Photo by: Creighton Athletics
Volleyball Signs All-American Libero
4/13/2009 6:15:00 PM | Volleyball
OMAHA, Neb. -- Nayka Benitez, an All-American libero at the junior college level, has signed a letter-of-intent to play volleyball at Creighton. Benitez has played the past two seasons at Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff, Neb., and will have two years of eligibility to play at Creighton.
She is the second player in three years from WNCC to sign with the Bluejays. Fellow San Juan, Puerto Rico native Bianca Rivera played at WNCC from 2005-06 and turned into a record-setting All-Region libero with the Bluejays.
Benitez was a 2008 NJCAA First-Team All-America and All-Region IX choice while playing at WNCC, leading the Division I junior college ranks with 108 aces while ranking fourth with 0.701 aces per set. Her 250 career aces are a school-record, while her 1,110 career digs make her one of just nine players in WNCC history to collect over 1,000 digs.
The Cougars went 113-6 in two seasons with Benitez in the line-up, including the 2007 national title (54-2) and a third-place finish in 2008 (59-4). During the 2007 title run, Benitez was named to the All-Tournament team at the national championship. She played for head coach Chris Green as a freshman and Giovana Melo as a sophomore.
Benitez, who stands 5'3”, also considered South Florida from the Big East Conference before selecting the Bluejays.
“I think Nayka will jump in and be one of the best liberos in the conference,” said Kirsten Bernthal Booth, Creighton's all-time winningest volleyball coach. “She has outstanding ball control and is a tremendous defensive player who encompasses what it takes to be a great libero.”
She joins three high school seniors who signed with the Creighton Volleyball program in the fall; Brooke Boggs (Wildwood, Mo.), Caitlin Templeton (Rapid City, S.D.) and Heather Thorson (Mead, Neb.).
Creighton finished the 2008 season with an 18-9 overall record and finished second in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 15-3 league record. Creighton's year-end RPI of 44 was second-best among teams not selected to last fall's NCAA Tournament.
She is the second player in three years from WNCC to sign with the Bluejays. Fellow San Juan, Puerto Rico native Bianca Rivera played at WNCC from 2005-06 and turned into a record-setting All-Region libero with the Bluejays.
Benitez was a 2008 NJCAA First-Team All-America and All-Region IX choice while playing at WNCC, leading the Division I junior college ranks with 108 aces while ranking fourth with 0.701 aces per set. Her 250 career aces are a school-record, while her 1,110 career digs make her one of just nine players in WNCC history to collect over 1,000 digs.
The Cougars went 113-6 in two seasons with Benitez in the line-up, including the 2007 national title (54-2) and a third-place finish in 2008 (59-4). During the 2007 title run, Benitez was named to the All-Tournament team at the national championship. She played for head coach Chris Green as a freshman and Giovana Melo as a sophomore.
Benitez, who stands 5'3”, also considered South Florida from the Big East Conference before selecting the Bluejays.
“I think Nayka will jump in and be one of the best liberos in the conference,” said Kirsten Bernthal Booth, Creighton's all-time winningest volleyball coach. “She has outstanding ball control and is a tremendous defensive player who encompasses what it takes to be a great libero.”
She joins three high school seniors who signed with the Creighton Volleyball program in the fall; Brooke Boggs (Wildwood, Mo.), Caitlin Templeton (Rapid City, S.D.) and Heather Thorson (Mead, Neb.).
Creighton finished the 2008 season with an 18-9 overall record and finished second in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 15-3 league record. Creighton's year-end RPI of 44 was second-best among teams not selected to last fall's NCAA Tournament.
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