snapped By
15 Sept. 7 - Nov. 30, 2018 #22 Washington, 3-0
13 Sept. 1, 2012 - Sept. 7, 2013 California, 3-0
13 Sept. 9, 2016-Sept. 1, 2017 #18 USC, 3-0
12 Sept. 20-Nov. 28, 2015 #4 Kansas, 3-2
12 Sept. 19, 2019 - Jan. 29, 2021 South Dakota, 3-2
12 Sept. 10-Dec. 2, 2021 Kansas, 3-1
12 Sept. 23-Nov. 26, 2022 Auburn, 3-2
10 Sept. 2-Dec. 1, 2017 #12 Michigan State, 3-1
9 Sept. 20, 2014-Nov. 21, 2014 Seton Hall, 3-0
9 Sept. 1, 2023 - Present ? ? ?
Another Sweep For The Jays
The nation's only team with an active streak of nine consecutive sweeps picked up a clean sweep of the weekly BIG EAST Volleyball honors on Monday. Creighton's Kiana Schmitt was named Offensive Player of the Week, Kendra Wait recognized as Defensive Player of the Week and Sydney Breissinger honored as Freshman of the Week.
Schmitt averaged 3.67 kills and 1.17 blocks per set while hitting a league-best .571. This is Schmitt's first career BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week honor, though the 2022 All-BIG EAST selection has been named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week on three previous occasions.
Wait averaged 12.00 assists and 4.67 digs per set while setting the Bluejay offense to a league-best .354 hitting last week. The junior had double-doubles in both contests. Wait has now been named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week four times in her career, including twice this season, as well as one Offensive Player of the Week recognition.
Breissinger led the BIG EAST with 5.33 digs per set last week in sweeps over DePaul and #25 Marquette as CU held those teams to 9.17 kills per set and .077 hitting. This is Breissinger's first collegiate honor.
A Shot In The Arm
Ellie Bichelmeyer's role has changed throughout the season. She's started 11 times, but also had four matches where she never saw the floor, but the fifth-year senior has stayed the course and it's paying off now
But since receiving a cortisone injection prior to CU's Oct. 13 match vs. Georgetown, she's literally given the Bluejay offense a shot in the arm.
During that stretch she's averaged 2.35 kills and 0.78 blocks per set while hitting .426, a huge uptick compared to her 1.19 kills and 0.31 blocks per set on on .138 hitting prior to that point.
In her last outing on Nov. 5 vs. No. 25 Marquette, Bichelmeyer had a season-high 14 kills, including seven putaways in CU's 26-24 third set victory. She hit .571 in the sweep.
Wait Wait, There's More
Junior Kendra Wait owns three straight double-doubles, giving her 50 in 91 matches as a Bluejay. That ranks seventh-most in program history.
Wait joins Kailey Reyes (4) and Melissa Weisensee (3) as one of three Bluejays with three different seasons of 15 or more double-dips.
Matches With a Double-Double, Career
D-D Name Years
65 Melissa Weisensee 1994-97
64 Kailey Reyes 1998-01
60 Melissa Walsh 1998-01
58 Jaali Winters 2015-18
57 Megan Bober 2009-12
56 Korie Lebeda 2005-08
50 Kendra Wait 2021-Present
Matches With a Double-Double, Season
D-D Name Year
24 Megan Bober 2012
21 Korie Lebeda 2006
20 Melissa Weisensee 1997
19 Melissa Walsh 1998
19 Megan Bober 2011
18 Melissa Walsh 1999
18 Korie Lebeda 2008
18 Kendra Wait 2022
17 Melissa Weisensee 1995
17 Kailey Reyes 1999
17 Melissa Weisensee 1996
17 Kailey Reyes 2001
17 Michelle Sicner 2013
17 Lydia Dimke 2016
17 Kendra Wait 2021
16 Michelle Prorock 1996
16 Abby Baumann 2006
16 Jaali Winters 2015
16 Jaali Winters 2018
15 Kailey Reyes 1998
15 Brittany Coleman 2003
15 Kailey Reyes 2000
15 Norah Sis 2021
15 Kendra Wait 2023
Milwaukee-Bound
Creighton has clinched a trip to the six-team BIG EAST Tournament later this month, which will be hosted by Marquette.
Not only that, but the Bluejays have assured itself a top-four seed.
Though its deadlocked in a three-way tie with St. John's and Marquette at the moment, the Bluejays currently control their own destiny to the top seed if it can win out thanks to a 2-1 record currently against SJU/MU. St. John's (1-1) would be the two seed as it stands now, while Marquette (1-2) would be the third seed.
That being said, a lot can change in the final two weeks as all three teams currently tied for first place still host a match against a team it lost to earlier this year. Only the top two teams will receive a bye into the semifinals.
Remaining Schedules
Team This Week Next Week
Creighton: @SHU, @SJU XU, BU
St. John's: @SHU, CU @MU, @DPU
Marquette: @GU, @VU SJU, SHU
Good Start = Better Finish
Creighton has won the first point of a set 58.1 percent of the time (50/86), and when that occurs, good things happen.
Creighton is 44-6 (.880) in sets this season when winning the opening point of a set, including 25 in a row.
On the other hand Creighton is still a pretty healthy 24-12 (.667) when the opponent takes a 1-0 lead in a set.
A BIG Weekend
Not only did it post a pair of 3-0 wins last weekend, but Creighton also dominated the statistical categories within the league.
Creighton had the top three players in hitting percentage last week, Kiana Schmitt (.571), Ellie Bichelmeyer (.517) and Kiara Reinhardt (.500).
Additionally, Norah Sis led the BIG EAST in kills per set (4.67), Kendra Wait topped the conference in assists per set (12.00) and Sydney Breissinger was first in digs per set (5.00) last week.
As a team, Creighton led the conference last week in hitting percentage (.354), opponent hitting percentage (.077), assists per set (15.50), kills per set (16.67) and digs per set (19.83), not to mention winning percentage (1.000).
Sponsored By The Number 20
Currently 21-4, here's a few facts about Creighton Volleyball and the 20-win milestone it reached on Nov. 3rd:
• Since restarting its program in 1994 Creighton has reached 20 or more wins 14 times, all of which have happened in the 21 seasons under Kirsten Bernthal Booth.
• The only time in the last 12 seasons (including 2023) that Creighton didn't win 20 matches was the COVID-affected 2020 season (played in the Spring of 2021), when it finished 12-4.
• The quickest that Creighton has reached 20 victories is 23 matches, done in 2012, 2021 and 2022. This year's team did it in 24 matches.
• Entering 2023, the only teams to win 20 or more matches each of the last 11 seasons (2012-2022) has been Florida, Kentucky, Texas, Washington and Western Kentucky. The only teams to do it 10 times in that span have been BYU, Creighton, Marquette, Minnesota, Nebraska and Penn State.
BIG EAST'S Best
Since the reconfiguration of the BIG EAST in the summer of 2013, Creighton, Marquette and St. John's are the only teams to win any sort of BIG EAST volleyball title.
Marquette won the regular-season and tournament title in 2013, while Creighton swept both titles in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2020. CU won the 2019 regular-season crown, while St. John's upset nationally-ranked Creighton and Marquette to bring home the 2019 tournament title. In 2020, Creighton won the Midwest Division regular-season title, while St. John's claimed the East Division crown. In both 2021 and 2022, Creighton and Marquette shared the regular-season title and CU won the tourney title.
Below is a look at the record of each BIG EAST team since league realignment in 2013:
BIG EAST VB Standings, 2013 - Nov. 7, 2023
BIG EAST only All matches
Team (NCAA Bids) W L W L
Creighton (10) 166 16 275 69
Marquette (9) 149 30 254 82
Xavier 106 74 167 149
Butler 95 87 168 152
St. John's (1) 93 89 194 143
Villanova (1) 90 92 170 145
Seton Hall (1) 79 102 154 166
DePaul 52 130 123 184
Georgetown 39 135 99 199
Connecticut# 29 29 52 51
Providence* 28 138 103 185
*Providence rejoined the league for volleyball in 2014 and
its 2013 overall record (12-20) is not included above.
#Connecticut rejoined the league in 2020 and
its record from 2013-19 (96-121) is not included above.
9 Straight BIG EAST Regular-Season Titles
Regular-season champions from 2014-22, Creighton is the first team in BIG EAST volleyball history to win nine straight regular-season titles. The previous record had been seven by Notre Dame from 1999-2005.
The Bluejay volleyball team is also the first Creighton program in any sport to win nine or more straight league titles, surpassing the five in a row by the men's soccer program (1992-96).
The only other teams nationally with an active streak of more than four straight regular-season league titles are Texas (Big 12) and Kentucky (SEC), both with six.
Against The BIG EAST
Since the BIG EAST was restructured in 2013, Creighton owns a record better than .500 against each of the other teams currently in the BIG EAST.
The Bluejays own 183 wins against BIG EAST competition (including BIG EAST Championship play) since 2013, 28 more wins than Marquette for most in the league.
CU still has not lost to three league foes (DePaul, Georgetown, Providence) since joining the BIG EAST, and Marquette (6), Villanova (3), Seton Hall (3) and St. John's (3) are the only BIG EAST programs to top the Bluejays multiple times since 2013.
Opponent Reg. Season BE Tourney Total
Butler 19-1 - 19-1
Connecticut 3-1 1-0 4-1
DePaul 22-0 1-0 23-0
Georgetown 20-0 - 20-0
Marquette 17-5 6-1 23-6
Providence 16-0 - 16-0
Seton Hall 16-3 2-0 18-3
St. John's 17-2 0-1 17-3
Villanova 17-3 3-0 20-3
Xavier 19-1 4-0 23-1
Total 166-16 17-2 183-18
Champions Among Champions
Since the start of the 2012 season, Creighton, Texas and Western Kentucky are the nation's only schools to have won 10 conference regular-season titles. All but three of Creighton's nine crowns were outright titles, whereas Texas shared one title and WKU shared five.
Creighton has also won nine conference tournament titles since 2012, the most in the nation.
Most Conference Titles 2012-2022
Regular-Season League Tournament
10 (3 shared) Creighton 9 Creighton
10 (1) Texas 8 Dayton
10 (5) Western Kentucky 8 Western Kentucky
9 Fairfield 7 Fairfield
8 BYU 6 American
8 (1) Colorado State 6 LIU
No Losers Here
Creighton and Marquette have been nearly as good as anyone at avoiding losses in recent seasons.
Creighton, Louisville, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Texas, Towson, Western Kentucky and Wisconsin were the nation's only teams with five losses or less in the 2020, 2021 and 2022 seasons.
If you go back two years more, the nation's only teams to lose six times or less in the 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 seasons are Creighton, Pittsburgh and Texas.
What's A Poll Really Mean?
This year marks the third time in the last 11 years that Creighton was picked second in the BIG EAST behind Marquette.
In 2018 Creighton went 20-0 against BIG EAST teams, including a 3-0 mark over Marquette.
In 2019 Creighton went 17-2 against BIG EAST teams, including a 2-0 record vs. Marquette.
All Or Nothing
Incredibly, Creighton has played 40 straight contests against BIG EAST competition since last playing a match to end in exactly four sets.
This year's schedule has featured 13 league sweeps and one 3-2 contest.
Last year's schedule featured 16 sweeps and four matches against league teams to go five sets.
And looking back at 2021, CU's final six matches against the BIG EAST were 3-0 sweeps.
Creighton's last four-set contest against a league play foe on Nov. 7, 2021, a 3-1 home win vs. Butler.
Six of Seton Hall's last 10 matches have been exactly four sets,
Against Ranked Foes
After a total of three top-25 wins from 1994-2014, Creighton has earned at least one top-25 win each of the last nine seasons (2015-23). That includes a record-tying four top-25 victories in 2019.
Creighton is 26-85 all-time against ranked teams and 14 of those top 25 wins all-time have come against either Marquette (9) or Kentucky (5).
The highest ranked teams that Creighton has ever beaten at any site were No. 3 Washington (8/26/17 in Seattle) and No. 3 Kentucky (9/4/21 in Lexington). CU's highest-ranked opponent it has defeated at home was a 3-1 win over then-No. 9 Marquette on Nov. 22, 2019.
This year is the seventh season that CU owns multiple Top-25 victories. The Jays beat three Top 25 teams in 2017, 2022 and 2023, and a record four in 2018 and 2019.
Top 25 History
Creighton is 193-44 all-time when playing as a ranked team, and also 21-24 all-time against ranked teams when ranked itself. That mark improves to 2-1 when both Creighton and its opponent are ranked in the top 10.
Since the start of the 2012 season, 39 of Creighton's 73 losses have come against ranked teams. In that same period, Creighton is 280-34 against unranked teams. Creighton has won all but three of its past 102 home matches over unranked teams and all but 13 of its last 142 matches at all sites against unranked teams.
Ranked vs. Ranked (CU is 21-24)
Home: 9-9 Away: 7-9 Neutral: 5-6
Date Winner Loser CU Score
11/19/12 #11 Minnesota #21 Creighton 1-3
08/30/13 #25 Creighton #13 BYU 3-1
09/14/13 #11 UCLA #24 Creighton 1-3
09/16/13 #7 Hawaii #23 Creighton 2-3
08/30/14 #22 Kansas #23 Creighton 1-3
09/03/16 #23 Kentucky #22 Creighton 0-3
12/02/16 #21 Creighton #4 Kansas 3-2
12/09/16 #21 Creighton #17 Michigan 3-2
12/10/16 #5 Texas #21 Creighton 0-3
08/26/17 #9 Creighton #3 Washington 3-1
09/01/17 #7 Creighton #13 Kentucky 3-0
09/02/17 #18 USC #7 Creighton 0-3
09/08/17 #17 Purdue #9 Creighton 1-3
09/09/17 #9 Creighton #7 Kansas 3-0
09/16/17 #19 Iowa State #8 Creighton 2-3
12/12/17 #12 Michigan St. #15 Creighton 1-3
08/24/18 #13 Creighton #5 Kentucky 3-2
08/25/18 #10 USC #13 Creighton 2-3
09/06/18 #7 Nebraska #14 Creighton 2-3
09/15/18 #8 Illinois #10 Creighton 1-3
09/23/18 #10 Creighton #21 Marquette 3-0
10/26/18 #10 Creighton #18 Marquette 3-1
11/24/18 #9 Creighton #16 Marquette 3-1
12/01/18 #22 Washington #9 Creighton 0-3
08/30/19 #2 Nebraska #18 Creighton 1-3
08/31/19 #20 Baylor #18 Creighton 0-3
09/06/19 #23 Creighton #12 Kentucky 3-1
09/07/19 #23 Creighton #15 USC 3-1
09/14/19 #12 Washington #17 Creighton 1-3
10/12/19 #13 Creighton #10 Marquette 3-2
11/22/19 #12 Creighton #9 Marquette 3-1
12/07/19 #7 Minnesota #15 Creighton 2-3
02/05/21 #19 Creighton #25 Marquette 3-2
02/06/21 #25 Marquette #19 Creighton 0-3
09/08/21 #3 Nebraska #19 Creighton 0-3
09/02/22 #17 Creighton #25 USC 3-1
09/03/22 #16 Kentucky #17 Creighton 1-3
09/07/22 #2 Nebraska #17 Creighton 2-3
10/14/22 #21 Creighton #16 Marquette 3-2
11/19/22 #16 Marquette #11 Creighton 0-3
11/26/22 #15 Creighton #14 Marquette 3-2
08/26/23 #18 Creighton #16 Purdue 3-0
09/06/23 #4 Nebraska #16 Creighton 1-3
09/16/23 #14 Creighton #9 Minnesota 3-2
11/05/23 #17 Creighton #25 Marquette 3-0
Wait Reaches 1,000 Digs
Kendra Wait became the fifth player in program history to reach 3,000 career assists on Sept. 29th vs. St. John's. On Oct. 28 at Georgetown, she became the 16th player to reach 1,000 career digs. It came in her 89th career contest.
Creighton's Quickest Players To 1,000 Digs (Career)
Name MP Date Opponent
Bianca Rivera 53 11/08/08 Illinois State
Julianne Mandolfo 56 10/22/11 Evansville
Kate Elman 59 11/16/13 at Seton Hall
Nayka Benitez 60 11/27/10 at Northern Iowa
Brittany Witt 68 12/01/17 Coastal Carolina
Kailey Reyes 77 09/01/01 vs. Texas-San Antonio
Janeen Piller 80 09/25/04 at Missouri State
Melissa Walsh 85 09/08/01 at #24 Santa Clara
Kendra Wait 89 10/28/23 at Georgetown
Allie Oelke 95 09/04/10 vs. Iowa
Melissa Weisensee 97 10/04/97 at Missouri State
Sarah Schulze 101 11/13/09 Southern Illinois
Jaali Winters 103 11/25/17 at Marquette
Melanie Jereb 105 09/12/15 CSU Bakersfield
Korie Lebeda 108 10/17/08 Evansville
Megan Bober 118 10/27/12 Southern Illinois
Digs
Name Sets No. Years
1. Brittany Witt 471 2,079 2016-19
2. Kate Elman 464 2,054 2012-15
3. Janeen Piller 336 1,392 2001-04
4. Jaali Winters 494 1,386 2015-18
5. Allie Oelke 445 1,382 2007-10
6. Kailey Reyes 368 1,258 1998-01
7. Melissa Walsh 394 1,240 1998-01
8. Julianne Mandolfo 241 1,224 2010-11
9. Melissa Weisensee 411 1,223 1994-97
10. Melanie Jereb 471 1,218 2012-15
11. Korie Lebeda 428 1,130 2005-08
12. Megan Bober 480 1,123 2009-12
13. Bianca Rivera 207 1,118 2007-08
14. Sarah Schulze 398 1,056 2006-09
15. Nayka Benitez 233 1,053 2009-10
16. Kendra Wait 316 1,040 2021-23
Libero Roles Change
Creighton has used three different liberos during the course of the past four weekends, but hasn't lost a set during that time.
Ellie Bolton served as CU's libero the first 19 matches of the season before suffering an injury.
She was replaced by sophomore Sky McCune, who handled the role on Oct. 20-21.
Sydney Breissinger returned to the floor after missing six matches due to injury and has donned the alternate jersey the past two weekends. Breissinger became CU's first freshman to wear the libero jersey since Bolton did in the 2020 (Spring 2021) campaign.
This year marks the first time that the Bluejays have utilized three different women as a libero in the same season since the 2020 (Spring 2021) season, when Bolton (14 matches), Grace Nelson (3 matches) and Jaela Zimmerman (1 match) all did so.
This is just the third time since the libero was introduced to the college game in 2002 that Creighton has played three ore more women at libero in the same season, having done so in 2020 (see the above paragraph) as well as 2005, when five different women (Mallory Lahm, Brittany Coleman, Emily Greisch, Katie Mehal and Molly Lahr) all shared the role.
Sis Plays All Six
Junior Norah Sis made her long-awaited return to the front row on Oct. 20th, playing all six rotations for the first time in seven weeks (Sept. 1-3).
In the six matches she's played since, she's led all players in kills four times and also hit .400 or better three times.
Since returning to the front row, Sis ranks first in the BIG EAST in kills per set (4.33), first in points per set (5.03) and seventh in aces per set (0.39).
Since Sis returned overall, Creighton is 24-0 in those sets. Creighton leads all BIG EAST teams in hitting percentage, opponent hitting percentage, kills per set, blocks per set and assists per set in that time.
That's Why She's The MVP
Junior Norah Sis is a two-time BIG EAST Tournament MVP as well as the 2022 BIG EAST Player of the Year, so it should come as little surprise that Creighton's a better team when she's on the floor. The numbers show that to be true, as well.
Category With Sis Without Sis
Team Match Record 13-1 8-3
Team Set Record 41-6 27-12
Team Record vs Top 25 2-0 1-1
Team Set Record vs Top 25 6-0 4-5
Team's Set 1 Record 14-0 9-2
Percent of Points Won 57.1% 53.1%
Kills Per Set 15.45 13.00
Hitting Percentage .311 .224
Aces Per Set 1.72 1.15
Digs Per Set 17.19 16.10
Blocks Per Set 2.39 2.05
Opponents Blocks Per Set 1.21 1.88
Martin Kills Per Set 3.70 3.59
Martin Hitting Percentage .310 .210
Reinhardt Kills Per Set 1.67 1.10
Reinhardt Hitting Percentage .488 .220
Offensive Parity Works Wonders
Creighton has hit .356 over the course of its last nine matches, winning all 27 sets, and its parity has been a big reason why.
In that time seven different women own 33 kills or more,and all of those women are also hitting .265 or higher in that span.
Last Nine Matches
Name K E TA Pct.
Ava Martin 80 21 211 .280
Norah Sis 78 21 178 .320
Kiana Schmitt 74 13 134 .455
Ellie Bichelmeyer 54 11 101 .426
Kiara Reinhardt 50 4 91 .505
Destiny Ndam-Simpson 36 14 83 .265
Kendra Wait 33 5 72 .389
TEAM 411 93 893 .356
Offense Settles In
Creighton's offense has been on an absolute tear during the past eight matches.
During that span Creighton has hit .300 or better in 20 of the 24 sets and had 12 or more kills in all 24 sets.
The Bluejays have hit an insane .465 in the first set of those eight matches (125-20-255), surpassing the .600 mark while going without an attack error in three of the eight contests.
Opponent K E ATK PCT.
Georgetown 45 5 82 .488
Villanova 46 11 103 .340
at UConn 49 9 101 .396
at Providence 45 8 86 .430
at Villanova 41 5 73 .493
at Georgetown 41 13 107 .262
DePaul 46 9 115 .322
#25 Marquette 54 11 111 .387
Total 367 71 778 .380
Maser Steps Up
Katie Maser entered Oct. 20th with eight assists, seven digs and one ace in 32 career sets played over the previous three-plus seasons.
Normally a setter but pressed into defensive specialist's role after injuries to four key teammates, Maser proved she was more than up to the task. The Grand Island, Neb., native had six assists, eight digs and two aces while playing in all six sets.
Schmitt Joins Century Club
Senior Kiana Schmitt has played in 102 victories during her career, becoming the 10th Bluejay to appear in 100 triumphs.
Schmitt's current .872 winning percentage (102-15) in matches appeared in is easily the best, far outpacing the .820 win percentage for Taryn Kloth (109-24 from 2015-18).
Most Wins, Appeared In As A Player
W-L Pct. Name Years
116-26 .817 Naomi Hickman 2017-21
111-28 .799 Jaali Winters 2015-18
109-24 .820 Taryn Kloth 2015-18
109-25 .813 Brittany Witt 2016-19
107-25 .811 Megan Ballenger 2016-19
106-32 .768 Marysa Wilkinson 2014-17
104-34 .754 Lauren Smith 2013-16
102-15 .872 Kiana Schmitt 2019-Pres.
102-31 .767 Melanie Jereb 2012-15
101-31 .765 Ashley Jansen 2012-15
98-16 .860 Jaela Zimmerman 2018-22
Best Sets
Creighton has only had 10 sets in program history in which it has hit .654 or better, but two of those have come in the last eight matches.
Creighton hit .667 in the first set vs. Georgetown on Oct. 13 and .737 at Providence on Oct. 21st, also in the first set.
Best Team Hitting Percentage in a Set
% K-E-TA Opponent (Set #) Date
.818 18-0-22 at DePaul (1) 10/6/17
.737 14-0-19 at Providence (1) 10/21/23
.722 13-0-18 at Georgetown (5) 11/20/15
.714 10-0-14 vs. Northern Iowa (5) 9/5/14
.714 15-0-21 at DePaul (3) 10/11/19
.684 13-0-19 Eastern Illinois (2) 10/15/00
.682 15-0-22 Tulsa (3) 10/27/95
.667 18-2-24 Xavier (1) 9/28/22
.667 14-0-21 Georgetown (1) 10/13/23
.654 18-1-26 Bradley (3) 9/25/10
The Streak
Currently 12-2 in league play, Creighton has not lost three conference matches in the same season since 2013, when it finished 12-4 in its inaugural BIG EAST campaign.
(More Than) Halfway Home
Creighton has now played 14 of its 18 league matches on the docket.
The Bluejays have suffered one league loss or fewer in the second half of conference play during each of the previous nine seasons.
League Record by Year
Year 1st Half 2nd Half Place
1994 2-8 1-9 T-9th MVC
1995 3-7 3-7 T-7th MVC
1996 2-7 3-6 T-6th MVC
1997 6-3 4-5 T-3rd MVC
1998 2-7 3-6 8th MVC
1999 5-4 4-5 5th MVC
2000 5-4 5-4 T-4th MVC
2001 7-2 5-4 4th MVC
2002 1-8 1-8 T-9th MVC
2003 5-4 4-5 T-5th MVC
2004 5-4 5-4 5th MVC
2005 4-5 6-3 5th MVC
2006 7-2 5-4 4th MVC
2007 7-2 7-2 T-2nd MVC
2008 7-2 8-1 2nd MVC
2009 4-5 6-3 T-4th MVC
2010 7-2 6-3 3rd MVC
2011 6-3 6-3 4th MVC
2012 8-1 9-0 1st MVC
2013 6-2 6-2 T-2nd BIG EAST
2014 8-1 8-1 1st BIG EAST
2015 9-0 8-1 1st BIG EAST
2016 9-0 9-0 1st BIG EAST
2017 8-1 8-1 1st BIG EAST
2018 9-0 9-0 1st BIG EAST
2019 9-0 8-1 1st BIG EAST
2020 3-1 4-0 1st BIG EAST (Midwest)
2021 7-2 9-0 T-1st BIG EAST
2022 9-0 8-1 T-1st BIG EAST
2023 7-2 5-0 so far TBD
Total 177-89 173-89 --
Better and Better
Kiana Schmitt has established herself as one of the best middle blockers in the BIG EAST and beyond.
Schmitt had 10 kills and two blocks her entire freshman year in 2019, only seeing action in 18 sets. Schmitt has upped her numbers all five seasons and is currently posting career-high numbers across the board.
Year STARTS KPS PCT% BPS PPS
2019 0 .56 .409 .11 .61
2020 4 1.46 .299 .60 1.76
2021 19 1.64 .274 .84 2.09
2022 32 2.27 .317 .98 2.78
2023 25 2.70 .373 1.09 3.27
TOTAL 80 2.02 .323 .88 2.48
Following In Their Footsteps
Destiny Ndam-Simpson has led Creighton in kills in three of the last nine matches she's played in as the Westside High School product is developing into one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the conference.
Seeking to become CU's fourth BIG EAST Freshman of the Year in the last five seasons, Ndam-Simpson's stats compare similar to how CU's previous BIG EAST Freshmen of the Year performed.
After 25 Team Matches
Name,Year KPS DPS BPS PPS
D. Ndam-Simpson, 2023 2.39 .63 .44 2.64
A. Martin, 2022 2.30 .62 .25 2.45
N. Sis, 2021 3.62 2.94 .57 4.11
K. Davis, 2019 3.24 .98 .41 3.78
J. Winters, 2015 3.91 2.23 .46 4.32
Full Season Stats
Name,Year KPS DPS BPS PPS
D. Ndam-Simpson, 2023 2.39 .63 .44 2.64
A. Martin, 2022 2.49 .71 .25 2.65
N. Sis, 2021 3.75 2.96 .60 4.24
K. Davis, 2019 3.35 1.37 .41 3.89
J. Winters, 2015 4.07 2.49 .44 4.44
Freshmen Phenoms
Creighton's Destiny Ndam-Simpson ranks fourth among BIG EAST freshmen in kills per set.
Full Season Stats
Name,Year KPS DPS BPS PPS
A. Harrell, VU 3.30 2.10 .34 3.82
E. Ward, BU 2.59 2.31 .29 3.02
M. Taylor, PC 2.49 1.77 .22 2.94
D. Ndam-Simpson, CU 2.39 .63 .44 2.64
M. Ayro, UConn 2.37 .62 .26 2.54
Sans Sis, Ndam-Simpson & Schmitt Shined
Creighton went 8-3 in the 11 matches without two-time All-American Norah Sis, and the play of Destiny Ndam-Simpson and Kiana Schmitt was a key reason why.
Ndam-Simpson averaged 2.72 kills per set while Schmitt's averaged 2.69 kills per set on .351 hitting without Sis.
Helping to replace Sis' defensive production was setter Kendra Wait, averaged 3.79 digs per set in that span.
It Doesn't Seem Possible
Creighton is off to a 9-0 start at home this season and remains the only BIG EAST program that has yet to lose a home contest in 2023.
Believe it or not, this is the first time that Creighton has ever started 4-0 or better at home.
The previous best? Both the 2001 and 2014 Bluejay teams started 3-0 at home.
Home Sweet Home
Creighton is in its 11th season as a member of the BIG EAST since joining the league in the summer of 2013.
Since then, the Bluejays are 98-4 in home matches against BIG EAST teams (89-3 in the regular-season, 9-1 in the BIG EAST Tournament).
Since November of 2014, Creighton is 82-1 inside D.J. Sokol Arena against BIG EAST teams, which includes a 74-1 league mark and a 8-0 mark in the conference tournament. The only setback (on Feb. 6, 2021 vs. Marquette) was played as a non-conference match, only to be flipped to a league contest 19 days later.
Put another way, since enrolling at Creighton in 2018, Bluejay fifth-year senior Kiana Schmitt is 41-1 in home matches against BIG EAST teams (with 32 straight wins), and 123-22 in sets.
All They Do Is Win
Creighton has ranked as one of the nation's most successful programs since the start of the 2015 season.
Through matches of Nov. 6, Creighton ranks sixth nationally with 227 wins and seventh-best with an .817 win percentage.
Most Wins, Since Start of 2015 (through 11/6)
Rk. Wins Team
1. 249 Western Kentucky
2. 243 Nebraska
3. 235 Pittsburgh
4. 233 BYU
5. 230 Texas
6. 227 Creighton
7. 225 Wisconsin
8. 222 Stephen F. Austin
9. 217 Florida
10. 213 Minnesota
211 Florida Gulf Coast
Best Win Pct,. Since Start of 2015 (through 11/6)
Rk. Pct. Team W-L
1. .891 Texas 230-28
2. .880 Western Kentucky 249-34
3. .873 BYU 233-34
4. .859 Nebraska 243-40
5. .836 Pittsburgh 235-46
6. .833 Wisconsin 225-45
7. .817 Creighton 227-51
8. .810 Florida 217-51
9. .809 Stanford 212-50
10. .798 Towson 205-52
Putting The 0 In October And November
Creighton is 73-6 in the 10th month of the year since Oct. 1, 2016.
Creighton's been awfully good in the month of November too. Since Nov. 1, 2014, CU is 55-4 in the 11th month of the year..
Creighton has won 40 straight October home matches (since 10/15/11) and 35 consecutive home matches in November (since 11/23/14). Incredibly, Creighton is 105-10 in sets in those home November contests.
A Bunch of Winners
Creighton owned 58 wins during the previous two seasons, fourth-most in the nation in that span and trailing only Final Four qualifiers Louisville (63), Pitt (61) and Wisconsin (59).
The only teams with 27 or more wins each of the past two campaigns are Creighton, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Texas, UCF, Western Kentucky and Wisconsin.
Against NCAA Tournament Qualifiers
This year's team has at least 11 matches (Loyola Chicago, Purdue, Ball State, LSU, UNI, Nebraska, Iowa State, High Point, Minnesota and Marquette 2x) scheduled against teams that made the 2022 NCAA Tournament. So far, they're 9-2 against that group.
Each of the previous two times that Creighton had nine wins against teams coming off NCAA Tourney appearances (2015, 2016), it reached the Sweet 16 or beyond.
After going 3-35 against teams coming off NCAA Tournament bids prior to Kirsten Bernthal Booth's arrival, the Jays are 103-107 since.
Year W-L vs. Previous Season NCAA Teams
1994 0-4
1995 0-2
1996 0-2
1997 0-3
1998 0-5
1999 2-4
2000 0-4
2001 1-6
2002 0-5
2003 0-3
2004 2-2
2005 0-6
2006 4-6
2007 4-9
2008 6-8
2009 1-11
2010 4-7
2011 2-6
2012 8-3
2013 6-6
2014 4-5
2015 11-5
2016 10-7
2017 8-6
2018 8-5
2019 5-4
2020 3-1
2021 3-1
2022 5-4
2023 9-2 so far
TOTAL 106-142
TOTAL Under Booth 103-107
Avoiding Losing Streaks
One key to Creighton's extended success over the last decade has been its ability to bounce back after a loss.
The Bluejays have won their last 22 contests immediately following a loss and have not dropped consecutive matches since opening the season 0-2 to begin the 2019 campaign with back-to-back losses to No. 2 Nebraska and No. 20 Baylor in Lincoln, Neb.
By comparison, every other team in the BIG EAST has had a multi-match losing streak this season alone.
And if that's not enough, EVERY SINGLE OTHER TEAM in the country (all 343 of them) has had a multi-match losing streak since Creighton's last skid.
Creighton has not lost back-to-back matches against conference teams since a three-match losing streak in November of 2011.
Creighton has also won its last 14 matches after a five-set loss, a streak that dates back to early in the 2016 campaign.
Dishing 3,000
Junior setter Kendra Wait became the fifth player in Bluejay history to reach 3,000 assists in her career when she reached the milestone in the first set vs. St. John's on Sept. 29th.
Wait got there in 80 career matches, the third-fastest Bluejay player to that milestone.
Creighton's Quickest Players To 3,000 Assists (Career)
Name MP Date Opponent
Korie Lebeda 65 08/28/07 at Iowa State
Kailey Reyes 72 11/17/00 at Wichita State
Kendra Wait 80 09/29/23 St. John's
Melissa Weisensee 88 09/05/97 vs. UTSA
Megan Bober 90 11/04/11 Wichita State
The BIG EAST Beasts
The latest unofficial RPI has the BIG EAST as the nation's sixth-best conference, trailing only the Pac-12, SEC, Big 12, Big Ten and ACC.
Hitting Pretty
Creighton owns four 3-0 wins in the last seven weeks in which it has hit .430 or better, including a .488 mark vs. Georgetown on Oct. 13th and a .493 mark at Villanova on Oct. 27th that both rank top-four in program history.
Best Attack Percentage, Creighton History
.536 vs. Tulsa (41-4-69) (3s) 10-27-95
.495 vs. Liberty (57-8-99) (3s) 9-2-05
.493 at Villanova (41-5-73) 10-27-23
.488 vs. Georgetown (45-5-82) 10-13-23
.476 at DePaul (46-6-84) (3s) 10-6-17
.471 vs. Providence (36-4-68) (3s) 10-19-14
.467 vs. Seton Hall (48-5-92) (3s) 11-3-19
.4463 vs. Georgetown (62-8-121) (4s) 9-22-17
.4459 vs. Belmont (38-5-74) (3s) 9-8-17
.442 vs. High Point (48-10-86) (3s) 9-15-23
What's Your Twenty?
Sophomore Ava Martin has had 20 or more kills in four different matches this season, something only five other sophomores in program history have ever done.
Martin's five career efforts of 20 or more kills is already tied for eighth-most in program history.
Matches With 20+ Kills, Season
20+K Name Year
11 Leah Ratzlaff, So. 2003
9 Leah Ratzlaff, Jr. 2004
9 Jaali Winters, Fr. 2015
9 Norah Sis, So. 2022
8 Melissa Walsh, Jr. 2000
7 Melissa Walsh, So. 1999
7 Leah Ratzlaff, Sr. 2005
6 Kelly Goc, Jr. 2006
6 Jaali Winters, So. 2016
5 Kelly Goc, Sr. 2007
5 Taryn Kloth, Sr. 2018
4 Melissa Walsh, Fr. 1998
4 Melissa Walsh, Sr. 2001
4 Jessica Houts, So. 2006
4 Norah Sis, Fr. 2021
4 Ava Martin, So. 2023
Matches With 20+ Kills, Career
20+K Name Years
27 Leah Ratzlaff 2002-05
23 Melissa Walsh 1998-01
18 Jaali Winters 2015-18
14 Norah Sis 2021-Present
13 Kelly Goc 2004-07
10 JoDe Cieloha 1994-97
7 Taryn Kloth 2015-18
5 Jessica Houts 2005-09
5 Leah McNary 2011-14
5 Ava Martin 2022-Present
This Is 20/20
Junior Kendra Wait became the first player in Creighton history with three different matches in the same month with at least 20 assists and 20 digs when she did it in September.
Her seven such matches in her career are tied for the most in CU history with Melissa Weisensee and Kailey Reyes.
Most 20 Assist, 20 Dig Matches in a Season
4 Melissa Weisensee 1997
4 Kailey Reyes 2000
3 Kailey Reyes 1999
3 Kendra Wait 2022
3 Kendra Wait 2023
Most 20 Assist, 20 Dig Matches in a Career
7 Melissa Weisensee 1994-97
7 Kailey Reyes 1998-01
7 Kendra Wait 2021-Pres.
2 Brittany Coleman 2003-05
2 Michelle Sicner 2011-14
1 Korie Lebeda 2005-08
1 Lydia Dimke 2016-17
20 Assists, 20 Digs In A Match
A D Name Opp. Date
47 22 Melissa Weisensee Bradley (4s) 9/9/94
51 21 Melissa Weisensee at Wichita State (5s) 9/14/96
53 24 Melissa Weisensee at Indiana State (5s) 10/18/96
40 23 Melissa Weisensee at Drake (5s) 9/13/97
46 38 Melissa Weisensee Evansville (4s) 10/10/97
46 21 Melissa Weisensee Missouri State (4s) 10/31/97
65 22 Melissa Weisensee at Evansville (5s) 11/8/97
55 28 Kailey Reyes Evansville (5s) 9/11/99
65 24 Kailey Reyes Illinois State (4s) 9/24/99
40 21 Kailey Reyes Missouri State (4s) 11/6/99
49 28 Kailey Reyes at Illinois State (4s) 10/13/00
44 23 Kailey Reyes Bradley (4s) 10/28/00
64 23 Kailey Reyes at Evansville (5s) 11/4/00
45 20 Kailey Reyes vs. Evansville (4s) 11/24/00
54 22 Brittany Coleman at Illinois State (4s) 10/18/03
62 21 Brittany Coleman at So. Illinois (4s) 10/29/04
71 20 Korie Lebeda at Evansville (5s) 11/18/06
27 20 Michelle Sicner Illinois State (4s) 9/30/11
44 21 Michelle Sicner Xavier (4s) 11/29/13
41 20 Lydia Dimke vs. Wichita State (5s) 8/27/16
40 21 Kendra Wait at Marquette (4s) 10/29/21
59 36 Kendra Wait vs. Florida State (5s) 9/9/22
56 24 Kendra Wait at Rice (5s) 9/18/22
60 20 Kendra Wait #14 Marquette (5s) 11/26/22
43 22 Kendra Wait Northern Iowa (4s) 9/3/23
42 22 Kendra Wait at #9 Minnesota (5s) 9/16/23
45 26 Kendra Wait at Xavier (5s) 9/23/23
Bolting Down The Defense
After doing it five total times in the first three years of her career, senior Ellie Bolton already owns six matches of 20 or more digs this season.
Only six players in program history have more than 11 career matches with 20+ digs.
Matches With 20+ Digs, Career
20+D Name Years
41 Kate Elman 2012-15
32 Julianne Mandolfo 2010-11
27 Bianca Rivera 2007-08
27 Brittany Witt 2016-19
20 Janeen Piller 2001-04
19 Nayka Benitez 2009-10
11 Katie Mehal 2004-07
11 Ellie Bolton 2020-Pres.
9 Kailey Reyes 1998-01
Bolton One Of A Kind
Ellie Bolton has been doing damage of late behind the service line and in the back row. Not only has the senior libero had an ace in 17 of the last 18 matches she's played in, but she's also had 10 or more digs in 16 of her last 18 appearances as well.
Bolton's streak of 12 straight matches with an ace, the second-longest mark in team history, was snapped on Sept. 29 vs. St. John's.
Consecutive Matches With An Ace
15 Amanda Cvejdlik, Sept. 29-Nov. 18, 2006
12 Madelyn Cole - Oct. 27, 2018-Aug. 30, 2019
12 Madelyn Cole, Sept. 14-Oct. 25, 2019
12 Ellie Bolton, Aug. 26 - Sept. 23, 2023
11 Kim Whitman, Sept. 5-Oct. 4, 1998
11 Molly Moran, Oct. 7-Nov. 10, 2000
11 Julianne Mandolfo, Oct. 2-Nov. 13, 2010
Consecutive Matches, 10 or More Digs
43 Janeen Piller, Oct. 10, 2003-Nov. 26, 2004
32 Kate Elman, Aug. 24 - Nov. 30, 2012
30 Kate Elman, Sept. 30, 2013 - Sept. 12, 2014
27 Bianca Rivera, Aug. 24-Nov. 9, 2007
23 Julianne Mandolfo, Sept. 9-Nov. 24, 2011
21 Brittany Witt, Nov. 25, 2017 - Oct. 7, 2018
19 Bianca Rivera, Sept. 20-Nov. 28, 2008
18 Allie Oelke, Oct. 10, 2009-Aug. 28, 2010
16 Abby Bottomley, Aug. 27-Oct. 1, 2021
15 Abby Baumann, Sept. 15-Nov. 3, 2006
15 Katie Mehal, Oct. 6-Nov. 24, 2006
15 Nayka Benitez, Nov. 13, 2009-Sept. 10, 2010
15 Allie Oelke, Sept. 3-Oct. 16, 2010
14 Mallory Lahm, Oct. 4-Nov. 25, 2005
13 Nayka Benitez, Sept. 12-Oct. 23, 2009
12 Melanie Jereb, Oct. 12-Dec. 5, 2014
12 Kate Elman, Oct. 25-Dec, 11, 2015
12 Brittany Witt, Oct. 5-Nov. 12, 2017
11 Melissa Walsh, Oct. 24, 2000-Aug. 31, 2001
10 Kate Elman, Sept. 20-Oct. 17, 2015
10 Brittany Witt, Oct. 26 - Nov. 24, 2018
10 Ellie Bolton, Aug. 26, Sept. 16, 2023
Booth Earns 450th Win at CU
Kirsten Bernthal Booth enters this weekend with a 462-188 record on the Creighton sideline, reaching the 450-win milestone on Sept. 16 with a road win at No. 9 Minnesota. Booth has beaten 97 different schools while at Creighton.
Coaching alongside Booth for each of those wins is assistant coach Angie Oxley Behrens, who is also in her 21st season at CU.
Here's a look at Booth's record at the time of some of her milestone victories at Creighton:
W-L Opponent Date 1-1 vs. Auburn (in Ames, Iowa) 08/30/03
50-43 Jacksonville State 09/01/06
100-71 at Drake 10/31/08
150-108 Illinois State 09/30/11
200-123 Xavier 10/18/13
250-144 at Xavier 10/17/15
300-157 Villanova 09/24/17
350-167 Nebraska-Omaha 09/13/19
400-178 Marquette 10/10/21
450-186 at #9 Minnesota 09/16/23
Poll Votes Creighton 15th
Creighton rose two spots to 15th in this week's AVCA/TARAFLEX Top 25 poll.
Creighton started the season 18th in the AVCA Preseason Top 25 and has reached as high as 11th (Sept. 18th poll) this fall. It had been the highest ranking in the month of September for the program since it was 10th the final three weeks in September of 2018.
Creighton's best ranking ever is No. 7, done on Aug. 28, 2017. CU was last ranked in the top 10 on Nov. 25, 2019 when it was No. 10.
119 Weeks As A Ranked Team
Creighton is ranked in the most recent AVCA poll for the 119th time in program history. That's 38th-most of all programs in NCAA history.
All 119 rankings have occurred since 2012 and under the direction of Kirsten Bernthal Booth.
The Bluejays are one of 15 schools (along with Baylor, BYU, Florida, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Louisville, Nebraska, Oregon, Penn State, Pitt, Purdue, Stanford, Texas and Wisconsin) to have been ranked each of the last 42 polls.
Handful Named To All-Tournament Team
Creighton had five different student-athletes named to the All-Tournament Team at the Diet Coke Classic, which recognized players who were the best at each position.
Outside hitter Ava Martin was named Tournament MVP and joined on the list by middle blockers Ann Marie Remmes and Kiana Schmitt, libero Ellie Bolton and setter Kendra Wait.
En route to winning four preseason tournaments, Creighton's Ellie Bolton (Reamer Club Xtra Special Premier), Norah Sis (Bluejay Invitational) and Ava Martin (Diet Coke Classic) each picked up Tournament MVP accolades. It would have almost certainly been more, but the MN Hospitality Omaha Challenge did not recognize an All-Tournament Team.
Bouncing Back
The Creighton staff is quick to credit athletic performance coach Brad Schmidt for helping the team get stronger during the off-season and maintaining that strength during the season.
Need evidence of that? Since Aug. 25, 2018, Creighton is 20-2 in the match following a five-setter.
Hunting The Top 10
Including its Sept. 16th win at No. 9 Minnesota, Creighton is 9-35 all-time against top-10 teams, including a 9-28 mark under Kirsten Bernthal Booth.
Eight of the nine victories came away from home, including three sweeps. All four top-five triumphs were also away from home.
The list of top-10 wins is below. Notably, Creighton is also 7-2 in the match after a top-10 victory, falling only after the win at Kansas in 2017 and vs. Kentucky in 2018.
Date Opponent Score
09/05/15 vs. #10 Kentucky (Cedar Falls, Iowa) W 3-0
12/02/16 at #4 Kansas W 3-2
08/26/17 at #3 Washington W 3-1
09/09/17 at #7 Kansas W 3-0
08/24/18 vs. #5 Kentucky (Los Angeles, Calif.) W 3-2
10/12/19 at #10 Marquette W 3-2
11/22/19 #9 Marquette W 3-1
09/04/21 at #3 Kentucky W 3-0
09/16/23 at #9 Minnesota W 3-2
Tournament Tested
Creighton has played in 18 tournaments since the start of the 2021 calendar year, and won 13 of them.
The only events that CU has not won were the '2020 NCAA Tournament (won by Kentucky) , the 2022 Bluejay Invitational (won by Kentucky), the 2021 NCAA Tournament (won by Wisconsin), the 2022 NCAA Tournament (won by Texas) and the 2022 Rice adidas Invitational (won by Rice). Kentucky, Wisconsin and Texas are the last three NCAA champions.
Let's take a closer look:
Creighton Tournaments Since Jan. 1, 2021
Year Event CU Record (Place)
2021 BIG EAST Tournament 2-0 (1st)
2021 NCAA Tournament 0-1 (T-25th)
2021 Mizzou Invitational 3-0 (1st)
2021 Bluegrass Battle 3-0 (1st)
2021 Bluejay Invitational 3-0 (1st)
2021 Shocker Volleyball Classic 3-0 (1st)
2021 BIG EAST Tournament 2-0 (1st)
2021 NCAA Tournament 1-1 (T-17th)
2022 Rumble in the Rockies 3-0 (1st)
2022 Bluejay Invitational 2-1 (2nd)
2022 Omaha Invitational 2-0 (1st)
2022 Rice adidas Invitational 1-1 (2nd)
2022 BIG EAST Tournament 2-0 (1st)
2022 NCAA Tournament 0-1 (T-33rd)
2023 Reamer Club Xtra Special Premier 2-1 (1st)
2023 Bluejay Invitational 3-0 (1st)
2023 MN Hospitality Omaha Challenge 2-0 (1st)
2023 Diet Coke Challenge 2-0 (1st)
Collecting Hardware
Creighton won each of its first four tournaments of a season for the second time (2021, 2023) in the last three seasons after having never done it from 1994-2020.
Keep in mind that when Kirsten Bernthal Booth was hired in 2003, Creighton had been 17-33 in 15 regular-season tournaments all-time, with just one tournament title (the 2000 Iowa State Heritage Classic).
Jays Earn Tourney Titles
Creighton has opened the season by winning the Reamer Club Xtra Special Premier at Purdue on Aug. 25-27, followed by the Bluejay Invitational on Sept. 1-3, the MN Hospitality Omaha Challenge on Sept. 8-10 and then the Diet Coke Classic on Sept. 15-16.
It's the 12th straight season that Creighton has won at least one tournament, a streak that started in 2012. During that span, the Bluejays have won 29 tournament titles, not to mention 10 regular-season league crowns.
Creighton's Tournament Titles Since 2012
Year Titles Won Tourney Hosts
2012 3 USF, UNC, MVC
2013 1 BGSU
2014 1 CU, BIG EAST
2015 1 BIG EAST
2016 1 BIG EAST
2017 4 WASH, CU, KU, BIG EAST
2018 3 SMU, CU, BIG EAST
2019 2 UNI, CU
2020 1 BIG EAST
2021 5 MIZZ, UK, CU, WSU, BIG EAST
2022 3 WYO, UNO, BIG EAST
2023 4 Purdue, CU, UNO, MINN
Destined For Greatness?
Destiny Ndam-Simpson led Creighton with 13 kills in her first start on Sept. 6 at No. 4 Nebraska.
It was the most kills by a Bluejay in their first career start since sixth-year senior transfer Jazz Schmidt had 17 vs. Miami (Ohio) on Aug. 28, 2015.
Creighton's last freshman with 13 or more kills in their first career start was the woman that Ndam-Simpson replaced in the starting line-up that day, Norah Sis. Sis had 13 kills vs. Kansas City in her collegiate debut on Aug. 27, 2021.
Ndam-Simpson's 13 kills were the second-most ever against a ranked team by a Bluejay in their first career start, trailing only the 14 by Jess Bird in 2013 against No. 13 BYU.
Most Kills, First Career Start
K Name Opponent Date
17 Jaali Winters vs. Miami (Ohio) 8/28/15
17 Jazz Schmidt at Rice 9/18/22
15 Shannon Scrutton UW-Green Bay 8/31/96
15 Jessica Houts at Colorado 9/9/05
14 Jess Bird vs. #13 BYU 8/30/13
13 JoDe Cieloha vs. Chattanooga 9/2/94
13 Norah Sis vs. UMKC 8/27/21
13 Destiny Ndam-Simpson at #4 Nebraska 9/6/23
Simpson Starts Strong
Destiny Ndam-Simpson had double-figure kills in each of her first four career starts until it was snapped on Sept. 22 at Butler.
She's just the second player in program history with 10 or more kills in each of her first four starts, joining JoDe Cieloha (8 straight in 1994).
Higher & Higher
Creighton has had no shortage of pressure-packed situations thus far, as 17 of its 86 sets have been decided by exactly two points (going 12-5). That doesn't include four drama-filled fifth sets (going 2-2).
Creighton is also 8-4 this year in sets that require more than 25 points for a winner to emerge.
On Sept. 3rd vs. Northern Iowa, Creighton played in a 36-34 set that was its second-highest scoring set in program history. The only one with more points was a 38-36 second set win at Butler on Nov. 12, 2017.
The match vs. Northern Iowa featured 44 ties and 20 lead changes. That was the most ties since there were 46 on Oct. 12, 2019 at Marquette and the most lead changes since there were 23 vs. Butler on Nov. 12, 2017.
The Gauntlet Continues
Creighton faced another challenging non-conference schedule this fall.
All told, nine of Creighton's 11 non-conference opponents owned 20 or more wins last season, combining to go 240-112 (.682). Just four of the 11 non-conference matches were at home.
All 11 of the foes owned a top-85 RPI, 10 appeared in the postseason and four won a conference title last season. Creighton went 4-0 against league champs and 9-1 against the postseason qualifiers.
Three of the teams that Creighton faced in non-conference play still have not lost a league contest this fall (Nebraska, Northern Iowa, High Point).
Sis Ties Record At 1,000 Kill Milestone
Norah Sis became the 16th Bluejay ever to reach the 1,000 kill milestone when she did it on Sept. 2 vs. LSU.
Sis achieved the milestone in her 70th career match, tying Melissa Walsh for reaching 1,000 kills the fastest in program history.
Career Kills
Name Sets No. Years
1. Jaali Winters 494 1,843 2015-18
2. Leah Ratzlaff 409 1,622 2002-05
3. Melissa Walsh 394 1,596 1998-01
4. Taryn Kloth 462 1,427 2015-18
5. Kelly Goc 394 1,414 2004-07
6. Jessica Houts 451 1,385 2005-09
7. JoDe Cieloha 398 1,375 1994-97
8. Leah McNary 458 1,257 2011-14
9. Marysa Wilkinson 499 1,183 2014-17
10. Lauren Smith 511 1,160 2013-16
11. Allie Oelke 445 1,126 2007-10
12. Kelli Browning 424 1,104 2011-14
13. Norah Sis 276 1,097 2021-Pr.
14. Amanda Cvejdlik 343 1,029 2005-08
15. Shelly Kapler 388 1,000 1996-99
Jaela Zimmerman 357 1,000 2018-22
Creighton's Quickest Players To 1,000 Career Kills
Name MP Date Opponent
Melissa Walsh 70 10/15/00 Eastern Illinois
Norah Sis 70 09/02/23 LSU
Jaali Winters 73 08/25/17 vs. Saint Mary's
Leah Ratzlaff 76 10/22/04 Missouri State
JoDe Cieloha 83 09/13/97 at Drake
Kelly Goc 87 11/24/06 vs Northern Iowa
Jessica Houts 90 11/08/08 Illinois State
Leah McNary 96 09/12/14 Pepperdine
Amanda Cvejdlik 99 11/15/08 at Evansville
Shelly Kapler 103 11/18/99 vs. Missouri St.
Taryn Kloth 103 08/31/18 vs. NC State
Allie Oelke 107 10/09/10 Wichita State
Kelli Browning 110 10/26/14 DePaul
Jaela Zimmerman 111 11/13/22 Seton Hall
Lauren Smith 119 10/07/16 at Villanova
Marysa Wilkinson 120 09/30/17 at St. John's
My Favorite Martin
Ava Martin started her sophomore season with matches of 14 (Loyola), 15 (Purdue), 20 (Duke), 16 (Ball State), 16 (LSU) and 22 (UNI) kills. Martin also finished her freshman season last fall with matches of 22 (Marquette) and 14 (Auburn) kills.
Both those items put her in select company.
Martin is the first Bluejay ever with four (or more...she ended at six) straight matches of 14 or more kills to start the season.
She's also the first Bluejay with eight straight matches of 14 or more kills in program history.
In those eight matches, Martin averaged 4.21 kills per set while hitting .287. Seven of the eight opponents were in the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
Preseason Ranking
Creighton was ranked 18th in the AVCA preseason poll. It's the ninth time in the past 11 years that the Jays have been ranked in the preseason.
The No. 18 slotting was tied for the fourth-best preseason ranking in program history.
Over the last 15 seasons, 275-of-375 teams (73.3 percent) of teams have been in both the preseason and final polls, and since 2008 340-of-375 teams (90.7 percent) in the preseason top-25 polls would go on to reach the NCAA Tournament, as all but No. 12 UCLA, No. 17 Illinois and No. 22 Utah reached the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
This year marks the 12th straight season that CU has been ranked at least one week, extending a program record.
Year Preseason Rank Final W-L Final Rank
2013 25th 23-9 NR
2014 23rd 25-9 NR
2016 18th 27-9 9th
2017 9th 26-7 16th
2018 13th 29-5 13th
2019 18th 25-6 16th
2020 16th 12-4 NR
2022 18th 27-5 21st
2023 18th TBD TBD
A Head Start
Creighton got a leg up on the competition thanks to having 10 extra practices in May and a trip to Italy and Slovenia from May 31 - June 11th.
Every member of the current team except Emma Ziegler was on the trip, which also included four matches.
Believe The Hype
Creighton's recruiting class of freshmen Sydney Breissinger, Audrey Clark, Jaya Johnson, Destiny Ndam-Simpson and Ava TeStrake was recognized as the nation's No. 22 class by PrepVolleyball.
Ndam-Simpson was listed as the nation's No. 21 recruit, TeStrake was tabbed 37th-best and Breissinger No. 139. Creighton now owns nine players on its 2023 roster who were Top 150 recruits by PrepVolleyball.
Top-100 PrepVolleyball.com Senior Aces
(list started in 2004; expanded to 150 in 2021)
Rank Year Player
68 2004 Carolyn Decker
55 2008 Laurel Sanford
60 2011 Michelle Sicner
73 2013 Jess Bird
50 2014 Lydia Dimke*
18 2015 Taryn Kloth
41 2015 Jaali Winters
77 2016 Erica Kostelac#
98 2017 Naomi Hickman
99 2017 Steph Gaston
49 2018 Jaela Zimmerman
42 2018 Keeley Davis
46 2020 Kiara Reinhardt
97 2020 Ellie Bolton
7 2021 Kendra Wait
28 2021 Norah Sis
31 2021 Eve Magill
41 2022 Ava Martin
55 2022 Sky McCune
21 2023 Destiny Ndam-Simpson
37 2023 Ava TeStrake
139 2023 Sydney Breissinger
* signed with Purdue and later transferred to Creighton
# signed with Cincinnati and later transferred to Creighton
current Bluejays in bold italic
PrepVolleyball.com Recruiting Rankings
(list started in 2004)
Year Rank Freshman Recruits
2004 Best of the Rest (Baumann, Decker, Goc, Lahm, Mehal)
2005 Honorable-Mention (Cvejdlik, Houts, Lebeda)
2006 None (Bloemke, Schulze, Workman)
2007 None (Feldman, Oelke, Vrbicky)
2008 Highest Honorable-Mention (Almgren, Bober, Sanford)
2009 Highest HM Boggs, Greisch, Moon, Templeton, Thorson)
2010 High HM (Fliss, Hackbarth, Malm, Mandolfo, S. Smith)
2011 Highest HM (Browning, McNary, Neisler, Sicner, Stivers)
2012 High Honorable-Mention (Elman, Jansen, Jereb, L. Smith)
2013 None (Bird, Crawford, Foje)
2014 Highest Honorable-Mention (Lawrence, Tupper, Wilkinson)
2015 11th (Ballenger, Bohnet, Kloth, O'Connell, Winters)
2016 High Honorable-Mention (Conlon, Taylor, Witt)
2017 25th (Gaston, Hickman, Roumeliotis)
2018 10th (Davis, Welty, Zimmerman, Zumach)
2019 Highest HM (Bressman, Krause, Schmitt, Van Eekeren)
2020 27th (Bolton, Maser, Reinhardt, Skovsende)
2021 5th (Magill, Milner, Sis, Wait)
2022 24th (Colangelo, Martin, McCune, Remmes)
2023 22nd (Breissinger, Clark, Johnson, Ndam-Simpson, TeStrake)
Production Returns
Creighton returns 11-of-18 letterwinners to the court from last season, including five starters.
From last year's team, only Emily Bressman, Bethany Clapp, Keeley Davis, Jazz Schmidt, Megan Skovsende, Allison Whitten and Jaela Zimmerman are not back.
All told, of the seven categories listed below, Creighton returns 524.3 of a possible 700% back (74.9 percent).
Below is a breakdown of the production that is back:
Stat Returners Departures
Assists 1,384 (86.2%) 221 (13.8%)
Blocks 204 (84.3%) 38 (15.7%)
Matches Started 154 (80.2%) 192 (19.8%)
Kills 1,329 (77.6%) 383 (22.4%)
Points 1648 (76.9%) 494 (23.1%)
Aces 115 (61.2%) 73 (38.8%)
Digs 1142 (57.9%) 830 (42.1%)
11 Straight NCAA's
Creighton Volleyball has made the NCAA Tournament in each of the previous 11 seasons. They are the first women's team in any sport at Creighton to make 11 straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
The only other sport in Creighton history to make 11 straight NCAA Tournament appearances is the men's soccer program, which qualified in 17 straight seasons from 1992-2008.
Creighton is one of nine teams nationally to have appeared in each of the previous 11 NCAA Tournaments (2012-22). That group features BYU, Creighton, Florida, Kentucky, Nebraska, Penn State, San Diego, Texas and Washington.
There are also 13 schools that have appeared in 12 of the last 13 NCAA Tournaments, a group that includes Creighton, Florida State, Hawai'i, Minnesota, Purdue and Stanford.
Florida, Kentucky, Nebraska, Penn State, San Diego, Texas and Washington have appeared in every NCAA Tournament since at least 2010.
Setting The Table
Two-time All-BIG EAST selection Kendra Wait has started all 91 matches she's played in during her career, with Creighton going 79-12 in those contests.
Against Loyola (Chicago), Wait became the first Bluejay setter to start three straight season-openers since Megan Bober did so all four years of her career from 2009-12.
Besides Wait and Bober, the only other women to start three or more season-openers at setter have been Korie Lebeda (2005-08), Kailey Reyes (1998-2001) and Melissa Weisensee (1994-97).
2-0 Better Than 0-2
Creighton is 383-11 (.972) all-time when leading a match 2-0, including a 326-5 mark (.985) under Kirsten Bernthal Booth. CU is 249-3 when up 2-0 dating to September of 2009, and 127-1 all-time at D.J. Sokol Arena when up 2-0 at the break.
Per RichKern.com, Division I teams that won the first two sets won 95.0 percent of their matches from 2009-18.
Conversely, the Jays are 17-206 (.076) all-time when trailing a match 0-2, and 15-107 (.123) under Booth. Those 17 comebacks in program history from down 0-2 are listed below.
Date Opponent Sets 3-5 scores Coach
09/19/97 at Bradley 15-11, 15-13, 15-8 Wallace
10/01/99 at Drake 15-6, 17-15, 15-11 Wallace
09/03/04 vs. Montana 30-20, 30-21, 15-11 Booth
10/15/04 at Bradley 30-22, 30-23, 15-11 Booth
10/15/05 at So. Illinois 30-25, 30-24, 15-8 Booth
09/21/07 at No. Iowa 31-29, 30-26, 15-12 Booth
11/16/12 at Wichita St. 25-16, 25-20, 16-14 Booth
09/05/14 vs. No. Iowa 25-16, 25-22, 15-5 Booth
11/08/14 at Butler 25-16, 25-20, 15-13 Booth
09/20/15 Kansas State 25-23, 26-24, 15-13 Booth
10/09/15 DePaul 25-21, 25-12, 15-11 Booth
11/20/15 at Georgetown 30-28, 26-24, 15-7 Booth
10/13/17 Butler 25-21, 25-23, 15-9 Booth
10/18/18 Xavier 25-17, 25-17, 15-13 Booth
01/31/21 at So. Dakota 25-20, 25-23, 15-7 Booth
10/07/22 at UConn 25-15, 25-12, 15-13 Booth
10/14/22 #16 Marquette 25-19, 25-16, 15-8 Booth
Set 1 Result A Strong Indicator
Creighton is 393-36 (.916) overall under Kirsten Bernthal Booth when it wins set one. In that same time span, CU is just 69-152 (.312) under Booth when it drops the first set.
Per RichKern.com, Division I teams that lost the first set in 2018 won just 20.7 percent of their matches that season, and 20.2 percent of their matches from 2009-18.
Since Aug. 29, 2010, Creighton has gone 145-5 in its last 150 home matches when taking a 1-0 lead, losing only on Sept. 12, 2015 to Pacific, on Sept. 6, 2018 to No. 7 Nebraska and on Jan. 29, 2021 to South Dakota, on Sept. 3, 2022 to No. 16 Kentucky and on Dec. 2, 2022 to Auburn.
Creighton has gone 125-6 in its last 131 matches at all sites when winning the first set, compared to a 12-18 record in that same span when dropping the opener.
Creighton has gone 164-4 in its last 168 matches against unranked foes when winning the opening set.
Survival of the Fittest
Creighton has won nine matches under Kirsten Bernthal Booth after surviving an opponent's match point, including season-opening wins over No. 5 Kentucky in 2018 and vs. UTSA in 2011. Three of those other comeback wins have come against Wichita State.
On the other hand, Creighton is 462-3 under Booth when it reaches a match point opportunity, falling only when it wasted two match points on Sept. 4, 2010 to Iowa, two match points on Nov. 1, 2013 in a loss to St. John's, and two match points on Dec. 7, 2019 in an NCAA Tournament loss at No. 7 Minnesota.
Surviving Match Points, Under Booth
Date Opponent MP(s) Faced Final Set 5
08/30/03 vs. McNeese State 13-14, 15-16 18-16
10/10/03 Wichita State 13-14 16-14
10/13/06 at Wichita State 12-14, 13-14, 14-15 17-15
09/11/07 at Drake 13-14, 14-15 17-15
08/26/11 vs. UTSA 12-14, 13-14 16-14
11/16/12 at Wichita State 13-14 16-14
09/20/15 Kansas State 23-24 (4th set) 15-13
11/20/15 at Georgetown 23-24, 26-27 (4th set) 15-7
08/24/18 vs. #5 Kentucky 16-15, 19-18 22-20
Taking The Fifth
Creighton is 70-38 in five-set matches under Kirsten Bernthal Booth. That's impressive since Creighton had never finished a season with a winning record in fifth sets prior to Booth's arrival.
Creighton has won 19 of its last 27 true road matches to go five sets, including wins in 2012 over league rivals Northern Iowa, Wichita State and Missouri State, wins in 2013 at Denver and at Wichita State, wins in 2014 at Butler and at St. John's, a win at Georgetown in 2015, an NCAA Tournament win at No. 4 Kansas in 2016, 2017 victories at Butler, Georgetown and Marquette, a 2018 win at Butler, wins at UNI and No. 10 Marquette in 2019, at South Dakota in the 2020 campaign, at Omaha and UConn in 2022 and at No. 9 Minnesota in 2023.
It's also worth noting that Creighton is 19-5 all-time in five-set home matches at D.J. Sokol Arena.
Creighton's six victories in five-set matches last season broke the program record of five previously done in 2003, 2011 and 2015. The nine five-set matches in 2022 was also a record.
Below is a list of Creighton's record in five-set matches on a yearly basis:
Year Set 5 W-L Total W-L
1994 0-2 5-20
1995 0-2 11-19
1996 2-6 9-19
1997 3-5 15-13
1998 2-3 7-18
1999 3-3 13-15
2000 3-3 16-12
2001 1-1 14-13
2002 1-3 3-23
2003 5-1 12-18
2004 4-0 18-11
2005 3-1 16-14
2006 4-2 21-10
2007 2-0 21-10
2008 2-3 18-9
2009 1-4 14-17
2010 3-3 21-12
2011 5-2 17-14
2012 4-1 29-4
2013 3-2 23-9
2014 3-2 25-9
2015 5-2 27-9
2016 4-3 29-7
2017 4-1 26-7
2018 3-2 29-5
2019 2-1 25-6
2020 4-2 12-4
2021 1-1 31-4
2022 6-3 27-5
2023 2-2 21-4
Total 85-66 555-340
A Dozen, Cousin
Kirsten Bernthal Booth is in some select company, as she has directed her team to 12 NCAA Tournaments. That's more than any other coach in Creighton history.
Name Sport NCAA's @CU
Kirsten Bernthal Booth Volleyball 12
Bob Warming Men's Soccer 11
Greg McDermott Men's Basketball 8
Dana Altman Men's Basketball 7
Brent Vigness Softball 7
Elmar Bolowich Men's Soccer 6
Jim Flanery Women's Basketball 6
Climbing The List
Kirsten Bernthal Booth became Creighton Volleyball's winningest coach in the program's modern history on August 26, 2007, and hasn't let up. Booth owns 462 victories on the Bluejay sideline to rank fifth in school history across all sports.
Coach, Sport Victories (thru 11/7/23)
Brent Vigness, Softball 819
Ed Servais, Baseball 643*
Mary Higgins, Softball 564
Tom Lilly, Men's & Women's Tennis 528*#
Kirsten Bernthal Booth, Volleyball 462*
Jim Flanery, Women's Basketball 402*
Ed Hubbs, Men's & Women's Tennis 347
Dana Altman, Men's Basketball 327
*still active coaching at Creighton
#currently just the women's tennis coach
BIG EAST Preseason Poll
Creighton Volleyball was picked to finish second in the BIG EAST in a preseason poll of league coaches.
Creighton earned 4-of-11 first place votes and 94 of a possible 100 points. That was just behind of Marquette's 97 points and the other seven votes for first place.
Xavier (78) was picked third, just ahead of St. John's (64) and Connecticut (63). Rounding out the bottom half of the poll were DePaul (59), Villanova (46), Butler (40), Seton Hall (30), Providence (18) and Georgetown (16).
Creighton also had three women among the 12 members on the BIG EAST's preseason all-conference team in Ava Martin as well as unanimous selections Kendra Wait and Norah Sis. Sis was also tabbed the BIG EAST's Preseason Player of the Year for the second straight fall.
Creighton has finished in the spot predicted of it or better in the preseason poll in 18 of 20 years under Kirsten Bernthal Booth, including 10 years where it's finished exactly where it was picked.
Year Preseason Pick Finish Move
1994 11th 9th #2
1995 9th 7th #2
1996 9th 6th #3
1997 8th 3rd #5
1998 6th 8th i2
1999 T-7th 5th #2
2000 4th T-4th - -
2001 2nd 4th i2
2002 7th 9th i2
2003 9th T-5th #4
2004 5th 5th - -
2005 5th 5th - -
2006 4th 4th - -
2007 3rd T-2nd #1
2008 3rd 2nd #1
2009 4th T-4th - -
2010 4th 3rd #1
2011 3rd 4th i1
2012 4th 1st #3
2013 1st T-2nd i1
2014 1st 1st - -
2015 1st 1st - -
2016 1st 1st - -
2017 1st 1st - -
2018 2nd 1st #1
2019 2nd 1st #1
2020 1st (MW) 1st (MW) - -
2021 1st 1st - -
2022 1st 1st - -
2023 2nd ??? ???
Year-By-Year In Non-Conference Play
Despite annually facing one of the nation's toughest non-conference schedules, Creighton has continued to excel against elite competition.
Creighton is 10-13 against ranked non-conference foes over the last seven seasons after going 2-43 all-time vs. ranked teams in regular-season non-conference matches.
Non-Conference Records, By Year, Under Booth
Year Non-Con W-L vs. Ranked Non-Con Final W-L
2003 3-8 0-0 12-18
2004 8-2 0-1 18-11
2005 6-5 0-3 16-14
2006 8-3 0-1 21-10
2007 6-5 0-3 21-10
2008 3-5 0-3 18-9
2009 3-8 0-3 14-17
2010 5-5 0-1 21-12
2011 5-7 0-1 17-14
2012 9-2 0-1 29-4
2013 9-3 1-2 23-9
2014 7-6 0-5 25-9
2015 6-7 1-4 27-9
2016 6-6 0-4 29-7
2017 7-4 3-3 26-7
2018 8-4 1-3 29-5
2019 7-3 2-3 25-6
2020 3-2 0-0 12-4
2021 12-1 1-1 31-4
2022 8-3 1-2 27-5
2023 9-2 2-1 TBD
President Elect Booth
Creighton coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth is the current President-Elect of the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
Booth began her service on January 1, 2023, and will become AVCA President in 2024. She is part of the 17-member AVCA Board of Directors, which includes elected representatives, appointed voting members for Diversity Development and Legislation, and non-voting members for Education and Awards.
She will finish out her term as Past President in 2026.
Booth is in her 21st season as the head women's volleyball coach at Creighton.
Last Season Summary
Creighton went 27-5 last season, won a ninth straight BIG EAST regular-season title, won its eight BIG EAST Tournament in the past nine seasons, and played in its 11th consecutive NCAA Tournament.
Norah Sis was named BIG EAST Player of the Year and BIG EAST Tournament MVP. She was joined on the All-BIG EAST squad by Kiana Schmitt, Kendra Wait and BIG EAST Freshman of the Year Ava Martin.
CU posted three top-25 victories in the season, topping No. 25 USC (Sept. 2), No. 16 Marquette (Oct. 14) and No. 14 Marquette (Nov. 26).
Players Mentioned
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/ VolleyballCreighton vs. Kentucky Volleyball Press Conference - 12/13/25
Sunday, December 14
Creighton Volleyball NCAA Tournament Highlights vs. Kentucky, 12/13/25
Saturday, December 13
Kentucky Volleyball Media Availability - 12/12/25
Friday, December 12
Arizona State Volleyball Press Conference After Creighton Match - 12/11/25
Thursday, December 11
