Volleyball Opens 2012 in Tampa This Weekend
8/22/2012 4:57:00 PM | Volleyball
This Week -- USF Invitational
Aug. 24 4 pm Creighton vs. Central Florida Tampa, Fla.
Aug. 25 Noon Creighton at South Florida Tampa, Fla.
Aug. 25 6 pm Creighton vs. Wisconsin Tampa, Fla.
This Weekend
Creighton Volleyball opens the 2012 season on the road this weekend, as it heads to Tampa, Fla., to play in the USF Invitational.
Creighton (0-0) opens the regular-season on Friday with a 4 pm (Central) match against Central Florida (0-0).
On Saturday, Creighton faces host South Florida at Noon (Central) before closing its weekend with a 6 pm (Central) contest vs. Wisconsin.
All three matches will take place at The Corral (capacity 725).
Radio/Video Broadcast Information
Only Creighton's match on Saturday vs. South Florida will be broadcast. Fans would need to subscribe to USF's “Bullscast” package via gousfbulls.com for as low as $10.95.
Another, and probably better, option for Bluejay fans is to sign up for Creighton's “JaysVideo” subscription package on GoCreighton.com. Those subscribers will get all of Creighton's home streamed events, and will also be able to watch to Saturday's USF match at no additional charge.
CU begins its 23-match radio and 13-match video webcast schedule Aug. 31 vs. Syracuse.
Live Stats Information
All matches at the USF Invitational will have free live stats. Visit www.gocreighton.com and click on the Live Stats tab on the left-hand side of the page for links the exact links for Creighton's matches.
Scouting Creighton
Creighton returns nine letterwinners and five starters from last year's team that finished 17-14 overall and fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 12-6 league record. Creighton is picked fourth (of 10 teams) in the MVC this fall.
Spearheading the returners are seniors Megan Bober (2.36 kps., 6.65 aps., 2.46 dps., 0.66 bps.), Heather Thorson (2.12 kps., .275%, 0.83 bps.) and Brooke Boggs (2.17 dps). Bober is a two-time First-Team All-MVC pick and the lone Bluejay to earn Preseason All-MVC accolades this fall.
Other returning starters include junior Natalie Hackbarth (1.64 kps., 1.94 dps.) and sophomore Michelle Sicner (0.86 kps., 4.27 aps., 2.16 dps., 0.29 saps.).
A talented class of four true freshmen (Kate Elman, Ashley Jansen, Melanie Jereb and Lauren Smith) as well as redshirt freshman Lizzy Stivers are also expected to make immediate contributions.
Scouting Central Florida
UCF returns 10 letterwinners and five starters (plus its libero) from last year's team that finished 20-11 and turned heads nationally with an early-season sweep of third-ranked USC.
Leading those returners is OH Angelica Crump, a preseason All-Conference USA pick who averaged 4.34 kills per set last season to earn first-team all-league honors.
Also back is Second-Team All-Conference pick Evija Vilde (3.32 kps, 1.78 dps.) and All-Freshman honoree Delaina Sarden (2.30 kps., 1.00 bps.).
One player to keep an eye on is redshirt freshman OH Kayla Keller, who had 24 kills and 15 digs in last Saturday's Black and Gold Intra-squad scrimmage. Keller had 12 kills and 13 digs in her collegiate debut vs. USC last year, but would eventually take a medical hardship season due to an ankle injury.
Setter Rachel Vukson (11.97 aps.) is the Knights only starter from last year to depart, but it's expected she'll be replaced by redshirt sophomore Marie Reiterova (4.08 aps. in 2010).
The Knights are picked third of 12 teams in the Conference USA preseason poll, a poll headed by future (Sept. 8) Creighton opponent Tulsa.
Scouting South Florida
South Florida went 12-16 last season, including a 7-7 mark (tie-8th) in the Big East Conference. The Bulls welcome back eight letterwinners and four starters from that team.
The Bulls are picked ninth of 14 teams in the preseason Big East poll, with sophomore OH Valerie El Houssine (3.65 kps, 2.12 dps.) tabbed a preseason all-conference selection. El Houssine led the Big East as a freshman with 0.44 aces per set, a figure that ranked her 20th nationally.
Also back are starters OH J'beria Davis and RS Kayla Walton, in addition to MB Andrea Gomez Rodriguez (1.41 kps., 1.36 bps.).
This year's squad features 10 newcomers, including hightly-touted setter Natalia Soares and attacker Ciara Brown.
One other crucial newcomer is head coach Courtney Draper, who was hired in late June after the resignation of coach Claire Lessinger earlier that month.
Scouting Wisconsin
Wisconsin welcomes back 13-of-17 letterwinners and five starters (plus its libero) from its 2011 team that finished 16-16 and tied for eighth in the Big Ten with an 8-12 league mark.
Three women who averaged multiple kills return for the Badgers, a group that includes Ellen Chapman (2.83 kps, 1.51 dps.), Crystal Graff (2.63 kps., 2.22 dps.) and Alexis Mitchell (2.26 kps., 1.00 bps.). In all, the top five leaders in kills from 2011 are back for the Badgers.
Also back is setter Courtney Thomas (5.63 kps., 2.58 dps., 1.96 kps.), who had 35 assists and six kills in last Friday's Cardinal-White scrimmage.
Wisconsin was not picked among the top-six schools in the preseason poll released by the Big Ten, and also did not have a preseason all-league pick.
The Coaches
Creighton is coached by Kirsten Bernthal Booth (Truman State, 1997), who owns a 158-115 record entering her 10th season with the Bluejays. She became the program's all-time winningest coach on Aug. 25, 2007 with a 3-0 win over Stephen F. Austin and joined the 100-win club with an Oct. 31, 2008 win at Drake. She was named the 2010 CVU.com National Coach of the Year after leading Creighton to the second round during its first NCAA Tournament appearance.
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 helped by assistant coaches Tom Mendoza and Angie Oxley Behrens and volunteer assistant Amanda (Gates) Sjuts.
Central Florida is coached by Todd Dagenais, who enters his fifth year with a 63-62 mark. Last season he led the Knights to a 20-11 mark, its first 20-win season since 2003. He is assisted by Michelle Chatman and Nicki Holmes.
South Florida is coached by Courtney Draper, who is beginning her first year at the school. She served as head coach at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla., the previous eight seasons, and owns a 162-118 career mark when you include her first head coaching job at Jacksonville University in 2003. She is assisted by Brian Imperiale and Kelly Morrisroe.
Wisconsin is coached by Pete Waite, who begins his 14th season with the Badgers. He owns a 288-131 career record, and is 554-233 overall in a 24-year career including 11 years at Northern Illinois. His 554 wins are 19th among active Division I coaches, while his .705 winning percentage ranks 21st among active peers. Waite is assisted by Coley Pawlikowski, Dan Pawlikowski and Eli Sharping.
Series History vs. Central Florida
Creighton and UCF have never met.
Series History vs. South Florida
Creighton and USF have never met.
Series History vs. Wisconsin
Creighton and Wisconsin have never met.
Blue-White Scrimmage Summary
Blue topped White in all four sets (25-17, 25-18, 25-20, 25-16) of the annual Blue-White scrimmage, held last Friday night at D.J. Sokol Arena.
Senior Megan Bober, one of four players to see time exclusively for the Blue squad, finished with 36 assists, 11 digs, eight kills and four blocks.
Junior Natalie Hackbarth finished with a match-high 16 kills, while Heather Thorson had 11 kills and a match-high five blocks. Kelli Browning served up four aces, while Melanie Jereb had a match-best 19 digs.
Last Year Summary
Creighton went 17-14 last season, including a 12-6 mark in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Bluejays tied a program record with three First-Team All-MVC picks, as Megan Bober, Julianne Mandolfo and Laurel Sanford were all honored. In addition, Leah McNary and Michelle Sicner were both named to the MVC's All-Freshman Team.
How's This, For Starters?
Last season Creighton's opening match starting line-up consisted of Laurel Sanford, Katie Neisler, Heather Thorson, Megan Bober, Michelle Sicner and Brooke Boggs.
Though the team posted a 3-2 win over UTSA, it would be the only match all season that the Jays started that six person combination.
Season Opening History
With its 3-2 win over UTSA last year, Creighton improved its record to 10-8 in season-opening matches since restarting the program in 1994. Creighton head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth is 6-3 in opening matches and on a three-year winning streak.
Booth is 7-2 in Creighton's first match away from home, helping Creighton improve to 10-8 in such contests.
Creighton's three straight wins in season-openers is tied for the third-longest streak in the MVC with Bradley and Evansville. Northern Iowa has won its last nine openers, while Southern Illinois has won its past six lid-lifters.
Hello World!
Five of the 15 players on Creighton's 2012 team have never played a point at the Division I level. Freshmen Kate Elman, Ashley Jansen, Melanie Jereb, Lauren Smith and Lizzy Stivers could all make their Division I debut this Friday. Below is the current Creighton players and how they performed in their regular-season collegiate debuts.
Since 2000, the only true freshmen to start CU's season-opener have been Brittany Coleman (2003), Carolyn Decker (2004), Korie Lebeda (2005), Allie Oelke (2007), Brooke Boggs (2009), Heather Thorson (2009), Julianne Mandolfo (2010), Katie Neisler (2011) and Michelle Sicner (2011). Six of those nine women (Coleman, Decker, Lebeda, Oelke, Mandolfo and Sicner) went on to land a spot on the MVC's All-Freshman Team.
Records for a Bluejay debut can be found at the bottom of page three.
Year Name SP K E TA Pct. A SA DIG TB
2011 Kelli Browning 5 11 3 31 .258 0 0 1 6
2009 Megan Bober• 3 7 0 11 .636 32 0 2 1
2011 Katie Neisler• 5 5 5 24 .000 1 0 18 1
2009 Heather Thorson• 3 3 0 6 .500 0 0 0 2
2010 Savannah Smith 4 3 1 7 .286 0 0 1 2
2011 Leah McNary 2 2 2 6 .000 0 0 0 0
2009 Brooke Boggs• 3 0 0 0 --- 0 0 3 0
2009 Brittany Moon 1 0 0 0 --- 0 0 1 0
2010 Natalie Hackbarth 1 0 0 1 .000 0 0 0 0
2011 Michelle Sicner• 5 0 1 4 -.250 1 0 9 1
Regular-Season Tournament History
Creighton is 60-69 in the 43 regular-season tournaments it has participated in all-time, including a 6-6 mark last year. Kirsten Bernthal Booth's teams are 40-36 in 27 regular-season tournaments, including five titles.
The last tournament title came Sept. 9-10, 2006, when CU won the Blue Raider Bash hosted by Middle Tennessee with wins over Saint Louis, Miami (Ohio) and Middle Tennessee.
Creighton had won just two of 16 regular-season tournaments prior to Booth's arrival.
Preseason MVC Poll
Creighton has been picked fourth in a preseason poll of Missouri Valley Conference coaches. Defending regular-season champion Northern Iowa was the unanimous pick to win the league, with Missouri State second and Wichita State third. Creighton is fourth and Illinois State fifth. Rounding out the rest of the league was Southern Illinois, Bradley, Indiana State, Evansville and Drake.
In addition, Megan Bober was named preseason all-MVC. She joins Wichita State's Emily Adney as the lone players to repeat on last year's preseason All-Valley list.
Creighton has finished in the spot predicted of them or better in the preseason poll in eight of the past nine years.
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 ??? ???
Five For Fighting
Last season Creighton survived two match points to beat UTSA, 16-14, in the fifth set of its season-opener. That improved Creighton to 2-0 all-time in season-openers to go the distance, having also topped Montana in 2004.
McNary Returns Home
Creighton has one Florida native on the roster, as rising sophomore Leah McNary is a native of Tarpon Springs and attended Palm Harbor University, about 30-45 minutes from Tampa.
McNary is just the second Florida native to play for Creighton since the volleyball program's 1994 reinstatement, joining Tampa native Lauren Bloemke (2006-10).
This weekend will mark Creighton's first matches ever played in the state of Florida.
New Opportunity at Libero
The transfer of Julianne Mandolfo to Ohio State has given several women the opportunity to play at libero, as Brooke Boggs, Kate Elman, Ashley Jansen and Katie Neisler combined for 36 digs when playing libero during last week's Blue-White match.
Neither Boggs nor Neisler have ever donned the libero jersey in a regular-season match, while Elman and Jansen are true freshmen.
Since the libero became legal in 2002, the Jays have used multiple liberos in a season just three times (2005, 2006, 2010), and only used 10 different players in that role (Janeen Piller, Molly Lahr, Emily Greisch, Brittany Coleman, Mallory Lahm, Katie Mehal, Sarah Schulze, Bianca Rivera, Nayka Benitez, Julianne Mandolfo).
Rain, Rain, Go Away
In addition to facing three strong opponents on the court, Creighton could also have to battle Mother Nature in its trip to Tampa this weekend.
Tropical Storm Isaac is growing in the Atlantic Ocean, with a possible Monday landfall off of Florida's west coast. The Jays are scheduled to fly out early Sunday morning, hopefully beating the weather.
Strange as it may seem, it wouldn't be the first time Creighton was affected by an early-season Hurricane. In 2008, Creighton's trip to Nacogdoches, Texas on Sept. 12-13 was cancelled due to Hurricane Ike. The Jays would finish that year 18-9 and narrowly miss the NCAA Tournament after having matches vs. Oklahoma, Rice and host Stephen F. Austin cancelled.
The Votes Add Up
Creighton has six matches scheduled against teams that received votes in the preseason AVCA Top 25 poll.
Creighton will play No. 21 Northern Iowa in both Omaha and Cedar Falls, and also has a home-and-home series with vote-getter Wichita State.
Creighton also hosts No. 22 Kansas State on Sept. 1st, and plays vote-getter Tulsa on Sept. 8 in Greeley, Colo.
Taking The Fifth
Creighton is 29-16 in five-set matches under Kirsten Bernthal Booth, including a 5-2 mark last year. That's impressive since Creighton had never finished a season with a winning record in fifth sets prior to Booth's arrival.
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
Total 44-44 251-267
2-0 Better Than 0-2
Creighton is 162-8 (.953) all-time when leading a match 2-0, including a 103-2 mark under Kirsten Bernthal Booth. They own a 77-4 all-time mark in home matches they lead 2-0 in.
Conversely, the Jays are 6-169 (.034) all-time when trailing a match 0-2, including an 0-57 mark in those home matches. Those six comebacks 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
Survival of the Fittest
Creighton has won five matches under Kirsten Bernthal Booth after surviving an opponent's match point. On the other hand, Creighton is 158-1 under Booth when it reaches a match point opportunity, falling only when it wasted two match points on Sept. 4, 2010 to Iowa in an eventual 20-18 fifth set loss.
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
Production Returning
Creighton returns 9-of-14 letterwinners from last season. Below is a breakdown of the production that returns:
Stat Returners Departures
Assists 1287 (92.6%) 103 (7.4%)
Matches Started 142 (76.3%) 44 (23.7%)
Blocks 289 (63.6%) 108 (36.4%)
Kills 987 (66.2%) 505 (33.8%)
Points 1262.0 (65.7%) 659.0 (34.3%)
Aces 86 (65.2%) 46 (34.8%)
Digs 1186 (58.8%) 830 (41.2%)
Radio Broadcast Information
Brad Burwell and former Bluejay volleyball player Erin Swanson will broadcast at least 23 matches (13 home and 10 away) this season.
The matches will air on KZOT (1180 AM) and KOIL (1290 AM) and be webcast online at www.gocreighton.com as well. The pre-match show starts approximately 5-15 minutes before first serve. The post-match show also lasts about 15 minutes and includes post-match interviews.
A complete list of remaining matches follows:
2012 Volleyball Broadcast Schedule
Aug. 31 Syracuse (KOIL)
Sept. 1 Kansas State (KZOT)
Sept. 1 Denver (KOIL)
Sept. 7 vs. Ball State (KZOT)
Sept. 8 vs. Tulsa (KZOT)
Sept. 8 at Northern Colorado (KZOT)
Sept. 14 Missouri State (KZOT)
Sept. 15 Wichita State (KZOT)
Sept. 19 at Kansas (KZOT)
Sept. 22 Drake (KZOT)
Sept. 25 South Dakota (KZOT)
Oct. 5 Northern Iowa (KZOT)
Oct. 6 Bradley (KZOT)
Oct. 12 at Illinois State (KOIL)
Oct. 20 at Drake (KOIL)
Oct. 26 Evansville (KOIL)
Oct. 27 Southern Illinois (KOIL)
Nov. 2 at Bradley (KOIL)
Nov. 3 at Northern Iowa (KZOT)
Nov. 9 Indiana State (KZOT)
Nov. 10 Illinois State (KOIL)
Nov. 16 at Wichita State (KOIL)
Nov. 17 at Missouri State (KZOT)
Nov. 22-24 at MVC Tournament (KOIL)
Set 1 Result = Match Result
In its last 142 matches in which it wins set one, Creighton is 129-13. CU is 136-17 overall under Kirsten Bernthal Booth when they win set one. In that same time span, CU is just 22-98 under Booth when it drops the first set.
What's New?
Several rules have been modified for the 2012 season. Most noticeable is the following:
Referee Stand. Rule 1.5.4. The referee stand and platform must be distributed evenly behind the net pole. The ladder must be distributed evenly behind the back of the referee platform. Rationale: Some net systems currently have the referee stand and platform inside the net pole with the ladder on one side of the platform. This could create a potentially dangerous situation and uneven playing area for the team on the side of the ladder.
Use of Electronic Aids. Rule 6.1.5. Statistical data may be transmitted to the bench area from any location in the facility. Electronic audio communication or video transmission is prohibited. Electronic devices may be used in the bench areas during the match for statistical purposes. Rationale: Technology is changing quickly, and allowing statistical information to be transmitted is a current accepted practice.
Change of Team Areas Between Sets. Rule 9.2.4.4.1. The second referee conducts a new coin toss. The home team calls the coin toss for the deciding set. Rationale: The previous rule stated that the first referee had to instruct the second referee to conduct the coin toss. This rule change will align with the current practice.
Substitutions. Rule 11.3.2. Each team is entitled to 15 substitutions per set. Each player is allowed unlimited entries within the team limit. Rationale: The survey results showed a vast majority of coaches in favor of increasing the number of substitutions per set. Many programs are being asked to carry more student-athletes on their team roster. This change allows for increased playing opportunities. Associated Technique. Rule 18.3.6.11. The second referee notifies the appropriate coach(es) when the 12th through 15th team substitutions are made, and the first referee when the 15th substitution is made.
Hand Signals. Rule 18.1.5. If the fault is whistled by the first referee, he or she indicates the result of the play (point or replay) followed by the nature of the fault. The second referee mimics the first referee's signals. [Exception: The second referee does not mimic the signal for net serve].
Aug. 24 4 pm Creighton vs. Central Florida Tampa, Fla.
Aug. 25 Noon Creighton at South Florida Tampa, Fla.
Aug. 25 6 pm Creighton vs. Wisconsin Tampa, Fla.
This Weekend
Creighton Volleyball opens the 2012 season on the road this weekend, as it heads to Tampa, Fla., to play in the USF Invitational.
Creighton (0-0) opens the regular-season on Friday with a 4 pm (Central) match against Central Florida (0-0).
On Saturday, Creighton faces host South Florida at Noon (Central) before closing its weekend with a 6 pm (Central) contest vs. Wisconsin.
All three matches will take place at The Corral (capacity 725).
Radio/Video Broadcast Information
Only Creighton's match on Saturday vs. South Florida will be broadcast. Fans would need to subscribe to USF's “Bullscast” package via gousfbulls.com for as low as $10.95.
Another, and probably better, option for Bluejay fans is to sign up for Creighton's “JaysVideo” subscription package on GoCreighton.com. Those subscribers will get all of Creighton's home streamed events, and will also be able to watch to Saturday's USF match at no additional charge.
CU begins its 23-match radio and 13-match video webcast schedule Aug. 31 vs. Syracuse.
Live Stats Information
All matches at the USF Invitational will have free live stats. Visit www.gocreighton.com and click on the Live Stats tab on the left-hand side of the page for links the exact links for Creighton's matches.
Scouting Creighton
Creighton returns nine letterwinners and five starters from last year's team that finished 17-14 overall and fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 12-6 league record. Creighton is picked fourth (of 10 teams) in the MVC this fall.
Spearheading the returners are seniors Megan Bober (2.36 kps., 6.65 aps., 2.46 dps., 0.66 bps.), Heather Thorson (2.12 kps., .275%, 0.83 bps.) and Brooke Boggs (2.17 dps). Bober is a two-time First-Team All-MVC pick and the lone Bluejay to earn Preseason All-MVC accolades this fall.
Other returning starters include junior Natalie Hackbarth (1.64 kps., 1.94 dps.) and sophomore Michelle Sicner (0.86 kps., 4.27 aps., 2.16 dps., 0.29 saps.).
A talented class of four true freshmen (Kate Elman, Ashley Jansen, Melanie Jereb and Lauren Smith) as well as redshirt freshman Lizzy Stivers are also expected to make immediate contributions.
Scouting Central Florida
UCF returns 10 letterwinners and five starters (plus its libero) from last year's team that finished 20-11 and turned heads nationally with an early-season sweep of third-ranked USC.
Leading those returners is OH Angelica Crump, a preseason All-Conference USA pick who averaged 4.34 kills per set last season to earn first-team all-league honors.
Also back is Second-Team All-Conference pick Evija Vilde (3.32 kps, 1.78 dps.) and All-Freshman honoree Delaina Sarden (2.30 kps., 1.00 bps.).
One player to keep an eye on is redshirt freshman OH Kayla Keller, who had 24 kills and 15 digs in last Saturday's Black and Gold Intra-squad scrimmage. Keller had 12 kills and 13 digs in her collegiate debut vs. USC last year, but would eventually take a medical hardship season due to an ankle injury.
Setter Rachel Vukson (11.97 aps.) is the Knights only starter from last year to depart, but it's expected she'll be replaced by redshirt sophomore Marie Reiterova (4.08 aps. in 2010).
The Knights are picked third of 12 teams in the Conference USA preseason poll, a poll headed by future (Sept. 8) Creighton opponent Tulsa.
Scouting South Florida
South Florida went 12-16 last season, including a 7-7 mark (tie-8th) in the Big East Conference. The Bulls welcome back eight letterwinners and four starters from that team.
The Bulls are picked ninth of 14 teams in the preseason Big East poll, with sophomore OH Valerie El Houssine (3.65 kps, 2.12 dps.) tabbed a preseason all-conference selection. El Houssine led the Big East as a freshman with 0.44 aces per set, a figure that ranked her 20th nationally.
Also back are starters OH J'beria Davis and RS Kayla Walton, in addition to MB Andrea Gomez Rodriguez (1.41 kps., 1.36 bps.).
This year's squad features 10 newcomers, including hightly-touted setter Natalia Soares and attacker Ciara Brown.
One other crucial newcomer is head coach Courtney Draper, who was hired in late June after the resignation of coach Claire Lessinger earlier that month.
Scouting Wisconsin
Wisconsin welcomes back 13-of-17 letterwinners and five starters (plus its libero) from its 2011 team that finished 16-16 and tied for eighth in the Big Ten with an 8-12 league mark.
Three women who averaged multiple kills return for the Badgers, a group that includes Ellen Chapman (2.83 kps, 1.51 dps.), Crystal Graff (2.63 kps., 2.22 dps.) and Alexis Mitchell (2.26 kps., 1.00 bps.). In all, the top five leaders in kills from 2011 are back for the Badgers.
Also back is setter Courtney Thomas (5.63 kps., 2.58 dps., 1.96 kps.), who had 35 assists and six kills in last Friday's Cardinal-White scrimmage.
Wisconsin was not picked among the top-six schools in the preseason poll released by the Big Ten, and also did not have a preseason all-league pick.
The Coaches
Creighton is coached by Kirsten Bernthal Booth (Truman State, 1997), who owns a 158-115 record entering her 10th season with the Bluejays. She became the program's all-time winningest coach on Aug. 25, 2007 with a 3-0 win over Stephen F. Austin and joined the 100-win club with an Oct. 31, 2008 win at Drake. She was named the 2010 CVU.com National Coach of the Year after leading Creighton to the second round during its first NCAA Tournament appearance.
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 helped by assistant coaches Tom Mendoza and Angie Oxley Behrens and volunteer assistant Amanda (Gates) Sjuts.
Central Florida is coached by Todd Dagenais, who enters his fifth year with a 63-62 mark. Last season he led the Knights to a 20-11 mark, its first 20-win season since 2003. He is assisted by Michelle Chatman and Nicki Holmes.
South Florida is coached by Courtney Draper, who is beginning her first year at the school. She served as head coach at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla., the previous eight seasons, and owns a 162-118 career mark when you include her first head coaching job at Jacksonville University in 2003. She is assisted by Brian Imperiale and Kelly Morrisroe.
Wisconsin is coached by Pete Waite, who begins his 14th season with the Badgers. He owns a 288-131 career record, and is 554-233 overall in a 24-year career including 11 years at Northern Illinois. His 554 wins are 19th among active Division I coaches, while his .705 winning percentage ranks 21st among active peers. Waite is assisted by Coley Pawlikowski, Dan Pawlikowski and Eli Sharping.
Series History vs. Central Florida
Creighton and UCF have never met.
Series History vs. South Florida
Creighton and USF have never met.
Series History vs. Wisconsin
Creighton and Wisconsin have never met.
Blue-White Scrimmage Summary
Blue topped White in all four sets (25-17, 25-18, 25-20, 25-16) of the annual Blue-White scrimmage, held last Friday night at D.J. Sokol Arena.
Senior Megan Bober, one of four players to see time exclusively for the Blue squad, finished with 36 assists, 11 digs, eight kills and four blocks.
Junior Natalie Hackbarth finished with a match-high 16 kills, while Heather Thorson had 11 kills and a match-high five blocks. Kelli Browning served up four aces, while Melanie Jereb had a match-best 19 digs.
Last Year Summary
Creighton went 17-14 last season, including a 12-6 mark in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Bluejays tied a program record with three First-Team All-MVC picks, as Megan Bober, Julianne Mandolfo and Laurel Sanford were all honored. In addition, Leah McNary and Michelle Sicner were both named to the MVC's All-Freshman Team.
How's This, For Starters?
Last season Creighton's opening match starting line-up consisted of Laurel Sanford, Katie Neisler, Heather Thorson, Megan Bober, Michelle Sicner and Brooke Boggs.
Though the team posted a 3-2 win over UTSA, it would be the only match all season that the Jays started that six person combination.
Season Opening History
With its 3-2 win over UTSA last year, Creighton improved its record to 10-8 in season-opening matches since restarting the program in 1994. Creighton head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth is 6-3 in opening matches and on a three-year winning streak.
Booth is 7-2 in Creighton's first match away from home, helping Creighton improve to 10-8 in such contests.
Creighton's three straight wins in season-openers is tied for the third-longest streak in the MVC with Bradley and Evansville. Northern Iowa has won its last nine openers, while Southern Illinois has won its past six lid-lifters.
Hello World!
Five of the 15 players on Creighton's 2012 team have never played a point at the Division I level. Freshmen Kate Elman, Ashley Jansen, Melanie Jereb, Lauren Smith and Lizzy Stivers could all make their Division I debut this Friday. Below is the current Creighton players and how they performed in their regular-season collegiate debuts.
Since 2000, the only true freshmen to start CU's season-opener have been Brittany Coleman (2003), Carolyn Decker (2004), Korie Lebeda (2005), Allie Oelke (2007), Brooke Boggs (2009), Heather Thorson (2009), Julianne Mandolfo (2010), Katie Neisler (2011) and Michelle Sicner (2011). Six of those nine women (Coleman, Decker, Lebeda, Oelke, Mandolfo and Sicner) went on to land a spot on the MVC's All-Freshman Team.
Records for a Bluejay debut can be found at the bottom of page three.
Year Name SP K E TA Pct. A SA DIG TB
2011 Kelli Browning 5 11 3 31 .258 0 0 1 6
2009 Megan Bober• 3 7 0 11 .636 32 0 2 1
2011 Katie Neisler• 5 5 5 24 .000 1 0 18 1
2009 Heather Thorson• 3 3 0 6 .500 0 0 0 2
2010 Savannah Smith 4 3 1 7 .286 0 0 1 2
2011 Leah McNary 2 2 2 6 .000 0 0 0 0
2009 Brooke Boggs• 3 0 0 0 --- 0 0 3 0
2009 Brittany Moon 1 0 0 0 --- 0 0 1 0
2010 Natalie Hackbarth 1 0 0 1 .000 0 0 0 0
2011 Michelle Sicner• 5 0 1 4 -.250 1 0 9 1
Regular-Season Tournament History
Creighton is 60-69 in the 43 regular-season tournaments it has participated in all-time, including a 6-6 mark last year. Kirsten Bernthal Booth's teams are 40-36 in 27 regular-season tournaments, including five titles.
The last tournament title came Sept. 9-10, 2006, when CU won the Blue Raider Bash hosted by Middle Tennessee with wins over Saint Louis, Miami (Ohio) and Middle Tennessee.
Creighton had won just two of 16 regular-season tournaments prior to Booth's arrival.
Preseason MVC Poll
Creighton has been picked fourth in a preseason poll of Missouri Valley Conference coaches. Defending regular-season champion Northern Iowa was the unanimous pick to win the league, with Missouri State second and Wichita State third. Creighton is fourth and Illinois State fifth. Rounding out the rest of the league was Southern Illinois, Bradley, Indiana State, Evansville and Drake.
In addition, Megan Bober was named preseason all-MVC. She joins Wichita State's Emily Adney as the lone players to repeat on last year's preseason All-Valley list.
Creighton has finished in the spot predicted of them or better in the preseason poll in eight of the past nine years.
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 ??? ???
Five For Fighting
Last season Creighton survived two match points to beat UTSA, 16-14, in the fifth set of its season-opener. That improved Creighton to 2-0 all-time in season-openers to go the distance, having also topped Montana in 2004.
McNary Returns Home
Creighton has one Florida native on the roster, as rising sophomore Leah McNary is a native of Tarpon Springs and attended Palm Harbor University, about 30-45 minutes from Tampa.
McNary is just the second Florida native to play for Creighton since the volleyball program's 1994 reinstatement, joining Tampa native Lauren Bloemke (2006-10).
This weekend will mark Creighton's first matches ever played in the state of Florida.
New Opportunity at Libero
The transfer of Julianne Mandolfo to Ohio State has given several women the opportunity to play at libero, as Brooke Boggs, Kate Elman, Ashley Jansen and Katie Neisler combined for 36 digs when playing libero during last week's Blue-White match.
Neither Boggs nor Neisler have ever donned the libero jersey in a regular-season match, while Elman and Jansen are true freshmen.
Since the libero became legal in 2002, the Jays have used multiple liberos in a season just three times (2005, 2006, 2010), and only used 10 different players in that role (Janeen Piller, Molly Lahr, Emily Greisch, Brittany Coleman, Mallory Lahm, Katie Mehal, Sarah Schulze, Bianca Rivera, Nayka Benitez, Julianne Mandolfo).
Rain, Rain, Go Away
In addition to facing three strong opponents on the court, Creighton could also have to battle Mother Nature in its trip to Tampa this weekend.
Tropical Storm Isaac is growing in the Atlantic Ocean, with a possible Monday landfall off of Florida's west coast. The Jays are scheduled to fly out early Sunday morning, hopefully beating the weather.
Strange as it may seem, it wouldn't be the first time Creighton was affected by an early-season Hurricane. In 2008, Creighton's trip to Nacogdoches, Texas on Sept. 12-13 was cancelled due to Hurricane Ike. The Jays would finish that year 18-9 and narrowly miss the NCAA Tournament after having matches vs. Oklahoma, Rice and host Stephen F. Austin cancelled.
The Votes Add Up
Creighton has six matches scheduled against teams that received votes in the preseason AVCA Top 25 poll.
Creighton will play No. 21 Northern Iowa in both Omaha and Cedar Falls, and also has a home-and-home series with vote-getter Wichita State.
Creighton also hosts No. 22 Kansas State on Sept. 1st, and plays vote-getter Tulsa on Sept. 8 in Greeley, Colo.
Taking The Fifth
Creighton is 29-16 in five-set matches under Kirsten Bernthal Booth, including a 5-2 mark last year. That's impressive since Creighton had never finished a season with a winning record in fifth sets prior to Booth's arrival.
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
Total 44-44 251-267
2-0 Better Than 0-2
Creighton is 162-8 (.953) all-time when leading a match 2-0, including a 103-2 mark under Kirsten Bernthal Booth. They own a 77-4 all-time mark in home matches they lead 2-0 in.
Conversely, the Jays are 6-169 (.034) all-time when trailing a match 0-2, including an 0-57 mark in those home matches. Those six comebacks 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
Survival of the Fittest
Creighton has won five matches under Kirsten Bernthal Booth after surviving an opponent's match point. On the other hand, Creighton is 158-1 under Booth when it reaches a match point opportunity, falling only when it wasted two match points on Sept. 4, 2010 to Iowa in an eventual 20-18 fifth set loss.
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
Production Returning
Creighton returns 9-of-14 letterwinners from last season. Below is a breakdown of the production that returns:
Stat Returners Departures
Assists 1287 (92.6%) 103 (7.4%)
Matches Started 142 (76.3%) 44 (23.7%)
Blocks 289 (63.6%) 108 (36.4%)
Kills 987 (66.2%) 505 (33.8%)
Points 1262.0 (65.7%) 659.0 (34.3%)
Aces 86 (65.2%) 46 (34.8%)
Digs 1186 (58.8%) 830 (41.2%)
Radio Broadcast Information
Brad Burwell and former Bluejay volleyball player Erin Swanson will broadcast at least 23 matches (13 home and 10 away) this season.
The matches will air on KZOT (1180 AM) and KOIL (1290 AM) and be webcast online at www.gocreighton.com as well. The pre-match show starts approximately 5-15 minutes before first serve. The post-match show also lasts about 15 minutes and includes post-match interviews.
A complete list of remaining matches follows:
2012 Volleyball Broadcast Schedule
Aug. 31 Syracuse (KOIL)
Sept. 1 Kansas State (KZOT)
Sept. 1 Denver (KOIL)
Sept. 7 vs. Ball State (KZOT)
Sept. 8 vs. Tulsa (KZOT)
Sept. 8 at Northern Colorado (KZOT)
Sept. 14 Missouri State (KZOT)
Sept. 15 Wichita State (KZOT)
Sept. 19 at Kansas (KZOT)
Sept. 22 Drake (KZOT)
Sept. 25 South Dakota (KZOT)
Oct. 5 Northern Iowa (KZOT)
Oct. 6 Bradley (KZOT)
Oct. 12 at Illinois State (KOIL)
Oct. 20 at Drake (KOIL)
Oct. 26 Evansville (KOIL)
Oct. 27 Southern Illinois (KOIL)
Nov. 2 at Bradley (KOIL)
Nov. 3 at Northern Iowa (KZOT)
Nov. 9 Indiana State (KZOT)
Nov. 10 Illinois State (KOIL)
Nov. 16 at Wichita State (KOIL)
Nov. 17 at Missouri State (KZOT)
Nov. 22-24 at MVC Tournament (KOIL)
Set 1 Result = Match Result
In its last 142 matches in which it wins set one, Creighton is 129-13. CU is 136-17 overall under Kirsten Bernthal Booth when they win set one. In that same time span, CU is just 22-98 under Booth when it drops the first set.
What's New?
Several rules have been modified for the 2012 season. Most noticeable is the following:
Referee Stand. Rule 1.5.4. The referee stand and platform must be distributed evenly behind the net pole. The ladder must be distributed evenly behind the back of the referee platform. Rationale: Some net systems currently have the referee stand and platform inside the net pole with the ladder on one side of the platform. This could create a potentially dangerous situation and uneven playing area for the team on the side of the ladder.
Use of Electronic Aids. Rule 6.1.5. Statistical data may be transmitted to the bench area from any location in the facility. Electronic audio communication or video transmission is prohibited. Electronic devices may be used in the bench areas during the match for statistical purposes. Rationale: Technology is changing quickly, and allowing statistical information to be transmitted is a current accepted practice.
Change of Team Areas Between Sets. Rule 9.2.4.4.1. The second referee conducts a new coin toss. The home team calls the coin toss for the deciding set. Rationale: The previous rule stated that the first referee had to instruct the second referee to conduct the coin toss. This rule change will align with the current practice.
Substitutions. Rule 11.3.2. Each team is entitled to 15 substitutions per set. Each player is allowed unlimited entries within the team limit. Rationale: The survey results showed a vast majority of coaches in favor of increasing the number of substitutions per set. Many programs are being asked to carry more student-athletes on their team roster. This change allows for increased playing opportunities. Associated Technique. Rule 18.3.6.11. The second referee notifies the appropriate coach(es) when the 12th through 15th team substitutions are made, and the first referee when the 15th substitution is made.
Hand Signals. Rule 18.1.5. If the fault is whistled by the first referee, he or she indicates the result of the play (point or replay) followed by the nature of the fault. The second referee mimics the first referee's signals. [Exception: The second referee does not mimic the signal for net serve].
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
