Creighton University
Idaho State
Softball Opens 2022 Season at UTEP Invitational in Texas
2/10/2022 9:03:00 AM | Softball
Bluejays will play five days in three games
Up Next
Creighton opens the 2022 season with five games in three days at the UTEP Invitational, hosted by UTEP in El Paso, Texas.
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Game Schedule
Game #1 • Friday, Feb. 11 • Creighton vs. Idaho State • 2 p.m.
Game #2 • Friday, Feb. 11 • Creighton at UTEP • 8 p.m.
Game #3 • Saturday, Feb. 12 • Creighton vs. Abilene Christian • 2 p.m.
Game #4 • Saturday, Feb. 12 • Creighton at UTEP • 5 p.m.Â
Game #5 • Sunday, Feb. 13 • Creighton vs. Abilene Christian • 11 a.m.Â
*All times listed are Central Standard Time
Follow The Games
Friday and Saturday's games of the UTEP Invitational will feature a live stream. Live stats will also be available throughout via SIDEARM Sports.
Links to video and live stats can be found on the Creighton Softball schedule page.
Scoring updates and infographics will be provided via Twitter at @BluejaySoftball.
Scouting Creighton
The Creighton softball team earned the fourth position with 41 points in the 2022 BIG EAST Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll.
The Bluejays finished 2021 with an 8-7 record in league play to place fourth (14-14 overall) but missed the BIG EAST Conference tournament due to Covid. Creighton returns 13 letterwinners, including five position players who started at least 22 of last season's shortened 28-game schedule and All-BIG EAST selection Kailey Wilson.
Wilson paced the team and ranked second in the BIG EAST with a .432 batting average during league games last season. She made 27 starts as the designated player position, launching a team-high eight home runs and collecting 26 RBI, while holding a .747 slugging percentage while on her way to All-BIG EAST First Team honors. Â
Mikayla Santa Cruz and Jena Lawrence are the only returning pitchers to log significant innings in 2021 for the Bluejays and will have increased outputs this season after the departure of graduate Parker Boyd.Â
Creighton welcomes seven newcomers, which includes five true freshmen, one graduate transfer and one Division II transfer.Â
Head coach Brent Vigness enters his 29th season at the helm with 804 victories, the most of any coach across all sports in Creighton athletics history.
Scouting Idaho State
The Bengals were picked to finish seventh in the Big Sky Preseason Coaches Poll after finishing last season with an 12-27 overall record and an 6-12 record in league action.Â
Idaho State returns it top four pitchers from a season ago, including Mailee Newman who posted a team-best .348 batting average with three doubles, one home run and seven RBI, while tossing 74.1 innings in 22 games in the circle earning All-Big Sky Honorable Mentions honors.
Mareen Ramirez also returns to the circle for the Bengles. Ramireze compiled a 5.96 ERA during 71.2 innings of work.Â
Rheanne Lewis was one of just two players to start all 39 games for the Bengals last season. Lewis paced the team with 39 hits while ranking second with a .320 batting average and 20 runs scored.Â
Frankie Tago hit .311 with seven doubles, one triple and four home runs while also started all 39 games in 2021.
Head coach Andrew Rich is in his first season at the helm of Idaho State.
Series History Against Bangels
Creighton leads the all-time series against Idaho State, 2-0.Â
The two teams first met in 1982 at the Bartlesville Tournament in Oklahoma with the Bluejays claiming a 2-0 victory.Â
The last meeting between the Bangels and Bluejays came in 2010 at the Wilson/Demarini Invitational in Tempe, Arizona with Creighton picking up a 6-1 win.
Scouting UTEP
The Miners were selected 11th in the Conference USA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
UTEP finished 5-15 in conference play and 11-26 overall last season.
The Miners return 14 letterwinners from last season squad, while welcoming in nine newcomers to this years team.Â
Ilena Santos returns to the Miners after starting in 36 games and playing in all 37 contests last season. Santos ranked second in batting average (.301), on-base percentage (.422), doubles (seven) and walks (13) for the Miners a season ago.
Senior infielder Pate Cathey also returns after posting a .278 batting average with two home runs and 17 RBI. Cathey tied for first in the team lead with eight doubles and second on the squad with 30 hits. She was also tied for second in C-USA with three sacrifice flies.
Head coach T.J. Hubbard is in his fourth season with UTEP.
Series History Against Miners
Creighton and UTEP are tied 1-1 in the all-time series.
The Miners and the Bluejays first met in 2019 at the New Mexico State Invitational in Las Cruces, New Mexico.Â
The Miners topped the Bluejays 13-4 in the season-opener but Creighton responded with a 13-5 win the next day to even the series at 1-1.
Scouting Abilene Christian
The Wildcats were picked to finish third in the Western Athletic Conference Southwest Division.
Abilene Christian posted a 14-33 record in 2021, including a 10-17 mark in WAC play.
The Wildcats have an abundance of youth and a new-look as they enter the 2022 season with 12 newcomers.
The biggest addition for ACU was the return of Sidney Holman-Mansell, a graduate transfer from Baylor who spent her freshman season with the Wildcats.
Sophomore Riley White returns to the circle after posted a 6.46 ERA over 98.2 inning of work last season.
Second baseman Shaylee Alani also returns after hitting .306 with a team-high 41 hits and 12 doubles a season ago.
Calie Burris returns to the right side of the the infield for the Wildcats after starting all 47 games at first base last season. Burris accumulated a .282 batting average with 11 doubles, eight home runs and a team-best 30 RBI.Â
Head coach Abigail Farler is in her second year at the helm of Abilene Christian.
Series History Against Wildcats
Creighton and Abilene Christian have met once previously with the Bluejays claiming a 8-6 victory at the North Texas Invitational in Denton, Texas in 2020.Â
Season Preview
The 2022 Creighton softball team seeks a trip to the BIG EAST Conference tournament for the first time since 2018 as the Bluejays look to make a return to normalcy with a full schedule.Â
After putting themselves in a position to qualify for the four-team BIG EAST Championships with eight wins against conference opponents, the Bluejays were forced to cancel the final two conference series due to COVID-19 protocols.Â
Overall, the Bluejays finished with a 14-14 record, including an 8-3 record at home.Â
The Bluejays return 13 letterwinners, which includes five field players who started at least 22 of last season's shortened 28-game schedule and 2021 All-BIG EAST selection Kailey Wilson.Â
Mikayla Santa Cruz and Jena Lawrence are the only returning pitchers to log significant innings in 2021 and will have increased outputs this season after the departure of graduate Parker Boyd.Â
Creighton welcomes seven newcomers, which includes five true freshmen, one graduate transfer and one Division II transfer.Â
Head coach Brent Vigness enters his 29th at the helm with 804 victories, the most of any coach across all sports in Creighton athletics history.
The Bluejays earned the fourth position in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Pitching
Three Bluejays return to the pitching staff this season after posting a 4.91 ERA in 28 games in the 2021 season.Â
Santa Cruz logged 57.2 innings with a 4.73 ERA last season, while Lawrence appeared in 11 games (32.0 innings) and Kate Mullally appeared in three games and pitched 5.2 innings.Â
Freshman Alyssa Bostley and Alexis Wiggins are expected to make an immediate impact in the circle during their first seasons with the Bluejay program.Â
Bostley joins the Creighton program from Verona, Wisconsin, where she helped lead Verona Area to a District 1 Section 3 semifinals, while posing a 2.28 ERA with 104 strikeouts in 95 innings of work. She also earned All-State honorable mention and First Team All-Big 8 Conference recognition in 2019.Â
Wiggins guided Norris to back-to-back Nebraska Class B State Tournament appearances, including a third place finish in the fall of 2020. Wiggins posted a 2.96 ERA with 294 strikeouts and a school-record 23 victories in the circle, while earning Omaha World-Herald All-Nebraska and Lincoln Journal Star Class B All-State First Team honors as a senior.Â
Infield
Kiara Mills will anchor the Creighton infield after starting 27 games at first base last season. The West Covina, California native ranked second on the team in home runs (6), RBI (14) and slugging percentage (.439).
Junior Sam Alm also returns after making 22 starts at second base in 2021. She ranked third on the team in assists with 29, while also posting a .286 batting average and a league-best seven sacrifice bunts at the plate.Â
Sophomore Madeline Vejvoda played significant roles around the diamond last season, which included making 18 starts at third base, five starts at second base and two starts at shortstop.Â
Vejvoda posted a .242 batting average with five doubles and 11 walks, which both ranked second on the team a season ago. She ranked third for the Bluejays with 13 runs scored, while pacing Creighton with 46 defensive assists.Â
Returners Alyssa Gappa and Ryann Glenn each saw time at infield positions, but neither had a starting spot solidified.
Gappa made six starts at third base, recording 12 assists and a .241 on-base percentage at the plate, while Glenn made three starts at third base in 20 appearances in 2021.
Returner Kate Mason, Madison College transfer Megan Miklesh and freshman Izzy Berning will each fight for a starting nod this season.Â
Miklesh made 37 starts at third base and batted .327 with 36 hits and scored 27 runs while helping Madison College to the 2021 NJCAA Division II Softball Championship. She also ranked fifth on the team with 34 RBI and third with 43 defensive assists. Â
Berning was a three-time All-Mississippi 8 All-Conference selection and a two-time All-Section 8AAAA honoree with St. Michael-Albertville. She helped the Knights to a third place finish in the Minnesota Class 4A State Tournament as a sophomore. Â
Outfield
Creighton's outfield will be guided by junior Brittney Manthie. The Annandale, Minnesota native appeared in all 28 games, making 23 starts in left field last season. The lefty slapper posted a team-best six bunt hits, while recording the third best batting average on the team (.304). Manthie ranked third on the team with five sacrifice bunts and stole three bases to rank second.Â
Cayla Nielsen also returns to the Bluejays outfield as just one of two Bluejays to start all 28 games a season ago while patrolling center field. Nielsen ranked second on the team with 15 runs scored and posted a .286 batting average with 20 hits and a league-tying seven sacrifice bunts. Â
Returning letterwinner Emma Rosonke will push for a starting spot in the outfield. The sophomore made 10 appearances a season ago, mainly as a pinch hitter, but did make one start in right field.Â
Newcomer Sydra Seville is also expected to be in the mix for playing time.Â
Seville led Lincoln-Way Central to an 89-11 record in her four season with the Warriors, including a runner-up finish at the state tournament in 2021. She earned Third-Team All-State honors after hitting .351 with 32 runs scored, eight stolen bases, six doubles, four home runs and 11 RBI as a senior.Â
Catcher/Designated Player
Saren Croker is the lone catcher on the 2022 roster to appear in a game last season for the Bluejays.Â
Croker appeared in six games, making five starts behind the plate last season, while redshirt freshman Elly Beeson will fight for the starting job this season.
The Bluejays added Idaho State graduate transfer Shayna Dahlen as well as freshman Josey Marquette to provide depth at catcher this season.Â
Wilson, the only returning All-BIG EAST selection on this season's roster, paced the team and ranked second in the BIG EAST with a .432 batting average during league games. She made 27 starts as the designated player, launching a team-high eight home runs and collecting 26 RBI, while holding a .747 slugging percentage.Â
Bluejays Picked 4th In Preseason Poll
The Creighton softball team earned the fourth position with 41 points in the 2022 BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league announced on January 20..
Villinova, the reigning BIG EAST champions, earned the top spot in the poll with 62 points, including six first-place votes. DePaul received the remaining three first-place votes and ranked second with 58 points.Â
UConn took the third spot with 48 points while Creighton came in behind the Huskies with 41. Butler (39), St. John's (26), Seton Hall (22), Providence (20) and Georgetown (8) rounded out the bottom half of the 2022 edition of the preseason coaches' poll.
Creighton finished 2021 with an 8-7 record in league play to place fourth (14-14 overall). A bulk of the Bluejays 2021 team, including All-BIG EAST First Team selection Kailey Wilson returns to the lineup this season.
Creighton will also lean heavily on Mikayla Santa Cruz in the circle this season. The junior posted a 5-4 record in 57.2 innings with a 4.73 ERA a season ago.
Five true freshmen, one graduate transfer and a Division II transfer joined the program for the 2022 season.Â
For just the third time since Creighton joined the BIG EAST prior to the 2014 season, this year's conference schedule will include three-day weekend's with one game on each day. The Bluejays' first BIG EAST series is set for March 11-13 as Creighton hosts Georgetown in their home-opener.
2020 BIG EAST SoftballÂ
Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Villanova (6) - 62
2. DePaul (3) - 58
3. UConn - 48
4. Creighton - 41
5. Butler - 39
6. St. John's -26
7. Seton Hall - 22
8. Providence - 20
9. Georgetown - 8
() - First-place votes
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Starting On The Right Foot
Since joining the BIG EAST in 2014, Creighton has finished the first weekend of the season with more than one win just four times.
Creighton has gone 3-2 in each of the four years they have opened the first weekend of the season with more than one win, making the BIG EAST Conference Tournament twice (2014, 2018)
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2021: 0-3 at Wichita State
2020: 3-2 in San Antonio, Texas
2019: 1-4 in Las Cruces, N.M.
2018: 3-2 in Las Vegas, Nev.
2017: 1-4 in Tempe, Ariz.
2016: 1-4 in Tempe, Ariz.
2015: 3-2 in Tempe, Ariz.
2014: 3-2 in Tempe, Ariz.
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The last time Creighton finished with fewer than two losses in the opening weekend of the season was in 2012 when the Bluejays swept a four game series against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Arkansas. Creighton started the 2012 season with seven consecutive
victories.Â
The last time Creighton opened the year with a perfect showing at a tournament was in 2007 when Creighton went 5-0 at the UCA Spring Clash in Conway, Arkansas.
This year marks the fourth time the Bluejays are in Texas for the opening weekend since 2004. Creighton opens the 2022 season with three straight five-game tournaments in Texas, the most tournaments in a single state to start the year in school history.
Vigness Reaches 800 Creighton Wins
Head coach Brent Vigness owns an 804-610-4 record at the helm of the Bluejays and is the only Creighton coach to reach the 800-win mark during a coaching tenure.
He earned his 800th win at Creighton last season with a 6-5 win over Seton Hall on April 3.
Vigness is one of five active Creighton coaches with more than 350 wins as a Bluejay head coach.Â
A Central College (Iowa) grad, Vigness took over for the Bluejays prior to the 1994 season after spending five years as head coach at Assumption College in Worchester, Massachusetts.
Coach, Sport     Wins (as of 2/9/22)
Brent Vigness, Softball   804*
Ed Servais, Baseball    587*
Mary Higgins, Softball    564
Tom Lilly, Men's & Women's Tennis    482*
Kirsten Bernthal Booth, Volleyball    414*
Jim Flanery, Women's Basketball    372*
Ed Hubbs, Men's & Women's Tennis    347
Dana Altman, Men's Basketball    327
* still active coaching at Creighton
