Creighton Volleyball won its eighth straight BIG EAST title last season
Photo by: Creighton Athletics
Sis Leads All-Conference Trio For Favored Jays As BIG EAST Announces Preseason Volleyball Awards
8/16/2022 1:00:00 PM | Volleyball
Norah Sis is named Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year
OMAHA, Neb. -- The eight-time defending champion Creighton Volleyball team is a near-unanimous pick to win the BIG EAST Conference in a preseason poll of league coaches. The Bluejays own eight BIG EAST regular-season titles, seven conference tournament titles and a 139-10 overall record against league foes since the start of the 2014 campaign.
Sophomore Norah Sis was named Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year and is joined on the 12-woman Preseason All-BIG EAST Team by Bluejay teammates Kendra Wait and Jaela Zimmerman. Sis is Creighton's first Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year since Lydia Dimke in 2017. This year marks the 10th straight campaign that multiple Creighton players were recognized on the Preseason All-Conference team, and seventh time in the last eight years with three or more selections. This is the third straight season that Zimmerman has been a preseason All-BIG EAST choice, and the first time for both Sis and Wait.
Sis, a sophomore outside hitter, was voted BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and All-BIG EAST last fall after finishing second in conference play with 4.34 points and 3.75 kills per set. Through 116 sets overall, Sis ranked third among BIG EAST players with 4.25 points per set, while holding onto the No. 2 spot with 3.75 kills. In addition to her BIG EAST accolades, Sis was named an AVCA Third Team All-American, the AVCA East Region Freshman of the Year, VolleyballMag.com's National Freshman of the Year and was an AVCA All-East Region selection.
Sis was one of five unanimous picks to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team, along with reigning co-BIG EAST Player of the Year Rachele Rastelli of St. John's, Caylee Parker of UConn, Jill Pressly of DePaul and Riley Homer of Villanova. Also voted to the preseason squad were Butler's Jaymeson Kinley, UConn's Kennadie Jake-Turner, Creighton's Wait and Zimmerman, Marquette's Carsen Murray, Providence's Shaliyah Rhoden and Xavier's Carrigan O'Reilly.
Both Wait and Zimmerman were named All-BIG EAST last fall. Zimmerman was the only player in the BIG EAST to average at least 3.00 kills and 3.00 digs per set, which helped her earn AVCA Honorable Mention All-American laurels for the second straight year. She ranked second in the BIG EAST in points per set, third in kills per set, 13th in digs per set and 17th in aces per set. Zimmerman was named Tournament MVP of three events last season.
Last season Wait became the first freshman to lead the BIG EAST in assists per set since 2011. The Honorable Mention All-American choice was a five-time BIG EAST Freshman of the Week honoree and topped CU with 15 double-doubles
Creighton earned 9-of-11 first place votes, though coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team, to earn the preseason nod as favorite for the eighth time in 10 years in the BIG EAST. Creighton's 99 points were nine more than Marquette, who received 90 points and the remaining two first place votes. DePaul was third with 72 points, just ahead of UConn's 71 points that were good for fourth place. St. John's was fifth with 66 points, with Villanova's 54 points putting the Wildcats sixth. Rounding out the bottom-half of the league were Butler (47), Xavier (42), Georgetown (25), Providence (25) and Seton Hall (14).
The Bluejays return four starters and 11 letterwinners from a team that finished last year 31-4, won an unprecedented eighth straight regular-season BIG EAST title, and finished the season ranked 22nd in the country. This year's club was ranked 18th nationally in the Preseason AVCA Coaches Poll that was announced on Monday.
Creighton's preseason prognosis of first place marks the 19th straight season of a top-five prediction in its league, after nine such accolades from the Missouri Valley Conference from 2004-12 before joining the BIG EAST in 2013. In the previous 28 seasons (19 in the MVC, nine in the BIG EAST), Creighton has improved its preseason ranking 12 times, been ranked correctly 11 times, and dropped from preseason expectations just five times. Notably, 17 of Creighton's 19 previous teams under head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth have met or exceeded preseason poll predictions, and the two that didn't dropped just a single slot.
After closing the exhibition season on Sunday with a 2 p.m. home match vs. South Dakota, Creighton opens its regular-season on Friday, Aug. 26 with matches in Laramie, Wyo., against Iowa State (11 a.m.) and Wichita State (6 p.m.) as part of the season-opening Rumble in the Rockies.
BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year
Norah Sis, Creighton, So., OH
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
Jaymeson Kinley, Butler, Jr., L
Kennadie Jake-Turner, Connecticut, Grad, MB
Caylee Parker, Connecticut, Grad, OH*
Norah Sis, Creighton, So., OH*
Kendra Wait, Creighton, So., S
Jaela Zimmerman, Creighton, Sr., OH
Jill Pressly, DePaul, Jr., OH*
Carsen Murray, Marquette, Jr., MB
Shaliyah Rhoden, Providence, So., OH
Rachele Rastelli, St. John's, Grad., RS*
Riley Homer, Villanova, Jr., OH*
Carrigan O'Reilly, Xavier, Sr., S
*unanimous selection
BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll
(first-place votes)
1. Creighton 99 (9)
2. Marquette 90 (2)
3. DePaul 72
4. Connecticut 71
5. St. John's 66
6. Villanova 54
7. Butler 47
8. Xavier 42
9. Georgetown 25
Providence 25
11. Seton Hall 14
Creighton in the Preseason Conference Poll
Year Preseason Pick Finish Move
1994 11th 9th up 2
1995 9th 7th up 2
1996 9th 6th up 3
1997 8th 3rd up 5
1998 6th 8th down 2
1999 T-7th 5th up 2
2000 4th T-4th - -
2001 2nd 4th down 2
2002 7th 9th down 2
2003 9th T-5th up 4
2004 5th 5th - -
2005 5th 5th - -
2006 4th 4th - -
2007 3rd T-2nd up 1
2008 3rd 2nd up 1
2009 4th T-4th --
2010 4th 3rd up 1
2011 3rd 4th down 1
2012 4th 1st up 3
2013 1st 2nd down 1
2014 1st 1st --
2015 1st 1st --
2016 1st 1st --
2017 1st 1st --
2018 2nd 1st up 1
2019 2nd 1st up 1
2020 1st (Midwest) 1st (Midwest) --
2021 1st T-1st --
2022 1st TBD
Sophomore Norah Sis was named Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year and is joined on the 12-woman Preseason All-BIG EAST Team by Bluejay teammates Kendra Wait and Jaela Zimmerman. Sis is Creighton's first Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year since Lydia Dimke in 2017. This year marks the 10th straight campaign that multiple Creighton players were recognized on the Preseason All-Conference team, and seventh time in the last eight years with three or more selections. This is the third straight season that Zimmerman has been a preseason All-BIG EAST choice, and the first time for both Sis and Wait.
Sis, a sophomore outside hitter, was voted BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and All-BIG EAST last fall after finishing second in conference play with 4.34 points and 3.75 kills per set. Through 116 sets overall, Sis ranked third among BIG EAST players with 4.25 points per set, while holding onto the No. 2 spot with 3.75 kills. In addition to her BIG EAST accolades, Sis was named an AVCA Third Team All-American, the AVCA East Region Freshman of the Year, VolleyballMag.com's National Freshman of the Year and was an AVCA All-East Region selection.
Sis was one of five unanimous picks to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team, along with reigning co-BIG EAST Player of the Year Rachele Rastelli of St. John's, Caylee Parker of UConn, Jill Pressly of DePaul and Riley Homer of Villanova. Also voted to the preseason squad were Butler's Jaymeson Kinley, UConn's Kennadie Jake-Turner, Creighton's Wait and Zimmerman, Marquette's Carsen Murray, Providence's Shaliyah Rhoden and Xavier's Carrigan O'Reilly.
Both Wait and Zimmerman were named All-BIG EAST last fall. Zimmerman was the only player in the BIG EAST to average at least 3.00 kills and 3.00 digs per set, which helped her earn AVCA Honorable Mention All-American laurels for the second straight year. She ranked second in the BIG EAST in points per set, third in kills per set, 13th in digs per set and 17th in aces per set. Zimmerman was named Tournament MVP of three events last season.
Last season Wait became the first freshman to lead the BIG EAST in assists per set since 2011. The Honorable Mention All-American choice was a five-time BIG EAST Freshman of the Week honoree and topped CU with 15 double-doubles
Creighton earned 9-of-11 first place votes, though coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team, to earn the preseason nod as favorite for the eighth time in 10 years in the BIG EAST. Creighton's 99 points were nine more than Marquette, who received 90 points and the remaining two first place votes. DePaul was third with 72 points, just ahead of UConn's 71 points that were good for fourth place. St. John's was fifth with 66 points, with Villanova's 54 points putting the Wildcats sixth. Rounding out the bottom-half of the league were Butler (47), Xavier (42), Georgetown (25), Providence (25) and Seton Hall (14).
The Bluejays return four starters and 11 letterwinners from a team that finished last year 31-4, won an unprecedented eighth straight regular-season BIG EAST title, and finished the season ranked 22nd in the country. This year's club was ranked 18th nationally in the Preseason AVCA Coaches Poll that was announced on Monday.
Creighton's preseason prognosis of first place marks the 19th straight season of a top-five prediction in its league, after nine such accolades from the Missouri Valley Conference from 2004-12 before joining the BIG EAST in 2013. In the previous 28 seasons (19 in the MVC, nine in the BIG EAST), Creighton has improved its preseason ranking 12 times, been ranked correctly 11 times, and dropped from preseason expectations just five times. Notably, 17 of Creighton's 19 previous teams under head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth have met or exceeded preseason poll predictions, and the two that didn't dropped just a single slot.
After closing the exhibition season on Sunday with a 2 p.m. home match vs. South Dakota, Creighton opens its regular-season on Friday, Aug. 26 with matches in Laramie, Wyo., against Iowa State (11 a.m.) and Wichita State (6 p.m.) as part of the season-opening Rumble in the Rockies.
BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year
Norah Sis, Creighton, So., OH
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
Jaymeson Kinley, Butler, Jr., L
Kennadie Jake-Turner, Connecticut, Grad, MB
Caylee Parker, Connecticut, Grad, OH*
Norah Sis, Creighton, So., OH*
Kendra Wait, Creighton, So., S
Jaela Zimmerman, Creighton, Sr., OH
Jill Pressly, DePaul, Jr., OH*
Carsen Murray, Marquette, Jr., MB
Shaliyah Rhoden, Providence, So., OH
Rachele Rastelli, St. John's, Grad., RS*
Riley Homer, Villanova, Jr., OH*
Carrigan O'Reilly, Xavier, Sr., S
*unanimous selection
BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll
(first-place votes)
1. Creighton 99 (9)
2. Marquette 90 (2)
3. DePaul 72
4. Connecticut 71
5. St. John's 66
6. Villanova 54
7. Butler 47
8. Xavier 42
9. Georgetown 25
Providence 25
11. Seton Hall 14
Creighton in the Preseason Conference Poll
Year Preseason Pick Finish Move
1994 11th 9th up 2
1995 9th 7th up 2
1996 9th 6th up 3
1997 8th 3rd up 5
1998 6th 8th down 2
1999 T-7th 5th up 2
2000 4th T-4th - -
2001 2nd 4th down 2
2002 7th 9th down 2
2003 9th T-5th up 4
2004 5th 5th - -
2005 5th 5th - -
2006 4th 4th - -
2007 3rd T-2nd up 1
2008 3rd 2nd up 1
2009 4th T-4th --
2010 4th 3rd up 1
2011 3rd 4th down 1
2012 4th 1st up 3
2013 1st 2nd down 1
2014 1st 1st --
2015 1st 1st --
2016 1st 1st --
2017 1st 1st --
2018 2nd 1st up 1
2019 2nd 1st up 1
2020 1st (Midwest) 1st (Midwest) --
2021 1st T-1st --
2022 1st TBD
Players Mentioned
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