Rising juniors Kiara Reinhardt, Kendra Wait and Norah Sis are all part of Creighton's Nursing program.
It's Nurses Week! Meet the Volleyball Nursing Alums Making an Impact
5/12/2023 9:00:00 AM | Volleyball
National Nurses Week runs May 6 – May 12 each year, but nurses are celebrated year-round within the Creighton Volleyball program. Not only are three current starters – Kiara Reinhardt, Norah Sis and Kendra Wait – part of Creighton's Nursing program, but so are a healthy number of recent alums who balanced an elite Division I Volleyball experience with the academic rigors of nursing school.
Creighton's one of a small number of Division I schools that permits its student-athletes to pursue their Nursing degrees while an undergrad, allowing them to graduate and enter the work force immediately out of school. Combine that with a flexible coaching staff that moves practice times around to accommodate the demands, and it's easy to see why it's become such a popular pathway through the years.
Kelli Browning was a three-time AVCA All-American during her Bluejay career from 2011-14, not to mention a 2021 inductee into the Creighton Athletics Hall of Fame. She spent five years working in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Children's Hospital Colorado before achieving her masters and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner certificate, which has taken her to Boston and Seattle among other locations. Now she's back in Colorado pursuing Pediatric Nurse Practitioner positions.
Browning noted it wouldn't have been possible without the education that Creighton gave her, noting "the constant support, guidance, and coordination from the coaching staff should not be understated. They spent countless hours providing tutors, adjusting practice times, and proctoring exams on the road to make my goal of becoming a nurse possible. Being a Division I athlete and nursing student is no joke, but if you want to go to an incredible nursing school and top tier volleyball program, I truly believe there is no better place."
Former defensive specialist Ashley Jansen's Creighton career from 2012-15 overlapped Browning's, so it's only fitting that she's working alongside another former Bluejay now in ex-middle blocker Ashley Williams Martin (2001-04). Known as Ashley squared, or Tall Ashley and Nice Ashley around Children's Hospital & Medical Center in Omaha, Jansen is an operating room charge nurse now while Martin has been a pediatric OR nurse at Children's for more than 15 years .Martin received the International Influence Award in 2019, which is given to outstanding preceptors as nominated by orientees.
Jansen began her nursing career in Chicago before returning to her hometown of Omaha five years ago.
"Creighton University's nursing program and athletics have mutual respect and a mutual goal of preparing each student for life after college," said Jansen. "I couldn't be more grateful for my teammates/classmates and our many study sessions, the coaching staff and professors for constantly coordinating schedules and encouraging us on this journey, and the exposure to so many avenues of nursing opportunities."
Martin and Jansen aren't the only volleyball alums roaming the halls at Children's. Emily Greisch Mohs (2003-06) can be found in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where she specializes in Neonatology, while Amanda Cvejdlik Adams (2005-08) also works in patient relations at Children's.
California native Lizzy Stivers was at Creighton from 2011-16 but decided to put her roots down in Omaha after graduating. She joined the staff at CUMC Bergan Mercy on the labor and delivery unit and is now the supervisor of the Obstetrics Emergency Department. Stivers recently returned to Creighton seeking her master's in nursing administration.
Naomi Hickman (2017-21) and Jess Bird LaGro (2013-16) both have BIG EAST Tournament MVP trophies on their mantle, achieving at some of the highest levels on the court while preparing for a successful career after college.
Hickman has spent the past year working in the Emergency Department at CUMC Bergan Mercy. Bird has worked in PICU and pre- and post-anesthesia care units and is currently a travel nurse.
"Graduating from Creighton while also playing volleyball was such a joy as I got to compete at the highest level with my teammates while also pursuing a career in a profession that I dearly love," noted Hickman. "The collaboration between my coaches, teammates, and professors so that I was able to do both was such a blessing."
LaGro had a similar positive experience.
"I was the solo athlete in my nursing class which made it even more fun because I was able to make so many new friends outside of sports and I still remain friends with so many of them today," added LaGro. "Creighton's College of Nursing does a great job preparing you to become the best bedside nurse you can be."
With all the opportunities it provides, it's no wonder that Nursing is the most popular major at Creighton among those receiving their undergraduate degrees. And it's not just volleyball. Two key pieces from Creighton's Elite Eight women's basketball team, Jayme Horan and Carly Bachelor are nursing majors, as are nine members of CU's rowing program.
A study of the class of 2022 found that 95 percent of Creighton's Nursing School graduates found employment within six months of graduation, with another three percent in graduate or professional school and others involved in a service program.
Creighton's one of a small number of Division I schools that permits its student-athletes to pursue their Nursing degrees while an undergrad, allowing them to graduate and enter the work force immediately out of school. Combine that with a flexible coaching staff that moves practice times around to accommodate the demands, and it's easy to see why it's become such a popular pathway through the years.
Kelli Browning was a three-time AVCA All-American during her Bluejay career from 2011-14, not to mention a 2021 inductee into the Creighton Athletics Hall of Fame. She spent five years working in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Children's Hospital Colorado before achieving her masters and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner certificate, which has taken her to Boston and Seattle among other locations. Now she's back in Colorado pursuing Pediatric Nurse Practitioner positions.
Browning noted it wouldn't have been possible without the education that Creighton gave her, noting "the constant support, guidance, and coordination from the coaching staff should not be understated. They spent countless hours providing tutors, adjusting practice times, and proctoring exams on the road to make my goal of becoming a nurse possible. Being a Division I athlete and nursing student is no joke, but if you want to go to an incredible nursing school and top tier volleyball program, I truly believe there is no better place."
Former defensive specialist Ashley Jansen's Creighton career from 2012-15 overlapped Browning's, so it's only fitting that she's working alongside another former Bluejay now in ex-middle blocker Ashley Williams Martin (2001-04). Known as Ashley squared, or Tall Ashley and Nice Ashley around Children's Hospital & Medical Center in Omaha, Jansen is an operating room charge nurse now while Martin has been a pediatric OR nurse at Children's for more than 15 years .Martin received the International Influence Award in 2019, which is given to outstanding preceptors as nominated by orientees.
Jansen began her nursing career in Chicago before returning to her hometown of Omaha five years ago.
"Creighton University's nursing program and athletics have mutual respect and a mutual goal of preparing each student for life after college," said Jansen. "I couldn't be more grateful for my teammates/classmates and our many study sessions, the coaching staff and professors for constantly coordinating schedules and encouraging us on this journey, and the exposure to so many avenues of nursing opportunities."
Martin and Jansen aren't the only volleyball alums roaming the halls at Children's. Emily Greisch Mohs (2003-06) can be found in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where she specializes in Neonatology, while Amanda Cvejdlik Adams (2005-08) also works in patient relations at Children's.
California native Lizzy Stivers was at Creighton from 2011-16 but decided to put her roots down in Omaha after graduating. She joined the staff at CUMC Bergan Mercy on the labor and delivery unit and is now the supervisor of the Obstetrics Emergency Department. Stivers recently returned to Creighton seeking her master's in nursing administration.
Naomi Hickman (2017-21) and Jess Bird LaGro (2013-16) both have BIG EAST Tournament MVP trophies on their mantle, achieving at some of the highest levels on the court while preparing for a successful career after college.
Hickman has spent the past year working in the Emergency Department at CUMC Bergan Mercy. Bird has worked in PICU and pre- and post-anesthesia care units and is currently a travel nurse.
"Graduating from Creighton while also playing volleyball was such a joy as I got to compete at the highest level with my teammates while also pursuing a career in a profession that I dearly love," noted Hickman. "The collaboration between my coaches, teammates, and professors so that I was able to do both was such a blessing."
LaGro had a similar positive experience.
"I was the solo athlete in my nursing class which made it even more fun because I was able to make so many new friends outside of sports and I still remain friends with so many of them today," added LaGro. "Creighton's College of Nursing does a great job preparing you to become the best bedside nurse you can be."
With all the opportunities it provides, it's no wonder that Nursing is the most popular major at Creighton among those receiving their undergraduate degrees. And it's not just volleyball. Two key pieces from Creighton's Elite Eight women's basketball team, Jayme Horan and Carly Bachelor are nursing majors, as are nine members of CU's rowing program.
A study of the class of 2022 found that 95 percent of Creighton's Nursing School graduates found employment within six months of graduation, with another three percent in graduate or professional school and others involved in a service program.
Players Mentioned
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Creighton Media Availability Volleyball - 10/21/25
Tuesday, October 21
Creighton Volleyball vs Seton Hall Postgame Press Conference - 10-19-25
Sunday, October 19
Creighton Women's Volleyball Highlights vs. St. John's - 10-17-25
Saturday, October 18
