
Photo by: Rob Morris
Volleyball Opens November With Home Matches vs. St. John's & Villanova
10/29/2024 11:38:00 AM | Volleyball
Creighton looks for 20th win this season
Match #21: St. John's at #6 Creighton • Omaha, Neb. • Friday, Nov. 1 • 6 p.m. | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE AUDIO | CU NOTES | SJU NOTES |
Match #22: Villanova at #6 Creighton • Omaha, Neb. • Sunday, Nov. 3 • 1 p.m. | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE AUDIO | CU NOTES | VU NOTES |
This Week
No. 6 Creighton Volleyball (19-2, 10-0 BIG EAST) opens November with three straight home matches, a stretch that begins on Friday when the Bluejays host St. John's (16-8, 5-5 BIG EAST) at 6 p.m. in a rematch of the 2023 BIG EAST Tournament title contest.
   On Sunday at 1 p.m., CU welcomes Villanova (13-8, 6-4 BIG EAST) to campus.
   Both matches will take place inside D.J. Sokol Arena in Omaha, Neb.
Promotional Schedule
Friday's promotional theme is a Spook & Spike Boojay Bash. Adults and kids alike are welcome to compete in a costume competition for prizes, with trick or treating stops available on the concourse.
   Sunday features a Turn Back The Clock theme as we go retro as a reminder to change your clock for Daylight Saving Time. There'll be a raffle for an Apple watch for students, and a limited quantity of foam fingers for all fans in attendance.
Television Information
Both matches this weekend will be televised statewide by Nebraska Public Media, with Larry Punteney and Kathi Wieskamp on the call.
   The matches can be viewed at https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/watch/live.
   The Creighton Volleyball schedule page at GoCreighton.com has direct links to each broadcast, as well.
Radio Information
Both matches this weekend will air on KZOT (1180 AM) and http://GoCreighton/listen1180.
   Jake Ryan and Jaela (Zimmerman) Conner will call Friday's match, while Jon Schriner and Kate Elman will broadcast Sunday's contest.
   Links will also be on the GoCreighton.com volleyball schedule page.
Live Stats Information
Both of this weekend's matches will have free live stats, with links to each contest available at http://Creighton.StatBroadcast.com.
   Links will also be on the GoCreighton.com volleyball schedule page.
Scouting #6 Creighton
Creighton has won 12 straight matches to improve to 19-2 this season, its best start in program history through 21 contests. Both losses have come in five sets on the road to top-five teams Nebraska (Sept. 10) and Louisville (Sept. 15).
   The Bluejays remain a program-best No. 6 in this week's AVCA rankings, thanks in large part to back-to-back Top 10 wins over then-No. 6 Purdue (3-1) and then-No. 10 Kansas (3-0) in late September. In league play, Creighton is 10-0 and has just dropped one set.
   Three women on the AVCA Player of the Year Watch List lead the Bluejays. Setter Kendra Wait (11.09 aps., 2.99 dps., 0.93 kps., 0.89 bps., .356%) has been named BIG EAST Setter of the Week six times in the first nine weeks of the season, while outside hitters Norah Sis (3.75 kps., .305%, 0.42 saps.) and Ava Martin (3.46 kps., .292%) give CU one of the best attacking duo's in the country.
   Kiara Reinhardt (1.36 bps.) leads the league in blocks per set, and transfers Maddy Bilinovic (3.99 dps.) and Elise Goetzinger (2.53 kps., 1.20 bps., .361%) have made an immediate impact and rank among the best in the league at their respective positions.
   CU was a unanimous pick to win the BIG EAST by league coaches in 2024 after returning four starters from last season's 29-5 squad that reached a 12th straight NCAA Tournament and saw the Bluejays win a 10th straight BIG EAST regular-season title, and its ninth BIG EAST Tournament crown in the past decade.
    CU leads the BIG EAST with 14.41 kills, 1.84 aces and 2.69 blocks per set as well as a .313 hitting percentage. CU's 14.83 digs per set ranks just sixth in the league, but is more a result of some short rallies and strong block, as the Bluejays have been outdug just once all season.
Scouting St. John's
St. John's is 16-8 on the season and 5-5 in the BIG EAST after victories last weekend over Villanova and Butler. The Red Storm, who returned all six starters from last year's team that played in the BIG EAST Tournament final, are currently in a dogfight to make the six-team field for the BIG EAST Tournament in late November.
   Erin Jones does a little bit of everything for the Johnnies, averaging 3.63 kills, 2.75 digs, 1.77 assists and 0.51 blocks per set.
   Giorgia Walther (3.40 kps.) and Lucrezia Lodi (2.72 kps.) also carry a large offensive load.
   Wiktoria Kowalczyk (9.22 aps.) is the primary setter, and Rashanny Soloano Smith (3.80 dps.) is the libero.
   SJU averages 12.82 kills, 13.31 digs, 2.05 blocks and 1.52 aces per set while hitting .209 as a team.
Series History vs. St. John's
Creighton is 20-3 all-time against St. John's, dropping just one set total over the past seven meetings. CU is 9-1 all-time in the series in Omaha, dropping just one set in the last nine of those wins.
   The teams played three times last season, including Creighton's 3-0 sweep over the Red Storm in the BIG EAST Tournament title match.
   CU swept the Red Storm in Queens on Oct. 12th as Elise Goetzinger hit .611 and had 11 kills.
   Creighton head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth is 20-3 against Joanne Persico and 20-3 vs. St. John's.
Scouting Villanova
Villanova is 13-8 this season and 6-4 in BIG EAST play after alternating wins and losses the past four matches.
   The reigning BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, Abby Harrell (3.28 kps.) leads the team in kills, with Campbell McKinnon (2.43 kps.) adding firepower and hitting at a .350 clip.
   Alyssa Nelson (5.61 aps.) and Taylor Jakubowski (4.36 aps.) run Nova's 6-2 offense, and five players own between 157-168 digs.
   The Wildcats average 12.82 kills, 13.56 digs, 2.08 blocks and 1.47 aces per set on .222 hitting.
Series History vs. Villanova
Creighton is 21-3 all-time vs. Villanova, and has swept each of the last seven meetings since a Wildcats victory on Nov. 8, 2019.
   CU is 12-0 in Omaha against the Wildcats, and won the last 20 sets played vs. VU at D.J. Sokol Arena.
   The Bluejays swept Nova on Oct. 11 behind 13 kills on .480 hitting from Ava Martin.
   Kirsten Bernthal Booth is 21-3 all-time against Villanova and coach Josh Steinbach.
Creighton Coaches
Creighton is coached by Kirsten Bernthal Booth (Truman State, 1997), who owns a 489-191 record in her 22nd season with the Bluejays.
   She's led Creighton to 10 straight BIG EAST regular-season titles (2014-23), and 11 league crowns in the previous 12 years. Booth guided the Bluejays to their first three Sweet 16's (2015, 2016, 2023) and first Elite Eight (2016) in program history. In 2016 she was recognized as VolleyballMag.com National Coach of the Year, BIG EAST Coach of the Year and AVCA East Region Coach of the Year. Booth was tabbed BIG EAST Coach of the Year for the fourth time in 2023.
   The winningest coach in school history, Booth has taken Creighton to its only 13 NCAA Tournament bids in the program's modern history. She's also coached CU into the top-25 each of the last 13 seasons (including 2024), another program first.
   She is currently serving as President of the AVCA.
   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 assisted by Angie Oxley Behrens, Brian Rosen and Adam Kessenich.
With A Win On Friday...
- Creighton would remain in sole possession of first place in the BIG EAST as the league's lone remaining team unbeaten in BIG EAST play.
- Creighton would reach 20 victories for the 15th time overall, fourth straight season and 12th time in the past 13 years (with the shortened COVID season with just 16 matches played being the exception).
- Creighton would improve to 20-2, its best start ever after 22 matches.
- Creighton would win its 40th consecutive home match against a BIG EAST opponent, and 36th such in a row at home in the regular-season.
- Creighton would win its 38th straight November home match.
- Creighton would win its 33rd straight match against an unranked team.
- Creighton would win its 26th straight match against a BIG EAST team.
- Creighton would win its 24th straight regular-season BIG EAST match.
- Creighton would extend a school record with its 24th consecutive home victory, moving to 11-0 at home this fall.
- Creighton would extend its season-high win streak to 13.
- Creighton would start 11-0 in BIG EAST play for the sixth time in the last 10 years.
- Creighton would improve to 21-3 all-time against St. John's, including eight straight wins.
- Creighton would improve to 181-16 all-time in regular-season BIG EAST matches, and 97-3 in BIG EAST home contests.
- Creighton would improve to 200-18 against BIG EAST opponents since joining the league in 2013.
Milestone Watch
Creighton's student-athletes are approaching all sorts of milestones.
   Kendra Wait owns 65 career double-doubles tied with Melissa Weisensee's school-record. Another double-double will giver her the mark outright.
   Norah Sis owns 977 career digs and is 23 shy of 1,000. Sis also owns 1,485 career kills, putting her 15 away from 1,500. Sis' 90 career aces put her 10 away from 100.
   Kiara Reinhardt owns 469 career kills and is 31 short of 500.
   Destiny Ndam-Simpson owns 187 career kills and is 13 shy of 200.
BIG EAST Tournament Finals Rematch
Friday's meeting against St. John's in Queens will be a remach of the 2023 BIG EAST Tournament final held in Milwaukee, which saw Creighton post a convincing 25-13, 25-9, 25-23 victory.
   Creighton's Kiana Schmitt was named Most Valuable Player after collecting 12 kills on .526 hitting. The Bluejays hit .355, limited the Johnnies to .021 hitting, and outblocked the Red Storm 13-3.
   Six of the eight women who played for Creighton in that match are back. The Red Storm bring back 10 of 12 participants from the match, including all six starters and their libero.
Jak Of All Trades
Villanova setter Taylor Jakubowski is the younger sister of former Creighton women's soccer standout Taryn Jakubowski, who played two years professionally in Finland after she graduated from CU.
Seeking 20
Creighton enters the weekend with 19 victories as it seeks a fourth straight 20-win season.
   Creighton has won 20 or more matches in 11 of the last 12 years (CU only played 16 times in the spring of 2021, going 12-4), and has 14 20-win campaigns to its ledger all-time.
   Each of the previous 14 times that Creighton won its 19th match, it won its next match as well to reach the 20-victory milestone.
Year   MP to 20 W   Date of 20th Win
2006Â Â Â 29Â Â Â 11/18
2007Â Â Â 29Â Â Â 11/16
2010Â Â Â 30Â Â Â 11/26
2012Â Â Â 23Â Â Â 10/27
2013Â Â Â 27Â Â Â 11/22
2014Â Â Â 27Â Â Â 11/08
2015Â Â Â 28Â Â Â 11/07
2016Â Â Â 26Â Â Â 11/06
2017Â Â Â 25Â Â Â 11/05
2018Â Â Â 24Â Â Â 10/27
2019Â Â Â 24Â Â Â 11/09
2021Â Â Â 23Â Â Â 10/24
2022Â Â Â 23Â Â Â 10/30
2023Â Â Â 24Â Â Â 11/03
Having A Grand Time
Friday's match vs. St. John's will be Creighton's 100th regular-season home contest since joining the BIG EAST. The Bluejays are a dominating 96-3 in the first 99 contests, including 35 consecutive wins.
   One of CU's setbacks came on November 1, 2013 against St. John's. Friday will be the 11th anniversary of that upset win by the Red Storm.
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That's Just Wild
Creighton has swept Villanova each of the last seven meetings, and won each of the last 21 sets against the Wildcats.
   The 21 straight set victories over the Wildcats is the seventh-longest streak in program history over one opponent, but still far behind a 53-set win streak the Jays extended over Seton Hall last Saturday.
Most Consecutive Set Wins Over One Team
   Wins   Opponent   Dates
   53   Seton Hall   2015-Present
   32   Providence   2017-Present
   25   Indiana State   2005-09
   25   Georgetown   2019-Present
   24   Xavier   2015-18
   23   Indiana State   2009-Present
   21   Villanova   2021-Present
   19   Providence   2014-17
   19   Butler   2018-21
Clean Sweeps
Creighton has won 22 straight sets, sweeping each of its past seven matches and winning the final set in the prior contest. That's tied for the fifth-longest set win streak in program history.
   Of its four streaks that are longer, one was stopped by St. John's, while another snapped by Villanova.
   Entering this week, Creighton's 22 straight set wins were the nation's longest active streak.
Consecutive Sets Won
   Set Wins   Dates   Snapped By
   30   Oct.7 - Nov. 10, 2023   at St. John's
   29   Oct. 16-Nov. 18, 2022   at #16 Marquette
   25   Oct. 22-Nov. 20, 2016   Villanova
   25   Oct. 26-Nov. 23, 2018   #16 Marquette
   22   Nov. 7-Dec. 2, 2021   Kansas
   22   Oct.1, 2024 - Present   ? ? ?
   21   Nov. 11 - Dec. 2, 2023   vs. #7 Louisville
   19   Oct. 12-Nov. 3, 2019   at Villanova
   15   Oct. 7-21, 2016   at Marquette
   15   Sept. 28-Oct. 13, 2018   at Villanova
   15   Sept. 11-24, 2021   at Butler
How Many Sets In A Row?
In its 22-set win streak, Creighton has allowed as many as 20 points just three times.
- It has outscored foes 550-332 in all sets (an average of 25.0-15.1), 175-96 in the second set (an average of 25.0-13.7) and 175-97 in the third set (an average of 25.0-13.9).
- Creighton owns a 60-11 advantage in aces, even though it has nearly the same number of service errors (CU 42, Opponents 41). In that time, Ava Martin has 16 aces and Norah Sis has 12 aces.
- Creighton is hitting .385 (328-66-681).
- Elise Goetzinger is hitting .521 (42-5-71), Ava Martin is hitting .426 (83-11-169) and Norah Sis is hitting .368 (83-19-174).
- Kiara Reinhardt (28) has more blocks than CU's opponents (21.5), with Kendra Wait (20), Jaya Johnson (20) and Elise Goetzinger (18) not far behind.
Fun With Numbers
- Creighton has not trailed by more than five points in any of its last 63 sets played against BIG EAST competition dating to a 17-10 deficit in the second set at Providence on Oct. 21, 2023 (Creighton won that set, 25-21).
- Creighton has not trailed in 15-of-31 sets played against BIG EAST foes this fall, and 15 of the 18 BIG EAST sets when scoring the first point of a set.
- During Creighton's 25-match win streak over BIG EAST foes, the Bluejays have owned a hitting percentage advantage over its opponent of .098 or more in each match.
- Through matches of Sunday, Oct. 28, Creighton's 11 non-conference opponents were a combined 87-21 (.806) in league play. Three of the 11 teams (Nebraska, Northern Iowa and Kansas) are still unbeaten in league play, and all 11 have a winning record in conference action.
Going Streaking
Creighton has won 12 consecutive matches, tied for the nation's sixth-longest active streak through contests of Oct. 27. The 12-match win streak is tied for its eighth-longest win streak in program history.
Nation's Longest Active Win Streaks (10/27)
   Rk.   Streak   Team
   1.   20   South Dakota State
   2.   18   Southeastern Louisiana
   3.   17   Nebraska
   4.   15   Western Kentucky
   5.   14   Dayton
   6.   12   Creighton
       12   Penn State
   8.   11   Northern Iowa
       11   Florida A&M
   Most Consecutive Wins, Creighton History
       Wins   Dates   Snapped By
       23   Sept. 23-Dec. 9, 2016   at #5 Texas, 3-0
       21   Sept. 21 - Nov. 30, 2018   #22 Washington, 3-0
       17   Sept. 29-Nov. 30, 2012   at #11 Minnesota, 3-1
       17   Sept. 23-Nov. 18, 2022   at #16 Marquette, 3-0
       17   Oct. 7-Dec. 2, 2023   vs. #7 Louisville, 3-2
       14   Sept. 19-Nov. 3, 2019   at Villanova, 3-0
       14   Oct. 17-Dec. 2, 2021   Kansas, 3-1
       12   Sept. 20-Oct. 25, 2015   at Villanova, 3-2
       12   Sept. 20, 2024 - Present   TBD
       11   Oct. 11-Nov. 21, 2014   Seton Hall, 3-0
       11   Oct. 6-Nov. 12, 2017   at Villanova, 3-0
       10   Oct. 31-Dec. 5, 2015   vs. #2 USC, 3-1
The Best Overall Starts
Creighton's 19-2 record is the program's best mark ever after 21 matches. Its 2021 team opened 17-2, but lost its 20th contest of the year.
Creighton's Most Wins, 2 Losses Or Less
   Wins   Year   3rd Loss
   19   2024   TBD
   17   2021   10/16 at UConn
   12   2012   9/28 at Southern Illinois
   11   2006   9/24 vs. #1 Nebraska
   10   2023   9/23 at Xavier
Best League Starts
Creighton has started 10-0 in conference play for the sixth time in 12 seasons in the BIG EAST.
   The Bluejays have started 11-0 or better in league action five times in the previous nine years and went 18-0 in both 2016 and 2018.
Most Wins Before First League Loss
   Wins   Year (League)   First League Loss
   18-0   2018 (BIG EAST)   None
   18-0   2016 (BIG EAST)   None
   17   2022 (BIG EAST)   11/19 at #16 Marquette
   12   2019 (BIG EAST)   11/8 at Villanova
   11   2015 (BIG EAST)   10/30 at Villanova
   10   2024 (BIG EAST)   TBD
   7   2007 (MVC)   10/12 vs. Wichita State
   5   2014 (BIG EAST)   10/10 at Seton Hall
   5   2011 (MVC)   10/7 at Missouri State
   5   2006 (MVC)   10/6 vs. Northern Iowa
NCAA Reveal Has Creighton Sixth
The NCAA DI women's volleyball committee announced its in-season top-16 rankings during on Oct. 20th, and had Creighton tabbed sixth.
   The reveal is based on the criteria used to select and seed the 64 teams for the volleyball championship. It includes strength of schedule, Rating Percentage Index, head-to-head competition, results versus common opponents, significant wins and losses and locations of contests. Input is also provided by the regional advisory committees for consideration by the Division I women's volleyball committee.
1. Nebraska   9. Wisconsin
2. Pitt   10. Oregon
3. Penn State   11. Kansas
4. Louisville   12. Purdue
5. Stanford   13. Utah
6. Creighton   14. TCU
7. SMUÂ Â Â 15. USC
8. Texas   16. Minnesota
Sis Chasing Milestones
Norah Sis enters this weekend with 1,485 kills, 977 digs and 90 aces in her career.
   In program history, only two Bluejays have had at least 1,500 kills and 1,000 digs. Of that trio, only Jaali Winters had 100+ aces, as well.
Creighton Players With 1,000+ Kills
Name   KILLS   DIGS   ACES
Jaali Winters   1,843   1,386   101
Leah Ratzlaff   1,622   721   77
Melissa Walsh   1,596   1,240   71
Norah Sis   1,485   977   90
Taryn Kloth   1,427   426   64
Kelly Goc   1,414   275   59
Jessica Houts   1,385   468   54
JoDe Cieloha   1,375   821   113
Leah McNary   1,257   225   0
Marysa Wilkinson   1,183   165   5
Lauren Smith   1,160   209   12
Allie Oelke   1,126   1,382   86
Kelli Browning   1,104   165   44
Amanda Cvejdlik   1,029   208   46
Shelly Kapler   1,000   922   104
Jaela Zimmerman   1,000   796   77
Decade of Dominance
Eleven years in the BIG EAST gives Creighton a pretty good set of data to compare its yearly performance in league matches.
   Here's how the 2024 campaign compared to previous seasons:
Creighton's Year-By-Year BIG EAST Stats
Year   W-L   KPS   HIT%   SAPS   DPS   BPS
2013Â Â Â 12-4Â Â Â 13.75Â Â Â .213Â Â Â 1.00Â Â Â 16.20Â Â Â 3.13
2014#Â Â Â 16-2Â Â Â 14.89Â Â Â .242Â Â Â 1.30Â Â Â 17.09Â Â Â 2.86
2015#Â Â Â 17-1Â Â Â 15.02Â Â Â .271Â Â Â 1.33Â Â Â 16.97Â Â Â 2.47
2016#Â Â Â 18-0Â Â Â 15.37Â Â Â .317Â Â Â 1.69Â Â Â 16.08Â Â Â 2.41
2017#Â Â Â 16-2Â Â Â 14.81Â Â Â .302Â Â Â 1.31Â Â Â 16.62Â Â Â 2.05
2018#Â Â Â 18-0Â Â Â 14.45Â Â Â .294Â Â Â 2.13Â Â Â 15.67Â Â Â 2.38
2019#Â Â Â 17-1Â Â Â 14.61Â Â Â .269Â Â Â 2.07Â Â Â 15.80Â Â Â 2.25
2020#Â Â Â 7-1Â Â Â 12.93Â Â Â .249Â Â Â 1.30Â Â Â 14.17Â Â Â 2.75
2021#Â Â Â 16-2Â Â Â 13.95Â Â Â .242Â Â Â 1.82Â Â Â 18.02Â Â Â 2.86
2022#Â Â Â 17-1Â Â Â 14.80Â Â Â .299Â Â Â 1.85Â Â Â 16.10Â Â Â 2.33
2023#Â Â Â 16-2Â Â Â 14.40Â Â Â .313Â Â Â 1.89Â Â Â 15.91Â Â Â 2.30
2024Â Â Â 10-0Â Â Â 14.87Â Â Â .371Â Â Â 2.48Â Â Â 14.06Â Â Â 2.63
#won league's regular-season title
Halfway Home
Last Friday marked the midway point of the BIG EAST season, as was Creighton's ninth of its 18 league matches on the docket.
   Creighton is now unbeaten at the halfway mark of league play for the sixth time (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2024).
   The Bluejays have suffered one league loss or fewer in the second half of conference play during each of the previous 10 seasons.
League Record by Year
Year   1st Half   2nd Half   Place
1994Â Â Â 2-8Â Â Â 1-9Â Â Â T-9th MVC
1995Â Â Â 3-7Â Â Â 3-7Â Â Â T-7th MVC
1996Â Â Â 2-7Â Â Â 3-6Â Â Â T-6th MVC
1997Â Â Â 6-3Â Â Â 4-5Â Â Â T-3rd MVC
1998Â Â Â 2-7Â Â Â 3-6Â Â Â 8th MVC
1999Â Â Â 5-4Â Â Â 4-5Â Â Â 5th MVC
2000Â Â Â 5-4Â Â Â 5-4Â Â Â T-4th MVC
2001Â Â Â 7-2Â Â Â 5-4Â Â Â 4th MVC
2002Â Â Â 1-8Â Â Â 1-8Â Â Â T-9th MVC
2003Â Â Â 5-4Â Â Â 4-5Â Â Â T-5th MVC
2004Â Â Â 5-4Â Â Â 5-4Â Â Â 5th MVC
2005Â Â Â 4-5Â Â Â 6-3Â Â Â 5th MVC
2006Â Â Â 7-2Â Â Â 5-4Â Â Â 4th MVC
2007Â Â Â 7-2Â Â Â 7-2Â Â Â T-2nd MVC
2008Â Â Â 7-2Â Â Â 8-1Â Â Â 2nd MVC
2009Â Â Â 4-5Â Â Â 6-3Â Â Â T-4th MVC
2010Â Â Â 7-2Â Â Â 6-3Â Â Â 3rd MVC
2011Â Â Â 6-3Â Â Â 6-3Â Â Â 4th MVC
2012Â Â Â 8-1Â Â Â 9-0Â Â Â 1st MVC
2013Â Â Â 6-2Â Â Â 6-2Â Â Â T-2nd BIG EAST
2014Â Â Â 8-1Â Â Â 8-1Â Â Â 1st BIG EAST
2015Â Â Â 9-0Â Â Â 8-1Â Â Â 1st BIG EAST
2016Â Â Â 9-0Â Â Â 9-0Â Â Â 1st BIG EAST
2017Â Â Â 8-1Â Â Â 8-1Â Â Â 1st BIG EAST
2018Â Â Â 9-0Â Â Â 9-0Â Â Â 1st BIG EAST
2019Â Â Â 9-0Â Â Â 8-1Â Â Â 1st BIG EAST
2020Â Â Â 3-1Â Â Â 4-0Â Â Â 1st BIG EAST (Midwest)
2021Â Â Â 7-2Â Â Â 9-0Â Â Â T-1st BIG EAST
2022Â Â Â 9-0Â Â Â 8-1Â Â Â T-1st BIG EAST
2023Â Â Â 7-2Â Â Â Â 9-0Â Â Â Â T-1st BIG EAST
2024   9-0   1-0 so far   TBD
Total   186-89   178-89   --
So Clean
Creighton Volleyball is hitting an absurd .371 in BIG EAST play.
   How good is that?
   Across the BIG EAST, among players with three attempts per set, only two non-Creighton players are hitting better than .371.
   Creighton has hit .377 or better in at least one set during each of its last 18 matches against league foes.
   Creighton has averaged just 9.86 attack errors in its last 22 matches against BIG EAST Conference matches, finishing with 10 or less total attack errors in 13 of those.
   Looking at just the 31 BIG EAST sets played this season, Creighton has never had more than seven attack errors in any set, and its worst attack percentage in a set was .186. On the other hand, its opponents own 7+ attack errors in 13-of-31 sets and have managed only seven sets of better than .170.
   Creighton has owned a better hitting percentage than the opposition in 30-of-31 league sets this season...all but set one at Villanova on Oct. 11th.
Aced That Test
Creighton has had more service aces than service errors in each of its last five matches, a good trend since CU has won 22 contest in a row when owning more aces than errors. In those five matches (15 sets), CU has accumulated 45 aces against just 25 serving miscues.
   It's also the first time since the program's 1994 reinstatement that its had more aces than errors in five straight contests.
   Norah Sis, who had three aces on Saturday at Seton Hall, has already established a personal-best with 29 service aces this fall compared to just 18 errors.
   Per Evollve.net, Creighton is second nationally (trailing only Pitt) by winning 51.2 percent of the points when it serves. The median team (#173 of 346) wins just 43.3 percent of the points when it serves.
   Creighton's team reception percentage of .952. All four primary passers receive at .939 or better, as Creighton has been aced just 54 times in 21 matches this fall. Creighton has won 67.0 percent of the points when in serve receive this year, which ranks fifth-best in the country per Evollve.net, compared to the median team at 57.1 percent.
All They Do Is Win
Creighton won its final 13 regular-season BIG EAST matches last season and is 10-0 this fall. That's the program's fourth-longest streak of league wins in team history.
Creighton's Most Consecutive Regular-Season League Wins
   Wins   Dates   Snapped By   League
   31   Nov. 18, 2017 - Nov. 3, 2019    at Villanova, 3-0   BIG EAST
   28   Oct. 31, 2015 - Sept. 30, 2017   at Marquette, 3-0   BIG EAST
   28   Oct. 17, 2021- Nov. 18, 2022   at #16 Marquette, 3-0     BIG EAST
   23   Oct. 7, 2023 - Present   ? ? ?   BIG EAST
   14   Sept. 29, 2012 - End of 2012   Never (left MVC)   MVC
   12   Sept. 20-Oct. 25, 2015   at Villanova, 3-2   BIG EAST
   11   Oct. 11-Nov. 21, 2014   Seton Hall, 3-0   BIG EAST
   11   Oct. 6-Nov. 12, 2017   at Villanova, 3-0   BIG EAST
Streaking In League Play
Creighton has won 25 straight matches against conference teams. Though impressive, there's still six teams with longer active streaks.
   Wins   Team   Current League
   92   Western Kentucky   Conference-USA  Â
   63   High Point   Big South  Â
   33   Northern Iowa   Missouri Valley  Â
   31   Dayton   Atlantic 10  Â
   30   Southeastern Louisiana   Southland  Â
   28   Yale   Ivy  Â
   25   Creighton   BIG EAST  Â
   18   Fairfield   Metro Atlantic Athletic  Â
Putting The 0 In October And November
Creighton is 81-6 in the 10th month of the year since Oct. 1, 2016, including 15 straight wins, and victories in 29 of its past 30 such matches.
   Creighton's been awfully good in the month of November too. Since Nov. 1, 2014, CU is 61-4 in the 11th month of the year.
   Creighton has won 43 straight October home matches (since 10/15/11) and 37 consecutive home matches in November (since 11/23/14). Incredibly, Creighton is 111-10 in sets in those home November contests.
Defense Wins Championships
Creighton ranks sixth nationally with 14.41 kills per set, second with a .313 hitting percentage and is also sixth with 13.36 assists per set.
   But where it has dominated has been on the defensive side of the net, where it ranks 20th in blocks per set (2.69) and third in opponents hitting percentage (.135).
   CU ranked third last year in opponent's hitting percentage (.144) and led the country in 2021 (.124) in that category.
   Last season was the fifth straight non-COVID year that Creighton's led the BIG EAST in opponent's hitting percentage.
   In league play this year, Creighton is hitting .371 and holding foes to .112 hitting.
Sis Is Killing It
Norah Sis ranks fourth in Creighton history with 1,485 career kills after passing Olympian Taryn Kloth in October during a win at Villanova.
Career Kills
       Name   Sets   No.   Years
   1.   Jaali Winters   494   1,843   2015-18
   2.   Leah Ratzlaff   409   1,622   2002-05
   3.   Melissa Walsh   394   1,596   1998-01
   4.   Norah Sis   375   1,485   2021-Pr.
   5.   Taryn Kloth   462   1,427   2015-18
4,000 And Counting
Kendra Wait surpassed the 4,000 assist mark in the Sept. 15 match at No. 4 Louisville and starts this weekend with 4,463 in her career. That's good for second in CU history, trailing only Athletics Hall of Famer Korie Lebeda's 5,281.
Career Assists
       Name   Sets   No.   Years
   1.   Korie Lebeda   428   5,281   2005-08
   2.   Kendra Wait   416   4,463   2021-Pr.
   3.   Megan Bober   480   4,359   2009-12
Doubling Up
Kendra Wait has had a double-double in 12 matches this season, and finished one dig shy in four other contests.
   Wait's 65 double-doubles (in 121 matches played) are tied for the most in program history with at least eight matches still on the schedule.
   Wait has owned a double-double in each of her last eight matches against a Top 25 foe and 16-of-18 overall contests against the Top 25 in her career.
Career Matches With a Double-Double, Career
   D-D   Name   Years
   65   Melissa Weisensee   1994-97
   65   Kendra Wait   2021-Present
   64   Kailey Reyes   1998-01
   60   Melissa Walsh   1998-01
Senior Class Heroes
Creighton's senior class already ranks as one of the winningest groups in program history. The current group that arrived in the fall of 2021 is a combined 106-16.
   Kendra Wait has played in all 106 victories is the 11th student-athlete to appear in 100 or more victories. Of those 11 women, Wait's .876 win percentage in matches appeared just ahead of Kiana Schmitt's .873 (110-16) for the top mark.
   Norah Sis is waiting in the wings to join that list. The senior is 96-13 in her career in matches she's played in, as she's missed 13 matches (10 wins) in her career.
Most Wins, Four-Year Span
   W-L   Years
   111-28   2015-18
   109-25   2016-19
   107-32   2014-17
   106-16   2021-Pres.
   104-31   2012-15
   104-34   2013-16
   99-18   2020-23
Most Wins, Appeared In As A Player
   W-L   Pct.   Name   Years
   116-26   .817   Naomi Hickman   2017-21
   111-28   .799   Jaali Winters   2015-18
   110-16   .873   Kiana Schmitt   2019-23
   109-24   .820   Taryn Kloth   2015-18
   109-25   .813   Brittany Witt   2016-19
   107-25   .811   Megan Ballenger   2016-19
   106-15   .876   Kendra Wait   2021-Pres.
   106-32   .768   Marysa Wilkinson   2014-17
   104-34   .754   Lauren Smith   2013-16
   102-31   .767   Melanie Jereb   2012-15
   101-31   .765   Ashley Jansen   2012-15
133 Weeks As A Ranked Team
Creighton is ranked sixth in this week's AVCA poll, the 133rd time in program history it's been ranked. That's 39th-most of all programs in NCAA history.
   This week is Creighton's eighth straight week this fall and 29th week all-time as a Top 10 team.
   The No. 6 ranking is the best ranking in program history -- matching the last five weeks -- and surpassing the previous best of No. 7 on Aug. 28, 2017.
   All 133 rankings have been since 2012 and under the direction of Kirsten Bernthal Booth.
   The Bluejays are one of 15 schools (along with Baylor, BYU, Florida, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Louisville, Nebraska, Oregon, Penn State, Pitt, Purdue, Stanford, Texas and Wisconsin) to have been ranked each of the last 55 polls.
   Since the start of the 2017 season, here's which teams have been ranked the most weeks:
Most Weeks Ranked Since 2017
   Rk.   Weeks   Team
   1.   128*   Florida
       128*   Kentucky
       128*   Texas
   4.   119   Nebraska
       119   Penn State
       119   BYU
       119   Purdue
       119   Wisconsin
   9.   118*   Baylor
   10.   113   Creighton
   11.   112*   Pittsburgh
   12.   111   Stanford
       111   Minnesota
   14.   104   Oregon
   15.   94   Washington
   16.   92*   Louisville
* includes 9 weeks in Fall of 2020 when most schools didn't play
Best Rankings Ever
Creighton is ranked sixth in this week's AVCA poll, matching its best mark ever. This is the program's 29th Top 10 ranking ever.
Date   Rank
September 23, 2024Â Â Â 6th
September 30, 2024Â Â Â 6th
October 7, 2024Â Â Â 6th
October 14, 2024Â Â Â 6th
October 21, 2024Â Â Â 6th
October 28, 2024Â Â Â 6th
August 28, 2017Â Â Â 7th
September 11, 2017Â Â Â 8th
December 19, 2016 (Year-End)Â Â Â 9th
August 9, 2017 (Preseason)Â Â Â 9th
September 4, 2017Â Â Â 9th
October 29, 2018Â Â Â 9th
November 5, 2018Â Â Â 9th
November 12, 2018Â Â Â 9th
November 19, 2018Â Â Â 9th
November 26, 2018Â Â Â 9th
October 28, 2019Â Â Â 9th
November 4, 2019Â Â Â 9th
September 9, 2024Â Â Â 9th
September 16, 2024Â Â Â 9th
September 10, 2018Â Â Â 10th
September 17, 2018Â Â Â 10th
September 24, 2018Â Â Â 10th
October 1, 2018Â Â Â 10th
October 8, 2018Â Â Â 10th
October 15, 2018Â Â Â 10th
October 22, 2018Â Â Â 10th
October 21, 2019Â Â Â 10th
November 25, 2019Â Â Â 10th
BIG EAST'S Best
Since the reconfiguration of the BIG EAST in the summer of 2013, Creighton, Marquette and St. John's are the only teams to win any sort of BIG EAST volleyball title.
   Creighton owns 10 regular-season titles (3 shared) in that time, while Marquette owns four regular-season (3 shared) crowns.
   As it relates to BIG EAST Tournament titles, Creighton has won nine, Marquette one and St. John's one since 2013.
   Below is a look at the record of each BIG EAST team since league realignment in 2013:
BIG EAST VB Standings, 2013 - October 29, 2024
            BIG EAST only   All    matches
Team (NCAA Bids)Â Â Â WÂ Â Â LÂ Â Â WÂ Â Â L
Creighton (11)Â Â Â 180Â Â Â 16Â Â Â 302Â Â Â 72
Marquette (10)Â Â Â 162Â Â Â 31Â Â Â 274Â Â Â 90
Xavier   114   80   177   164
Butler   101   95   176   170
St. John's (1)Â Â Â 99Â Â Â 97Â Â Â 214Â Â Â 156
Villanova (1)Â Â Â 97Â Â Â 99Â Â Â 184Â Â Â 157
Seton Hall (1)Â Â Â 82Â Â Â 113Â Â Â 163Â Â Â 182
DePaul   62   134   143   194
Georgetown   41   147   108   216
Connecticut#Â Â Â 36Â Â Â 36Â Â Â 71Â Â Â 58
Providence*Â Â Â 29Â Â Â 151Â Â Â 111Â Â Â 202
*Providence rejoined the league for volleyball in 2014 and
its 2013 overall record (12-20) is not included above.
#Connecticut rejoined the league in 2020 and
its record from 2013-19 (96-121) is not included above.
10 Straight BIG EAST Regular-Season Titles
Regular-season champions from 2014-23, Creighton is the first team in BIG EAST volleyball history to win 10 straight regular-season titles.       The previous record had been seven by Notre Dame from 1999-2005.
   The Bluejay volleyball team is also the first Creighton program in any sport to win 10 or more straight league titles, doubling the five in a row by the men's soccer program (1992-96) in the MVC.
League Opener Histories
Including this year's sweep vs. Providence, Creighton owns a 23-8 record all-time in conference openers, including a 20-2 record under Kirsten Bernthal Booth. That includes an 11-1 mark in BIG EAST lid-lifters, and 11 straight wins since a 2013 loss at Butler.
   Each of the previous 11 times that Creighton won its league opener (2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023), the Bluejays went on to win the regular-season title, going a combined 177-13 in regular-season league action. Creighton also won 10 conference tournament titles during those years, going 20-1 at the league tournament in those seasons.
   In the 22 seasons that Creighton has won its conference opener, it has never finished worse than .500 in league play and it owns a combined .781 (306-86) winning percentage (entering 2024) in league matches.
   In the eight years in which Creighton lost its league opener, the Bluejays have had a losing record on five occasions and owns a combined .363 (53-93) winning percentage during league contests.
   In conference home openers, Creighton is 26-5 overall and 20-2 under Booth, with 14 straight wins (including 2024).
   In league road openers, Creighton is 22-9 overall and 19-3 under Booth, with 11 straight wins (including 2024).
   The last team to win a BIG EAST regular-season or tournament title without winning its regular-season opener in conference play was Cincinnati in the fall of 2008.
Home Sweet Home
Creighton is in its 12th season as a member of the BIG EAST since joining the league in the summer of 2013.
   Since then, the Bluejays are 105-4 in home matches against BIG EAST teams (96-3 in the regular-season, 9-1 in the BIG EAST Tournament).
   Since November of 2014, Creighton is 89-1 inside D.J. Sokol Arena against BIG EAST teams, which includes a 81-1 league mark and a 8-0 mark in the conference tournament. The only setback (on Feb. 6, 2021 vs. Marquette) was played as a non-conference match, only to be flipped to a league contest 19 days later.
   Put another way, since enrolling at Creighton in the fall of 2020, fourth-year Bluejay seniors Abbey Milner, Kendra Wait and Norah Sis are 33-0 in home matches against BIG EAST teams, and 99-9 in sets.
   Creighton has won 39 straight matches against BIG EAST opposition at home.
BIG EAST Preseason Poll
Creighton Volleyball was the unanimous pick to win the BIG EAST in a preseason poll of league coaches.
   Creighton earned 10 first place votes to earn the maximum 100 points. Marquette earned Creighton's first place vote (coaches can't vote for their own teams) as well as nine other second-place votes to finish second in the poll with 91 points.
   St. John's (80) was picked third, just ahead of DePaul (74) and Butler (58). Rounding out the bottom half of the poll were Xavier (49), Seton Hall (40), Villanova (39), Connecticut (33), Georgetown (27) and Providence (14).
   Creighton also had three women among the 12 members on the BIG EAST's preseason all-conference team in Ava Martin as well as unanimous selections Kendra Wait and Norah Sis. Sis was also tabbed the BIG EAST's Preseason Player of the Year for the third straight fall.
   Creighton has finished in the spot predicted of it or better in the preseason poll in 19 of 21 years under Kirsten Bernthal Booth, including 10 years where it's finished exactly where it was picked.
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   1st   #3
2013   1st   T-2nd   i1
2014   1st   1st   - -
2015   1st   1st   - -
2016   1st   1st   - -
2017   1st   1st   - -
2018   2nd   1st   #1
2019   2nd   1st   #1
2020Â Â Â 1st (MW)Â Â Â 1st (MW)Â Â Â - -
2021   1st   T-1st   - -
2022   1st   T-1st   - -
2023   2nd   T-1st   #1
2024   1st   ???   ???
The Gauntlet
Creighton played five non-conference matches against Top 25 teams, winning three of those, as part of a non-conference schedule ranked as the nation's fifth-toughest.
   This year was the fifth time in program history that Creighton played five or more Top 25 opponents prior to conference play, also doing so in 2014 (going 0-5), 2015 (1-4), 2017 (3-3) and 2019 (2-3).
   This year's 11-match gauntlet ended with the first time that Creighton has ever played three consecutive matches against Top 10 foes (No. 4 Louisville, No. 6 Purdue, No. 10 Kansas), also part of the first time Creighton played four Top 10 teams in the same month.
   The only other Bluejay teams to play four Top 10 teams in the same season were in 2015 (5, with one of those in the NCAA Tournament), 2016 (4, with two of those in the NCAA Tournament), 2018 (4) and 2019 (4, with one of those in the NCAA Tournament). The challenging schedule paid off in each case, as those previous four teams went a combined 70-2 in league play and 8-0 in league tournament action and 7-4 in NCAA Tournament play.
   The only other time Creighton has previously played five ranked teams in the same month was September of 2017, a stretch that also featured matches on consecutive days against ranked Purdue and Kansas teams in Lawrence.
Stepping Up
Creighton has played five ranked teams this fall, and its defense is a big reason the Bluejays are 3-2 in those contests.
   Maddy Bilinovic has averaged 4.38 digs per set against Top 25 opponents, compared to 3.82 digs per set versus unranked foes.
   Sydney Breissinger averages 2.43 digs per set against Top 25 competition compared to 1.84 digs per set in the remaining contests.
   Creighton has allowed just 0.62 aces per set against ranked teams (13 aces in 21 sets), compared to 0.84 aces against unranked foes (41 aces in 49 sets).
  Â
Dominance Against The Unranked
Creighton is 48-1 in sets this year against unranked teams and 96-2 in sets dating to Oct. 7, 2023 against unranked opposition.       Creighton has outscored unranked opponents 1,223-790 this year, winning an incredible 60.76 percent of those points.
   Creighton has allowed 20 or more points in just 11 of the 49 sets against unranked foes this year.
   The Bluejays are hitting .342 against unranked teams this year, while holding those foes to .109 hitting. CU also owns decisive advantages in kills (725-463), aces (108-41), digs (717-592) and blocks (134.5-53.5) in those matches.
The Incredible Third Sets
Creighton is 20-1 in the third set this season, outscoring foes in points 531-343 to win an incredible 60.7 percent of the points.
   In its late-September run of three straight Top 10 foes, the Bluejays outscored those teams by an incredible 75-43 margin in the third.
   Creighton is hitting .333 in the third set this year, its best of any frame. That figure is .342 in the third set against ranked teams this fall.
   Creighton is also hitting .401 in the second set of its BIG EAST matches, and has held all eight league foes to 19 points or less.
Hidden Stats
The only team to finish a match with more aces than Creighton this season is Connecticut (8-6).
   The only teams to finish a match with more blocks than Creighton are USC (10.5-7.0) and Louisville (13-11).
   The only team to finish a match with more digs than Creighton has been Nebraska (81-80).
Any Stat Will Do
Since joining the BIG EAST a dozen years ago, Creighton has been dominant when it wins just about any stat category, as seen below:
Statistic   W   L   Pct.
With Better Hitting Pct.   293   9   .970
When Hitting .250+Â Â Â 210Â Â Â 6Â Â Â .972
When Hitting .300+Â Â Â 118Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 1.000
When Serving 10+ Aces   18   2   .900
When Owning More Kills   282   21   .931
When Owning More Aces   213   21   .910
When Owning More Digs   244   21   .921
When Owning More Blocks   225   17   .930
Avoiding Losing Streaks
One key to Creighton's extended success over the last dozen years has been its ability to bounce back after a loss.
   The Bluejays have won their last 25 contests immediately following a loss and have not dropped consecutive matches since opening the season 0-2 to begin the 2019 campaign with back-to-back losses to No. 2 Nebraska and No. 20 Baylor in Lincoln, Neb.
   And if that's not enough, EVERY SINGLE OTHER TEAM in the country (all 347 of them) has had a multi-match losing streak since Creighton's last skid and every other team in the BIG EAST has had a multi-match losing streak this season alone.
   Creighton has also won its last 17 matches after a five-set loss, a streak that dates back to early in the 2016 campaign.
   And while not in jeopardy on Friday, it's still worth bragging about that Creighton has also not lost back-to-back matches against conference foes since a three-match losing streak in November of 2011.
No Losers Here
Creighton has been as good as anyone at avoiding losses in recent seasons.
   Creighton, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Texas, Western Kentucky and Wisconsin are the nation's only teams with five losses or less in the 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons.
   If you go back two years more, the nation's only teams to lose six times or less in the 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons are Creighton, Pittsburgh and Texas.
   Creighton is one of just two schools nationally who have won 25 matches or more in every season between 2014-23 (not counting the 2020 COVID-19 year). That group consists of BYU and Creighton.
Nationwide Success
With a 186-13 record against BIG EAST teams since 2014, it's safe to say the 10-time defending BIG EAST champion Creighton Volleyball program has proven itself over the last decade in league play.
   This year, it's going national. The Bluejays have beaten at least one team from each of the other "Power Four" conferences, as well as two teams from its former league, the MVC. The Bluejays are...
   1-0 vs. American Athletic Conference teams
   1-1 vs. Atlantic Coast Conference teams
   2-0 vs. Big 12 Conference teams
   10-0 vs. BIG EAST Conference teams
   2-1 vs. Big Ten Conference teams
   2-0 vs. Missouri Valley Conference teams
   1-0 vs. Southeastern Conference teams
A Bunch of Winners
Creighton's 29 victories last season were tied for sixth-most in the nation and its .853 win percentage was tied for ninth-best.
   Additionally, Creighton's 87 victories in the previous three seasons (2020-22) are tied for fourth in the country (behind only Louisville, Pitt and Wisconsin) and its 312 wins in the previous 12 campaigns is sixth-most (behind only WKU, Nebraska, Texas, Penn State and BYU).
   Creighton also ranked tied for first nationally in fewest sets lost (22) last year with Nebraska and Dayton.
   In its last 34 matches dating to last season, Creighton is 31-3 and has won 96-of-109 sets. All three match losses came in five sets.
   In its 25 matches against BIG EAST schools since October 7, 2023, Creighton has dropped just two sets to league opponents.
Fewest Sets Lost in 2023
Rk.   Sets Lost   Team
1.   22   Creighton
   22   Nebraska
   22   Dayton
4.   23   Wisconsin
   23   Tennessee
   23   Western Michigan
Fewest Sets Lost in 2024 (through 10/21)
Rk.   Sets Lost   Team
1.   7   Pittsburgh
2.   9   Creighton
   9   Dayton
Set-tle Down
Since the start of the 2021 season, Creighton is 82-3 in three-set matches, 15-4 in four-set matches and 9-9 in five set contests.
The Streak At Home
Creighton had its first unbeaten home season in program history last year, going a perfect 13-0 in matches and 39-3 in sets.
   With 10 more wins this season, the Bluejays have extended their program record to 23 straight home wins, surpassing a 15-match home win streak from Sept. 7-Nov. 30, 2018 that had been the standard.
   Creighton's 23-match home win streak is the fifth-longest active streak in the country.
   Creighton has won 62 of its last 64 sets played at D.J. Sokol Arena overall and did not lose a single set to a BIG EAST opponent last fall.
Creighton's Longest Home Win Streaks
Wins   Dates   Snapped By
   23   Sept. 1, 2023 - Present   TBD
   15   Sept. 7 - Nov. 30, 2018   #22 Washington, 3-0
   13   Sept. 1, 2012 - Sept. 7, 2013   California, 3-0
   13   Sept. 9, 2016-Sept. 1, 2017   #18 USC, 3-0
Nation's Longest Active Home Win Streaks (10/28)
Wins   Team   Next Home Match
   38   Nebraska   11/14 vs. #15 Minnesota
   30   Yale   11/1 vs. Princeton
   26   Pittsburgh   11/8 vs. #25 North Carolina
   25   Wisconsin   11/1 vs. #2 Nebraska
   23   Creighton   11/1 vs. St. John's
   20   Dayton   10/29 vs. Duquesne
Top 25 History
Creighton is 220-47 all-time when playing as a ranked team, and also 24-27 all-time against ranked teams when ranked itself. That mark is 4-3 when both Creighton and its opponent are ranked in the top 10.
   Since the start of the 2012 season, 42 of Creighton's 76 losses have come against ranked teams. In that same period, Creighton is 304-34 against unranked teams. Creighton has won all but three of its past 115 home matches over unranked teams and all but 13 of its last 165 matches at all sites against unranked teams.
Ranked vs. Ranked (CU is 24-27)
Home: 10-9Â Â Â Away: 8-11Â Â Â Â Neutral: 6-7
Date   Winner   Loser   CU Score
11/19/12   #11 Minnesota   #21 Creighton   1-3
08/30/13   #25 Creighton   #13 BYU   3-1
09/14/13   #11 UCLA   #24 Creighton   1-3
09/16/13   #7 Hawaii   #23 Creighton   2-3
08/30/14   #22 Kansas   #23 Creighton   1-3
09/03/16   #23 Kentucky   #22 Creighton   0-3
12/02/16   #21 Creighton   #4 Kansas   3-2
12/09/16   #21 Creighton   #17 Michigan   3-2
12/10/16   #5 Texas   #21 Creighton   0-3
08/26/17   #9 Creighton   #3 Washington   3-1
09/01/17   #7 Creighton   #13 Kentucky   3-0
09/02/17   #18 USC   #7 Creighton   0-3
09/08/17   #17 Purdue   #9 Creighton   1-3
09/09/17   #9 Creighton   #7 Kansas   3-0
09/16/17   #19 Iowa State   #8 Creighton   2-3
12/12/17   #12 Michigan St.   #15 Creighton   1-3
08/24/18   #13 Creighton   #5 Kentucky   3-2
08/25/18   #10 USC   #13 Creighton   2-3
09/06/18   #7 Nebraska   #14 Creighton   2-3
09/15/18   #8 Illinois   #10 Creighton   1-3
09/23/18   #10 Creighton   #21 Marquette   3-0
10/26/18   #10 Creighton   #18 Marquette   3-1
11/24/18   #9 Creighton   #16 Marquette   3-1
12/01/18   #22 Washington   #9 Creighton   0-3
08/30/19   #2 Nebraska   #18 Creighton   1-3
08/31/19   #20 Baylor   #18 Creighton   0-3
09/06/19   #23 Creighton   #12 Kentucky   3-1
09/07/19   #23 Creighton   #15 USC   3-1
09/14/19   #12 Washington   #17 Creighton   1-3
10/12/19   #13 Creighton   #10 Marquette   3-2
11/22/19   #12 Creighton   #9 Marquette   3-1
12/07/19   #7 Minnesota   #15 Creighton   2-3
02/05/21   #19 Creighton   #25 Marquette   3-2
02/06/21   #25 Marquette   #19 Creighton   0-3
09/08/21   #3 Nebraska   #19 Creighton   0-3
09/02/22   #17 Creighton   #25 USC   3-1
09/03/22   #16 Kentucky   #17 Creighton   1-3
09/07/22   #2 Nebraska   #17 Creighton   2-3
10/14/22   #21 Creighton   #16 Marquette   3-2
11/19/22   #16 Marquette   #11 Creighton   0-3
11/26/22   #15 Creighton   #14 Marquette   3-2
08/26/23   #18 Creighton   #16 Purdue   3-0
09/06/23   #4 Nebraska   #16 Creighton   1-3
09/16/23   #14 Creighton   #9 Minnesota   3-2
11/05/23   #17 Creighton   #25 Marquette   3-0
12/07/23   #7 Louisville   #17 Creighton   2-3
09/05/24   #11 Creighton   #20 USC   3-1
09/10/24   #5 Nebraska   #9 Creighton   2-3
09/15/24   #4 Louisville   #9 Creighton   2-3
09/20/24   #9 Creighton   #6 Purdue   3-1
09/21/24   #9 Creighton   #10 Kansas   3-0
Hunting The Top 10
Creighton is 10-36 all-time against top-10 teams, including a 10-29 mark under Kirsten Bernthal Booth, and a 2-2 record this year.
   Nine of the 10 victories came away from home, including four sweeps. All four top-five triumphs were also away from home.
   The highest-ranked teams that Creighton has ever beaten are No. 3 Washington (8/26/2017) and No. 3 Kentucky (9/4/2021), both on the road.
Creighton's All-Time Top 10 Wins
Date   Opponent   Score
09/05/15Â Â Â vs. #10 Kentucky (Cedar Falls, Iowa)Â Â Â W 3-0
12/02/16   at #4 Kansas   W 3-2
08/26/17   at #3 Washington   W 3-1
09/09/17   at #7 Kansas   W 3-0
08/24/18Â Â Â vs. #5 Kentucky (Los Angeles, Calif.)Â Â Â W 3-2
10/12/19   at #10 Marquette   W 3-2
11/22/19   #9 Marquette   W 3-1
09/04/21   at #3 Kentucky   W 3-0
09/20/24Â Â Â vs. #6 Purdue (Lawrence, Kan.)Â Â Â W 3-1
09/21/24   at #10 Kansas   W 3-0
They Hit What?
Creighton hit .426 in its Sept. 21 sweep over No. 10 Kansas. That's the best mark Creighton has ever hit against a Top 25 team, and tied for the 18th-best mark in program history against any opponent.
   Creighton hit over .425 on five occasions last year, hitting .493 at Villanova (Oct. 27), .488 vs. Georgetown (Oct. 13), .465 at Seton Hall (Nov. 10), .442 vs. High Point (Sept. 15) and .430 at Providence (Oct. 21).
   The Bluejays have hit .400 or better four times this year so far, including a season-best .471 on Sept. 29 vs. UConn.
   Creighton is 310-9 under Kirsten Bernthal Booth when hitting .250 or better and as a program has won 179 straight matches when hitting .300 or better, a streak that dates to October of 1996.
Birds Of A Feather
Creighton has showcased a three new sets of jerseys this season, as Nike designed some custom-made uniforms.
   Both the white and navy ("Midnight Jays") jerseys are sleeveless in a drastic change from past years.
   The uniforms also feature several different colors of "Hyper-Elite" arm sleeves, which the players wear on their arms and can be mix & matched for a number of uniform combinations.
   If you look closely, the arms sleeves also have a feather design pattern, a nod to Creighton's Bluejay nickname.
   Creighton unveiled some throwback royal blue jerseys on Sept. 27 vs. Providence with its old Jays script logo as part of Alumni Night. Those are also the first Bluejay jerseys in decades (and maybe ever) to feature last names on the back.
Her Kind Of City
Kentucky transfer Elise Goetzinger is a perfect 18-0 in matches played in Omaha in her career, though she did not play in two of those matches due to injury.
   Goetzinger started all five of UK's matches en route to the 2020 national title (in the spring of 2021), which were played in CHI Health Center Omaha's convention center and arena. The Wildcats beat UNLV, No. 18 Western Kentucky, No. 9 Purdue, No. 7 Washington and No. 5 Texas en route to the championship.
   In 2022 Goetzinger was named to the All-Tournament Team while helping the Wildcats to the Bluejay Invitational title with wins over UNI, No. 17 Creighton and No. 25 USC.
   During those 18 wins, Goetzinger owns 111 kills and 59 blocks while hitting .387 in 53 sets played.
Jays Earn Tourney Titles
Creighton's Bluejay Invitational title on the opening weekend of the fall season marked the 13th straight season that Creighton has won at least one tournament, a streak that dates to 2012. Creighton won three of its four non-conference tournaments this year.
    During that span, the Bluejays have won 34 tournament titles, not to mention 10 regular-season league crowns.
   Creighton has also now won at least one home tournament each of the last eight seasons.
   Creighton won five different tournaments last season, tying a program record, and outside of the NCAA Tournament has now won seven of the eight tournaments it has played in.
Creighton's Tournament Titles Since 2012
Year   Titles Won   Tourney Hosts
2012Â Â Â 3Â Â Â USF, UNC, MVC
2013Â Â Â 1Â Â Â BGSU
2014Â Â Â 1Â Â Â CU, BIG EAST
2015Â Â Â 1Â Â Â BIG EAST
2016Â Â Â 1Â Â Â BIG EAST
2017Â Â Â 4Â Â Â WASH, CU, KU, BIG EAST
2018Â Â Â 3Â Â Â SMU, CU, BIG EAST
2019Â Â Â 2Â Â Â UNI, CU
2020Â Â Â 1Â Â Â BIG EAST
2021Â Â Â 5Â Â Â MIZZ, UK, CU, WSU, BIG EAST
2022Â Â Â 3Â Â Â WYO, UNO, BIG EAST
2023Â Â Â 5Â Â Â Purdue, CU, UNO, MINN, BIG EAST
2024Â Â Â 3Â Â Â CU, CU, KU
Packed House
Creighton announced in July that it had sold out of season tickets, and fans have shown up in a big way this fall.
   The Bluejays are averaging 2,348 fans per home match (30th-best nationally), including a crowd of 2,570 on Oct. 20 vs. DePaul that was the third-largest volleyball crowd ever inside D.J. Sokol Arena.
Creighton Volleyball's Largest Home Crowds
   Att.   Opponent   Date   CU Result   Facility
   15,797   #2 Nebraska   09/07/22   L 2-3   CHI Health Ctr.
   14,022   #7 Nebraska   09/06/18   L 2-3   CHI Health Ctr.
   13,081   #18 Cal Poly   09/02/07   L 0-3   CHI Health Ctr.
   12,112   #1 Nebraska   09/24/06   L 1-3   CHI Health Ctr.
   11,279   #3 Nebraska   09/08/21   L 0-3   CHI Health Ctr.
   10,131   #4 Nebraska   09/15/15   L 0-3   CHI Health Ctr.
   8,037   #2 Nebraska   10/05/08   L 0-3   CHI Health Ctr.
   2,653   Auburn   12/02/22   L 2-3   D.J. Sokol Arena
   2,578   #13 Kentucky   09/01/17   W 3-0   D.J. Sokol Arena
   2,570   DePaul   10/20/24   W 3-0   D.J. Sokol Arena
   2,569   NC State   08/30/24   W 3-0   D.J. Sokol Arena
   2,568   Minnesota   12/02/23   W 3-0   D.J. Sokol Arena
   2,563   Colgate   12/01/23   W 3-0   D.J. Sokol Arena
   2,552   South Dakota   11/30/18   W 3-0   D.J. Sokol Arena
   2,517   Coastal Carolina   12/01/17   W 3-1   D.J. Sokol Arena
   2,514   #7 Nebraska   08/31/10   L 0-3   D.J. Sokol Arena
   2,509   #22 Washington   12/01/18   L 0-3   D.J. Sokol Arena
   2,504   #9 Marquette   11/22/19   W 3-1   D.J. Sokol Arena
Olympians Made Here
Taryn Kloth made history earlier this summer when the 2018 graduate became the first female Creighton student-athlete to compete in the Olympics.
   The South Dakota native paired with Kristen Nuss to tie for ninth place in Beach Volleyball, winning their first three matches before losing to a team from Canada that went on to win the silver medal.
   Head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth and associate head coach Angie Oxley Behrens both made the trip to Paris to watch three of Kloth's matches.
   Kloth was a First Team All-BIG EAST choice in 2016 and 2018 and named BIG EAST Tournament MVP in 2017. She ranks fifth in CU history with 1,427 career kills and won four BIG EAST regular-season and tournament titles.
61*
Creighton Volleyball traditionally owns one of the nation's top non-conference schedules, but head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth might have outdone herself this year.
   All 11 of Creighton's non-conference matches were against teams with a Top 61 RPI last year.
   Each of the top four teams that Creighton played from that list were met outside of Omaha.
2023 RPI   School   2024 CU Result
 1   at Nebraska   L 2-3
 6   at Louisville   L 2-3
13   vs. Purdue   W 3-1
15   at Kansas   W 3-0
30Â Â Â USCÂ Â Â W 3-1
34   Missouri   W 3-0
35   vs. Northern Iowa   W 3-0
43   NC State   W 3-0
52   Drake   W 3-0
60   vs. Rice   W 3-0
61   Kansas State   W 3-0
Year-By-Year In Non-Conference Play
Despite annually facing one of the nation's toughest non-conference schedules, Creighton has continued to excel against elite competition.
   Creighton is 11-15 against ranked non-conference foes over the last eight seasons after going 2-43 all-time vs. ranked teams in regular-season non-conference matches.
Non-Conference Records, By Year, Under Booth
Year   Non-Con W-L   vs. Ranked Non-Con   Final W-L
2003Â Â Â 3-8Â Â Â 0-0Â Â Â 12-18
2004Â Â Â 8-2Â Â Â 0-1Â Â Â 18-11
2005Â Â Â 6-5Â Â Â 0-3Â Â Â 16-14
2006Â Â Â 8-3Â Â Â 0-1Â Â Â 21-10
2007Â Â Â 6-5Â Â Â 0-3Â Â Â 21-10
2008Â Â Â 3-5Â Â Â 0-3Â Â Â 18-9
2009Â Â Â 3-8Â Â Â 0-3Â Â Â 14-17
2010Â Â Â 5-5Â Â Â 0-1Â Â Â 21-12
2011Â Â Â 5-7Â Â Â 0-1Â Â Â 17-14
2012Â Â Â 9-2Â Â Â 0-1Â Â Â 29-4
2013Â Â Â 9-3Â Â Â 1-2Â Â Â 23-9
2014Â Â Â 7-6Â Â Â 0-5Â Â Â 25-9
2015Â Â Â 6-7Â Â Â 1-4Â Â Â 27-9
2016Â Â Â 6-6Â Â Â 0-4Â Â Â 29-7
2017Â Â Â 7-4Â Â Â 3-3Â Â Â 26-7
2018Â Â Â 8-4Â Â Â 1-3Â Â Â 29-5
2019Â Â Â 7-3Â Â Â 2-3Â Â Â 25-6
2020Â Â Â 3-2Â Â Â 0-0Â Â Â 12-4
2021Â Â Â 12-1Â Â Â 1-1Â Â Â 31-4
2022Â Â Â 8-3Â Â Â 1-2Â Â Â 27-5
2023Â Â Â 9-2Â Â Â 2-1Â Â Â 29-5
2024Â Â Â 9-2Â Â Â 3-2Â Â Â TBD
Preseason Ranking
Creighton was ranked 12th in the AVCA preseason poll on Aug. 19th. It's the 10th time in the past 12 years that the Jays have been ranked in the preseason, and third year in a row.
   The No. 12 slotting was the second-best preseason ranking in program history.
   Over the last 16 seasons, 295-of-400 teams (73.8 percent) of teams have been in both the preseason and final polls, and since 2008 362-of-400 teams (90.5 percent) in the preseason top-25 polls would go on to reach the NCAA Tournament, as all but preseason No. 13 San Diego, No. 14 Ohio State and No. 23 Rice reached the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
   This year marks the 13th straight season that CU has been ranked at least one week, extending a program record.
   Year   Preseason Rank   Final W-L   Final Rank
   2013   25th   23-9   NR
   2014   23rd   25-9   NR
   2016   18th   27-9   9th
   2017   9th   26-7   16th
   2018   13th   29-5   13th
   2019   18th   25-6   16th
   2020   16th   12-4   NR
   2022   18th   27-5   21st
   2023   18th   29-5   15th
   2024   12th   TBD   TBD
12 Straight NCAA's
Creighton Volleyball has made the NCAA Tournament in each of the previous 12 seasons. They are the first women's team in any sport at Creighton to make 12 straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
   The only other sport in Creighton history to make 12 straight NCAA Tournament appearances is the men's soccer program, which qualified in 17 straight seasons from 1992-2008.
    Creighton is one of seven teams nationally to have appeared in each of the last 12 NCAA Tournaments (2012-23). That group features BYU, Creighton, Florida, Kentucky, Nebraska, Penn State and Texas.
   There are also 13 schools that have appeared in 13 of the last 14 NCAA Tournaments, a group that includes Creighton, Florida State, Hawai'i, Minnesota, Purdue, San Diego, Stanford and Washington. Florida, Kentucky, Nebraska, Penn State, and Texas have appeared in every NCAA Tournament since at least 2010.
Survival of the Fittest
Creighton has won nine matches under Kirsten Bernthal Booth after surviving an opponent's match point, including season-opening wins over No. 5 Kentucky in 2018 and vs. UTSA in 2011. Three of those other comeback wins have come against Wichita State.
   On the other hand, Creighton is 489-3 under Booth when it reaches a match point opportunity, falling only when it wasted two match points on Sept. 4, 2010 to Iowa, two match points on Nov. 1, 2013 in a loss to St. John's, and two match points on Dec. 7, 2019 in an NCAA Tournament loss at No. 7 Minnesota.
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
08/26/11Â Â Â vs. UTSAÂ Â Â 12-14, 13-14Â Â Â 16-14
11/16/12   at Wichita State   13-14   16-14
09/20/15   Kansas State   23-24 (4th set)   15-13
11/20/15   at Georgetown   23-24, 26-27 (4th set)   15-7
08/24/18   vs. #5 Kentucky   16-15, 19-18   22-20
Taking The Fifth
Creighton is 70-41 in five-set matches under Kirsten Bernthal Booth. That's impressive since Creighton had never finished a season with a winning record in fifth sets prior to Booth's arrival.
   Creighton has won 19 of its last 29 true road matches to go five sets, including wins in 2012 over league rivals Northern Iowa, Wichita State and Missouri State, wins in 2013 at Denver and at Wichita State, wins in 2014 at Butler and at St. John's, a win at Georgetown in 2015, an NCAA Tournament win at No. 4 Kansas in 2016, 2017 victories at Butler, Georgetown and Marquette, a 2018 win at Butler, wins at UNI and No. 10 Marquette in 2019, at South Dakota in the 2020 campaign, at Omaha and UConn in 2022 and at No. 9 Minnesota in 2023.
   It's also worth noting that Creighton is 19-5 all-time in five-set home matches at D.J. Sokol Arena.
   Creighton's six victories in five-set matches in 2022 broke the program record of five previously done in 2003, 2011 and 2015. The nine five-set matches in 2022 was also a record.
   Below is a list of Creighton's record in five-set matches on a yearly basis:
Year   Set 5 W-L   Total W-L
1994Â Â Â 0-2Â Â Â 5-20
1995Â Â Â 0-2Â Â Â 11-19
1996Â Â Â 2-6Â Â Â 9-19
1997Â Â Â 3-5Â Â Â 15-13
1998Â Â Â 2-3Â Â Â 7-18
1999Â Â Â 3-3Â Â Â 13-15
2000Â Â Â 3-3Â Â Â 16-12
2001Â Â Â 1-1Â Â Â 14-13
2002Â Â Â 1-3Â Â Â 3-23
2003Â Â Â 5-1Â Â Â 12-18
2004Â Â Â 4-0Â Â Â 18-11
2005Â Â Â 3-1Â Â Â 16-14
2006Â Â Â 4-2Â Â Â 21-10
2007Â Â Â 2-0Â Â Â 21-10
2008Â Â Â 2-3Â Â Â 18-9
2009Â Â Â 1-4Â Â Â 14-17
2010Â Â Â 3-3Â Â Â 21-12
2011Â Â Â 5-2Â Â Â 17-14
2012Â Â Â 4-1Â Â Â 29-4
2013Â Â Â 3-2Â Â Â 23-9
2014Â Â Â 3-2Â Â Â 25-9
2015Â Â Â 5-2Â Â Â 27-9
2016Â Â Â 4-3Â Â Â 29-7
2017Â Â Â 4-1Â Â Â 26-7
2018Â Â Â 3-2Â Â Â 29-5
2019Â Â Â 2-1Â Â Â 25-6
2020Â Â Â 4-2Â Â Â 12-4
2021Â Â Â 1-1Â Â Â 31-4
2022Â Â Â 6-3Â Â Â 27-5
2023Â Â Â 2-3Â Â Â 29-5
2024Â Â Â 0-2Â Â Â 19-2 so far
Total   85-69   582-343
Champions Among Champions
Since the start of the 2012 season, Creighton, Texas and Western Kentucky are the nation's only schools to have won 11 conference regular-season titles. All but three of Creighton's 11 crowns were outright titles, whereas Texas shared one title and WKU shared five.
   Creighton has also won 10 conference tournament titles since 2012, the most in the nation.
Most Conference Titles 2012-2023
Regular-Season   League Tournament
11 (3 shared) Creighton   10 Creighton
11 (1) Texas   9 Dayton
11 (5) Western Kentucky   9 Western Kentucky
10 (1) Fairfield   8 Fairfield
8 (8) Florida A&MÂ Â Â 7 LIU
8 (4) Yale
8 (2) BYUÂ Â Â
8 (1) Colorado State  Â
Bouncing Back
The Creighton staff is quick to credit athletic performance coach Brad Schmidt for helping the team get stronger during the off-season and maintaining that strength during the season.
   Need evidence of that? Since Aug. 25, 2018, Creighton is 23-2 in the match after a five-setter.
2-0 Better Than 0-2
Creighton is 408-11 (.974) all-time when leading a match 2-0, including a 351-5 mark (.986) under Kirsten Bernthal Booth. CU is 272-3 (.989) when up 2-0 dating to September of 2009, and 140-1 (.993) all-time at D.J. Sokol Arena when up 2-0 at the break.
   Per RichKern.com, Division I teams that won the first two sets won 94.9 percent of their matches from 2014-23.
   Conversely, the Jays are 17-208 (.076) all-time when trailing a match 0-2, and 15-109 (.121) under Booth. Those 17 comebacks in program history 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
11/16/12   at Wichita St.   25-16, 25-20, 16-14   Booth
09/05/14   vs. No. Iowa   25-16, 25-22, 15-5   Booth
11/08/14   at Butler   25-16, 25-20, 15-13   Booth
09/20/15   Kansas State   25-23, 26-24, 15-13   Booth
10/09/15   DePaul   25-21, 25-12, 15-11   Booth
11/20/15   at Georgetown   30-28, 26-24, 15-7   Booth
10/13/17   Butler   25-21, 25-23, 15-9   Booth
10/18/18   Xavier   25-17, 25-17, 15-13   Booth
01/31/21   at So. Dakota   25-20, 25-23, 15-7   Booth
10/07/22   at UConn   25-15, 25-12, 15-13   Booth
10/14/22   #16 Marquette   25-19, 25-16, 15-8   Booth
Set 1 Result A Strong Indicator
Creighton is 418-36 (.921) overall under Kirsten Bernthal Booth when it wins set one. In that same time span, CU is just 71-155 (.314) under Booth when it drops the first set.
   Per RichKern.com, Division I teams that lost the first set won just 20.3 percent of their matches from 2014-23.
   Since Aug. 29, 2010, Creighton has gone 158-5 in its last 163 home matches when taking a 1-0 lead, losing only on Sept. 12, 2015 to Pacific, on Sept. 6, 2018 to No. 7 Nebraska and on Jan. 29, 2021 to South Dakota, on Sept. 3, 2022 to No. 16 Kentucky and on Dec. 2, 2022 to Auburn.
   Creighton has gone 150-6 in its last 156 matches at all sites when winning the first set, compared to a 14-21 record in that same span when dropping the opener.
   Creighton has gone 187-4 (.979) in its last 191 matches against unranked foes when winning the opening set.
Against NCAA Tournament Qualifiers
This year's team has nine matches scheduled against teams that made the 2023 NCAA Tournament with contests scheduled against Marquette (2x), Nebraska, Kansas, Purdue, Louisville, Northern Iowa, USC and Missouri.
   After going 3-35 against teams coming off NCAA Tournament bids prior to Kirsten Bernthal Booth's arrival, the Jays are 110-109 since, including a 6-2 record this year.
Year   W-L vs. Previous Season NCAA Teams
1994Â Â Â 0-4
1995Â Â Â 0-2
1996Â Â Â 0-2
1997Â Â Â 0-3
1998Â Â Â 0-5
1999Â Â Â 2-4
2000Â Â Â 0-4
2001Â Â Â 1-6
2002Â Â Â 0-5
2003Â Â Â 0-3
2004Â Â Â 2-2
2005Â Â Â 0-6
2006Â Â Â 4-6
2007Â Â Â 4-9
2008Â Â Â 6-8
2009Â Â Â 1-11
2010Â Â Â 4-7
2011Â Â Â 2-6
2012Â Â Â 8-3
2013Â Â Â 6-6
2014Â Â Â 4-5
2015Â Â Â 11-5
2016Â Â Â 10-7
2017Â Â Â 8-6
2018Â Â Â 8-5
2019Â Â Â 5-4
2020Â Â Â 3-1
2021Â Â Â 3-1
2022Â Â Â 5-4
2023Â Â Â 11-3
2024Â Â Â 6-2 so far
TOTALÂ Â Â 112-144
TOTAL Under Booth   110-109
Lucky 13
Kirsten Bernthal Booth is in some select company, as she has directed her team to 13 NCAA Tournaments. That's more than any other coach in Creighton history.
Name   Sport   NCAA's @CU
Kirsten Bernthal Booth   Volleyball   13
Bob Warming   Men's Soccer   11
Greg McDermott   Men's Basketball   9
Dana Altman   Men's Basketball   7
Brent Vigness   Softball   7
Jim Flanery   Women's Basketball   7
Elmar Bolowich   Men's Soccer   6
Climbing The List
Kirsten Bernthal Booth became Creighton Volleyball's winningest coach in the program's modern history on August 26, 2007, and hasn't let up. Booth owns 489 victories on the Bluejay sideline to rank fifth in school history across all sports.
Coach, Sport   Victories
Brent Vigness, Softball   819
Ed Servais, Baseball   678*
Mary Higgins, Softball   564
Tom Lilly, Men's & Women's Tennis   542*#
Kirsten Bernthal Booth, Volleyball   489*
Jim Flanery, Women's Basketball   427*
Ed Hubbs, Men's & Women's Tennis   347
Dana Altman, Men's Basketball   327
*still active coaching at Creighton
#currently just the women's tennis coach
Against The BIG EAST
Since the BIG EAST was restructured in 2013, Creighton owns a winning percentage better than .750 against each of the other teams currently in the BIG EAST.
   The Bluejays own 199 wins against BIG EAST competition (including BIG EAST Championship play) since 2013, 31 more wins than Marquette for most in the league.
   CU still has not lost to three league foes (DePaul, Georgetown, Providence) since joining the BIG EAST, and Marquette (6), Villanova (3), Seton Hall (3) and St. John's (3) are the only BIG EAST programs to top the Bluejays multiple times since 2013.
Opponent   Reg. Season   BE Tourney   Total
Butler   21-1   -   21-1
Connecticut   4-1   1-0   5-1
DePaul   23-0   2-0   25-0
Georgetown   21-0   -   21-0
Marquette   18-5   6-1   24-6
Providence   17-0   -   17-0
Seton Hall   18-3   2-0   20-3
St. John's   19-2   1-1   20-3
Villanova   18-3   3-0   21-3
Xavier   21-1   4-0   25-1
Total   180-16   19-2   199-18
Production Returns
Creighton returns 13-of-18 letterwinners to the court from last season, including four starters.
   From last year's team, only Kiana Schmitt, Ellie Bichelmeyer, Ann Marie Remmes, Ellie Bolton and Morgan Colangelo are not back.
   All told, of the seven categories listed below, Creighton returns 516.2 of a possible 700% back (73.7 percent).
   Below is a breakdown of the production that is back:
Stat   Returners   Departures
Assists   1,457 (93.3%)   105 (6.7%)
Aces   155 (87.1%)   23 (12.9%)
Digs   1486 (79.4%)   385 (20.6%)
Points   1434.0 (67.5%)   691.5 (32.5%)
Kills   1,134 (67.3%)   552 (32.7%)
Matches Started   135 (66.2%)   69 (33.8%)
Blocks   145.0 (55.4%)   116.5 (44.6%)
President Booth
Creighton coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth is the current President of the American Volleyball Coaches Association, having started her service on January 1, 2024.
   She is also part of the 17-member AVCA Board of Directors, which includes elected representatives, appointed voting members for Diversity Development and Legislation, and non-voting members for Education and Awards.
    She will finish out her term as Past President in 2026.
Match #22: Villanova at #6 Creighton • Omaha, Neb. • Sunday, Nov. 3 • 1 p.m. | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE AUDIO | CU NOTES | VU NOTES |
This Week
No. 6 Creighton Volleyball (19-2, 10-0 BIG EAST) opens November with three straight home matches, a stretch that begins on Friday when the Bluejays host St. John's (16-8, 5-5 BIG EAST) at 6 p.m. in a rematch of the 2023 BIG EAST Tournament title contest.
   On Sunday at 1 p.m., CU welcomes Villanova (13-8, 6-4 BIG EAST) to campus.
   Both matches will take place inside D.J. Sokol Arena in Omaha, Neb.
Promotional Schedule
Friday's promotional theme is a Spook & Spike Boojay Bash. Adults and kids alike are welcome to compete in a costume competition for prizes, with trick or treating stops available on the concourse.
   Sunday features a Turn Back The Clock theme as we go retro as a reminder to change your clock for Daylight Saving Time. There'll be a raffle for an Apple watch for students, and a limited quantity of foam fingers for all fans in attendance.
Television Information
Both matches this weekend will be televised statewide by Nebraska Public Media, with Larry Punteney and Kathi Wieskamp on the call.
   The matches can be viewed at https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/watch/live.
   The Creighton Volleyball schedule page at GoCreighton.com has direct links to each broadcast, as well.
Radio Information
Both matches this weekend will air on KZOT (1180 AM) and http://GoCreighton/listen1180.
   Jake Ryan and Jaela (Zimmerman) Conner will call Friday's match, while Jon Schriner and Kate Elman will broadcast Sunday's contest.
   Links will also be on the GoCreighton.com volleyball schedule page.
Live Stats Information
Both of this weekend's matches will have free live stats, with links to each contest available at http://Creighton.StatBroadcast.com.
   Links will also be on the GoCreighton.com volleyball schedule page.
Scouting #6 Creighton
Creighton has won 12 straight matches to improve to 19-2 this season, its best start in program history through 21 contests. Both losses have come in five sets on the road to top-five teams Nebraska (Sept. 10) and Louisville (Sept. 15).
   The Bluejays remain a program-best No. 6 in this week's AVCA rankings, thanks in large part to back-to-back Top 10 wins over then-No. 6 Purdue (3-1) and then-No. 10 Kansas (3-0) in late September. In league play, Creighton is 10-0 and has just dropped one set.
   Three women on the AVCA Player of the Year Watch List lead the Bluejays. Setter Kendra Wait (11.09 aps., 2.99 dps., 0.93 kps., 0.89 bps., .356%) has been named BIG EAST Setter of the Week six times in the first nine weeks of the season, while outside hitters Norah Sis (3.75 kps., .305%, 0.42 saps.) and Ava Martin (3.46 kps., .292%) give CU one of the best attacking duo's in the country.
   Kiara Reinhardt (1.36 bps.) leads the league in blocks per set, and transfers Maddy Bilinovic (3.99 dps.) and Elise Goetzinger (2.53 kps., 1.20 bps., .361%) have made an immediate impact and rank among the best in the league at their respective positions.
   CU was a unanimous pick to win the BIG EAST by league coaches in 2024 after returning four starters from last season's 29-5 squad that reached a 12th straight NCAA Tournament and saw the Bluejays win a 10th straight BIG EAST regular-season title, and its ninth BIG EAST Tournament crown in the past decade.
    CU leads the BIG EAST with 14.41 kills, 1.84 aces and 2.69 blocks per set as well as a .313 hitting percentage. CU's 14.83 digs per set ranks just sixth in the league, but is more a result of some short rallies and strong block, as the Bluejays have been outdug just once all season.
Scouting St. John's
St. John's is 16-8 on the season and 5-5 in the BIG EAST after victories last weekend over Villanova and Butler. The Red Storm, who returned all six starters from last year's team that played in the BIG EAST Tournament final, are currently in a dogfight to make the six-team field for the BIG EAST Tournament in late November.
   Erin Jones does a little bit of everything for the Johnnies, averaging 3.63 kills, 2.75 digs, 1.77 assists and 0.51 blocks per set.
   Giorgia Walther (3.40 kps.) and Lucrezia Lodi (2.72 kps.) also carry a large offensive load.
   Wiktoria Kowalczyk (9.22 aps.) is the primary setter, and Rashanny Soloano Smith (3.80 dps.) is the libero.
   SJU averages 12.82 kills, 13.31 digs, 2.05 blocks and 1.52 aces per set while hitting .209 as a team.
Series History vs. St. John's
Creighton is 20-3 all-time against St. John's, dropping just one set total over the past seven meetings. CU is 9-1 all-time in the series in Omaha, dropping just one set in the last nine of those wins.
   The teams played three times last season, including Creighton's 3-0 sweep over the Red Storm in the BIG EAST Tournament title match.
   CU swept the Red Storm in Queens on Oct. 12th as Elise Goetzinger hit .611 and had 11 kills.
   Creighton head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth is 20-3 against Joanne Persico and 20-3 vs. St. John's.
Scouting Villanova
Villanova is 13-8 this season and 6-4 in BIG EAST play after alternating wins and losses the past four matches.
   The reigning BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, Abby Harrell (3.28 kps.) leads the team in kills, with Campbell McKinnon (2.43 kps.) adding firepower and hitting at a .350 clip.
   Alyssa Nelson (5.61 aps.) and Taylor Jakubowski (4.36 aps.) run Nova's 6-2 offense, and five players own between 157-168 digs.
   The Wildcats average 12.82 kills, 13.56 digs, 2.08 blocks and 1.47 aces per set on .222 hitting.
Series History vs. Villanova
Creighton is 21-3 all-time vs. Villanova, and has swept each of the last seven meetings since a Wildcats victory on Nov. 8, 2019.
   CU is 12-0 in Omaha against the Wildcats, and won the last 20 sets played vs. VU at D.J. Sokol Arena.
   The Bluejays swept Nova on Oct. 11 behind 13 kills on .480 hitting from Ava Martin.
   Kirsten Bernthal Booth is 21-3 all-time against Villanova and coach Josh Steinbach.
Creighton Coaches
Creighton is coached by Kirsten Bernthal Booth (Truman State, 1997), who owns a 489-191 record in her 22nd season with the Bluejays.
   She's led Creighton to 10 straight BIG EAST regular-season titles (2014-23), and 11 league crowns in the previous 12 years. Booth guided the Bluejays to their first three Sweet 16's (2015, 2016, 2023) and first Elite Eight (2016) in program history. In 2016 she was recognized as VolleyballMag.com National Coach of the Year, BIG EAST Coach of the Year and AVCA East Region Coach of the Year. Booth was tabbed BIG EAST Coach of the Year for the fourth time in 2023.
   The winningest coach in school history, Booth has taken Creighton to its only 13 NCAA Tournament bids in the program's modern history. She's also coached CU into the top-25 each of the last 13 seasons (including 2024), another program first.
   She is currently serving as President of the AVCA.
   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 assisted by Angie Oxley Behrens, Brian Rosen and Adam Kessenich.
With A Win On Friday...
- Creighton would remain in sole possession of first place in the BIG EAST as the league's lone remaining team unbeaten in BIG EAST play.
- Creighton would reach 20 victories for the 15th time overall, fourth straight season and 12th time in the past 13 years (with the shortened COVID season with just 16 matches played being the exception).
- Creighton would improve to 20-2, its best start ever after 22 matches.
- Creighton would win its 40th consecutive home match against a BIG EAST opponent, and 36th such in a row at home in the regular-season.
- Creighton would win its 38th straight November home match.
- Creighton would win its 33rd straight match against an unranked team.
- Creighton would win its 26th straight match against a BIG EAST team.
- Creighton would win its 24th straight regular-season BIG EAST match.
- Creighton would extend a school record with its 24th consecutive home victory, moving to 11-0 at home this fall.
- Creighton would extend its season-high win streak to 13.
- Creighton would start 11-0 in BIG EAST play for the sixth time in the last 10 years.
- Creighton would improve to 21-3 all-time against St. John's, including eight straight wins.
- Creighton would improve to 181-16 all-time in regular-season BIG EAST matches, and 97-3 in BIG EAST home contests.
- Creighton would improve to 200-18 against BIG EAST opponents since joining the league in 2013.
Milestone Watch
Creighton's student-athletes are approaching all sorts of milestones.
   Kendra Wait owns 65 career double-doubles tied with Melissa Weisensee's school-record. Another double-double will giver her the mark outright.
   Norah Sis owns 977 career digs and is 23 shy of 1,000. Sis also owns 1,485 career kills, putting her 15 away from 1,500. Sis' 90 career aces put her 10 away from 100.
   Kiara Reinhardt owns 469 career kills and is 31 short of 500.
   Destiny Ndam-Simpson owns 187 career kills and is 13 shy of 200.
BIG EAST Tournament Finals Rematch
Friday's meeting against St. John's in Queens will be a remach of the 2023 BIG EAST Tournament final held in Milwaukee, which saw Creighton post a convincing 25-13, 25-9, 25-23 victory.
   Creighton's Kiana Schmitt was named Most Valuable Player after collecting 12 kills on .526 hitting. The Bluejays hit .355, limited the Johnnies to .021 hitting, and outblocked the Red Storm 13-3.
   Six of the eight women who played for Creighton in that match are back. The Red Storm bring back 10 of 12 participants from the match, including all six starters and their libero.
Jak Of All Trades
Villanova setter Taylor Jakubowski is the younger sister of former Creighton women's soccer standout Taryn Jakubowski, who played two years professionally in Finland after she graduated from CU.
Seeking 20
Creighton enters the weekend with 19 victories as it seeks a fourth straight 20-win season.
   Creighton has won 20 or more matches in 11 of the last 12 years (CU only played 16 times in the spring of 2021, going 12-4), and has 14 20-win campaigns to its ledger all-time.
   Each of the previous 14 times that Creighton won its 19th match, it won its next match as well to reach the 20-victory milestone.
Year   MP to 20 W   Date of 20th Win
2006Â Â Â 29Â Â Â 11/18
2007Â Â Â 29Â Â Â 11/16
2010Â Â Â 30Â Â Â 11/26
2012Â Â Â 23Â Â Â 10/27
2013Â Â Â 27Â Â Â 11/22
2014Â Â Â 27Â Â Â 11/08
2015Â Â Â 28Â Â Â 11/07
2016Â Â Â 26Â Â Â 11/06
2017Â Â Â 25Â Â Â 11/05
2018Â Â Â 24Â Â Â 10/27
2019Â Â Â 24Â Â Â 11/09
2021Â Â Â 23Â Â Â 10/24
2022Â Â Â 23Â Â Â 10/30
2023Â Â Â 24Â Â Â 11/03
Having A Grand Time
Friday's match vs. St. John's will be Creighton's 100th regular-season home contest since joining the BIG EAST. The Bluejays are a dominating 96-3 in the first 99 contests, including 35 consecutive wins.
   One of CU's setbacks came on November 1, 2013 against St. John's. Friday will be the 11th anniversary of that upset win by the Red Storm.
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That's Just Wild
Creighton has swept Villanova each of the last seven meetings, and won each of the last 21 sets against the Wildcats.
   The 21 straight set victories over the Wildcats is the seventh-longest streak in program history over one opponent, but still far behind a 53-set win streak the Jays extended over Seton Hall last Saturday.
Most Consecutive Set Wins Over One Team
   Wins   Opponent   Dates
   53   Seton Hall   2015-Present
   32   Providence   2017-Present
   25   Indiana State   2005-09
   25   Georgetown   2019-Present
   24   Xavier   2015-18
   23   Indiana State   2009-Present
   21   Villanova   2021-Present
   19   Providence   2014-17
   19   Butler   2018-21
Clean Sweeps
Creighton has won 22 straight sets, sweeping each of its past seven matches and winning the final set in the prior contest. That's tied for the fifth-longest set win streak in program history.
   Of its four streaks that are longer, one was stopped by St. John's, while another snapped by Villanova.
   Entering this week, Creighton's 22 straight set wins were the nation's longest active streak.
Consecutive Sets Won
   Set Wins   Dates   Snapped By
   30   Oct.7 - Nov. 10, 2023   at St. John's
   29   Oct. 16-Nov. 18, 2022   at #16 Marquette
   25   Oct. 22-Nov. 20, 2016   Villanova
   25   Oct. 26-Nov. 23, 2018   #16 Marquette
   22   Nov. 7-Dec. 2, 2021   Kansas
   22   Oct.1, 2024 - Present   ? ? ?
   21   Nov. 11 - Dec. 2, 2023   vs. #7 Louisville
   19   Oct. 12-Nov. 3, 2019   at Villanova
   15   Oct. 7-21, 2016   at Marquette
   15   Sept. 28-Oct. 13, 2018   at Villanova
   15   Sept. 11-24, 2021   at Butler
How Many Sets In A Row?
In its 22-set win streak, Creighton has allowed as many as 20 points just three times.
- It has outscored foes 550-332 in all sets (an average of 25.0-15.1), 175-96 in the second set (an average of 25.0-13.7) and 175-97 in the third set (an average of 25.0-13.9).
- Creighton owns a 60-11 advantage in aces, even though it has nearly the same number of service errors (CU 42, Opponents 41). In that time, Ava Martin has 16 aces and Norah Sis has 12 aces.
- Creighton is hitting .385 (328-66-681).
- Elise Goetzinger is hitting .521 (42-5-71), Ava Martin is hitting .426 (83-11-169) and Norah Sis is hitting .368 (83-19-174).
- Kiara Reinhardt (28) has more blocks than CU's opponents (21.5), with Kendra Wait (20), Jaya Johnson (20) and Elise Goetzinger (18) not far behind.
Fun With Numbers
- Creighton has not trailed by more than five points in any of its last 63 sets played against BIG EAST competition dating to a 17-10 deficit in the second set at Providence on Oct. 21, 2023 (Creighton won that set, 25-21).
- Creighton has not trailed in 15-of-31 sets played against BIG EAST foes this fall, and 15 of the 18 BIG EAST sets when scoring the first point of a set.
- During Creighton's 25-match win streak over BIG EAST foes, the Bluejays have owned a hitting percentage advantage over its opponent of .098 or more in each match.
- Through matches of Sunday, Oct. 28, Creighton's 11 non-conference opponents were a combined 87-21 (.806) in league play. Three of the 11 teams (Nebraska, Northern Iowa and Kansas) are still unbeaten in league play, and all 11 have a winning record in conference action.
Going Streaking
Creighton has won 12 consecutive matches, tied for the nation's sixth-longest active streak through contests of Oct. 27. The 12-match win streak is tied for its eighth-longest win streak in program history.
Nation's Longest Active Win Streaks (10/27)
   Rk.   Streak   Team
   1.   20   South Dakota State
   2.   18   Southeastern Louisiana
   3.   17   Nebraska
   4.   15   Western Kentucky
   5.   14   Dayton
   6.   12   Creighton
       12   Penn State
   8.   11   Northern Iowa
       11   Florida A&M
   Most Consecutive Wins, Creighton History
       Wins   Dates   Snapped By
       23   Sept. 23-Dec. 9, 2016   at #5 Texas, 3-0
       21   Sept. 21 - Nov. 30, 2018   #22 Washington, 3-0
       17   Sept. 29-Nov. 30, 2012   at #11 Minnesota, 3-1
       17   Sept. 23-Nov. 18, 2022   at #16 Marquette, 3-0
       17   Oct. 7-Dec. 2, 2023   vs. #7 Louisville, 3-2
       14   Sept. 19-Nov. 3, 2019   at Villanova, 3-0
       14   Oct. 17-Dec. 2, 2021   Kansas, 3-1
       12   Sept. 20-Oct. 25, 2015   at Villanova, 3-2
       12   Sept. 20, 2024 - Present   TBD
       11   Oct. 11-Nov. 21, 2014   Seton Hall, 3-0
       11   Oct. 6-Nov. 12, 2017   at Villanova, 3-0
       10   Oct. 31-Dec. 5, 2015   vs. #2 USC, 3-1
The Best Overall Starts
Creighton's 19-2 record is the program's best mark ever after 21 matches. Its 2021 team opened 17-2, but lost its 20th contest of the year.
Creighton's Most Wins, 2 Losses Or Less
   Wins   Year   3rd Loss
   19   2024   TBD
   17   2021   10/16 at UConn
   12   2012   9/28 at Southern Illinois
   11   2006   9/24 vs. #1 Nebraska
   10   2023   9/23 at Xavier
Best League Starts
Creighton has started 10-0 in conference play for the sixth time in 12 seasons in the BIG EAST.
   The Bluejays have started 11-0 or better in league action five times in the previous nine years and went 18-0 in both 2016 and 2018.
Most Wins Before First League Loss
   Wins   Year (League)   First League Loss
   18-0   2018 (BIG EAST)   None
   18-0   2016 (BIG EAST)   None
   17   2022 (BIG EAST)   11/19 at #16 Marquette
   12   2019 (BIG EAST)   11/8 at Villanova
   11   2015 (BIG EAST)   10/30 at Villanova
   10   2024 (BIG EAST)   TBD
   7   2007 (MVC)   10/12 vs. Wichita State
   5   2014 (BIG EAST)   10/10 at Seton Hall
   5   2011 (MVC)   10/7 at Missouri State
   5   2006 (MVC)   10/6 vs. Northern Iowa
NCAA Reveal Has Creighton Sixth
The NCAA DI women's volleyball committee announced its in-season top-16 rankings during on Oct. 20th, and had Creighton tabbed sixth.
   The reveal is based on the criteria used to select and seed the 64 teams for the volleyball championship. It includes strength of schedule, Rating Percentage Index, head-to-head competition, results versus common opponents, significant wins and losses and locations of contests. Input is also provided by the regional advisory committees for consideration by the Division I women's volleyball committee.
1. Nebraska   9. Wisconsin
2. Pitt   10. Oregon
3. Penn State   11. Kansas
4. Louisville   12. Purdue
5. Stanford   13. Utah
6. Creighton   14. TCU
7. SMUÂ Â Â 15. USC
8. Texas   16. Minnesota
Sis Chasing Milestones
Norah Sis enters this weekend with 1,485 kills, 977 digs and 90 aces in her career.
   In program history, only two Bluejays have had at least 1,500 kills and 1,000 digs. Of that trio, only Jaali Winters had 100+ aces, as well.
Creighton Players With 1,000+ Kills
Name   KILLS   DIGS   ACES
Jaali Winters   1,843   1,386   101
Leah Ratzlaff   1,622   721   77
Melissa Walsh   1,596   1,240   71
Norah Sis   1,485   977   90
Taryn Kloth   1,427   426   64
Kelly Goc   1,414   275   59
Jessica Houts   1,385   468   54
JoDe Cieloha   1,375   821   113
Leah McNary   1,257   225   0
Marysa Wilkinson   1,183   165   5
Lauren Smith   1,160   209   12
Allie Oelke   1,126   1,382   86
Kelli Browning   1,104   165   44
Amanda Cvejdlik   1,029   208   46
Shelly Kapler   1,000   922   104
Jaela Zimmerman   1,000   796   77
Decade of Dominance
Eleven years in the BIG EAST gives Creighton a pretty good set of data to compare its yearly performance in league matches.
   Here's how the 2024 campaign compared to previous seasons:
Creighton's Year-By-Year BIG EAST Stats
Year   W-L   KPS   HIT%   SAPS   DPS   BPS
2013Â Â Â 12-4Â Â Â 13.75Â Â Â .213Â Â Â 1.00Â Â Â 16.20Â Â Â 3.13
2014#Â Â Â 16-2Â Â Â 14.89Â Â Â .242Â Â Â 1.30Â Â Â 17.09Â Â Â 2.86
2015#Â Â Â 17-1Â Â Â 15.02Â Â Â .271Â Â Â 1.33Â Â Â 16.97Â Â Â 2.47
2016#Â Â Â 18-0Â Â Â 15.37Â Â Â .317Â Â Â 1.69Â Â Â 16.08Â Â Â 2.41
2017#Â Â Â 16-2Â Â Â 14.81Â Â Â .302Â Â Â 1.31Â Â Â 16.62Â Â Â 2.05
2018#Â Â Â 18-0Â Â Â 14.45Â Â Â .294Â Â Â 2.13Â Â Â 15.67Â Â Â 2.38
2019#Â Â Â 17-1Â Â Â 14.61Â Â Â .269Â Â Â 2.07Â Â Â 15.80Â Â Â 2.25
2020#Â Â Â 7-1Â Â Â 12.93Â Â Â .249Â Â Â 1.30Â Â Â 14.17Â Â Â 2.75
2021#Â Â Â 16-2Â Â Â 13.95Â Â Â .242Â Â Â 1.82Â Â Â 18.02Â Â Â 2.86
2022#Â Â Â 17-1Â Â Â 14.80Â Â Â .299Â Â Â 1.85Â Â Â 16.10Â Â Â 2.33
2023#Â Â Â 16-2Â Â Â 14.40Â Â Â .313Â Â Â 1.89Â Â Â 15.91Â Â Â 2.30
2024Â Â Â 10-0Â Â Â 14.87Â Â Â .371Â Â Â 2.48Â Â Â 14.06Â Â Â 2.63
#won league's regular-season title
Halfway Home
Last Friday marked the midway point of the BIG EAST season, as was Creighton's ninth of its 18 league matches on the docket.
   Creighton is now unbeaten at the halfway mark of league play for the sixth time (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2024).
   The Bluejays have suffered one league loss or fewer in the second half of conference play during each of the previous 10 seasons.
League Record by Year
Year   1st Half   2nd Half   Place
1994Â Â Â 2-8Â Â Â 1-9Â Â Â T-9th MVC
1995Â Â Â 3-7Â Â Â 3-7Â Â Â T-7th MVC
1996Â Â Â 2-7Â Â Â 3-6Â Â Â T-6th MVC
1997Â Â Â 6-3Â Â Â 4-5Â Â Â T-3rd MVC
1998Â Â Â 2-7Â Â Â 3-6Â Â Â 8th MVC
1999Â Â Â 5-4Â Â Â 4-5Â Â Â 5th MVC
2000Â Â Â 5-4Â Â Â 5-4Â Â Â T-4th MVC
2001Â Â Â 7-2Â Â Â 5-4Â Â Â 4th MVC
2002Â Â Â 1-8Â Â Â 1-8Â Â Â T-9th MVC
2003Â Â Â 5-4Â Â Â 4-5Â Â Â T-5th MVC
2004Â Â Â 5-4Â Â Â 5-4Â Â Â 5th MVC
2005Â Â Â 4-5Â Â Â 6-3Â Â Â 5th MVC
2006Â Â Â 7-2Â Â Â 5-4Â Â Â 4th MVC
2007Â Â Â 7-2Â Â Â 7-2Â Â Â T-2nd MVC
2008Â Â Â 7-2Â Â Â 8-1Â Â Â 2nd MVC
2009Â Â Â 4-5Â Â Â 6-3Â Â Â T-4th MVC
2010Â Â Â 7-2Â Â Â 6-3Â Â Â 3rd MVC
2011Â Â Â 6-3Â Â Â 6-3Â Â Â 4th MVC
2012Â Â Â 8-1Â Â Â 9-0Â Â Â 1st MVC
2013Â Â Â 6-2Â Â Â 6-2Â Â Â T-2nd BIG EAST
2014Â Â Â 8-1Â Â Â 8-1Â Â Â 1st BIG EAST
2015Â Â Â 9-0Â Â Â 8-1Â Â Â 1st BIG EAST
2016Â Â Â 9-0Â Â Â 9-0Â Â Â 1st BIG EAST
2017Â Â Â 8-1Â Â Â 8-1Â Â Â 1st BIG EAST
2018Â Â Â 9-0Â Â Â 9-0Â Â Â 1st BIG EAST
2019Â Â Â 9-0Â Â Â 8-1Â Â Â 1st BIG EAST
2020Â Â Â 3-1Â Â Â 4-0Â Â Â 1st BIG EAST (Midwest)
2021Â Â Â 7-2Â Â Â 9-0Â Â Â T-1st BIG EAST
2022Â Â Â 9-0Â Â Â 8-1Â Â Â T-1st BIG EAST
2023Â Â Â 7-2Â Â Â Â 9-0Â Â Â Â T-1st BIG EAST
2024   9-0   1-0 so far   TBD
Total   186-89   178-89   --
So Clean
Creighton Volleyball is hitting an absurd .371 in BIG EAST play.
   How good is that?
   Across the BIG EAST, among players with three attempts per set, only two non-Creighton players are hitting better than .371.
   Creighton has hit .377 or better in at least one set during each of its last 18 matches against league foes.
   Creighton has averaged just 9.86 attack errors in its last 22 matches against BIG EAST Conference matches, finishing with 10 or less total attack errors in 13 of those.
   Looking at just the 31 BIG EAST sets played this season, Creighton has never had more than seven attack errors in any set, and its worst attack percentage in a set was .186. On the other hand, its opponents own 7+ attack errors in 13-of-31 sets and have managed only seven sets of better than .170.
   Creighton has owned a better hitting percentage than the opposition in 30-of-31 league sets this season...all but set one at Villanova on Oct. 11th.
Aced That Test
Creighton has had more service aces than service errors in each of its last five matches, a good trend since CU has won 22 contest in a row when owning more aces than errors. In those five matches (15 sets), CU has accumulated 45 aces against just 25 serving miscues.
   It's also the first time since the program's 1994 reinstatement that its had more aces than errors in five straight contests.
   Norah Sis, who had three aces on Saturday at Seton Hall, has already established a personal-best with 29 service aces this fall compared to just 18 errors.
   Per Evollve.net, Creighton is second nationally (trailing only Pitt) by winning 51.2 percent of the points when it serves. The median team (#173 of 346) wins just 43.3 percent of the points when it serves.
   Creighton's team reception percentage of .952. All four primary passers receive at .939 or better, as Creighton has been aced just 54 times in 21 matches this fall. Creighton has won 67.0 percent of the points when in serve receive this year, which ranks fifth-best in the country per Evollve.net, compared to the median team at 57.1 percent.
All They Do Is Win
Creighton won its final 13 regular-season BIG EAST matches last season and is 10-0 this fall. That's the program's fourth-longest streak of league wins in team history.
Creighton's Most Consecutive Regular-Season League Wins
   Wins   Dates   Snapped By   League
   31   Nov. 18, 2017 - Nov. 3, 2019    at Villanova, 3-0   BIG EAST
   28   Oct. 31, 2015 - Sept. 30, 2017   at Marquette, 3-0   BIG EAST
   28   Oct. 17, 2021- Nov. 18, 2022   at #16 Marquette, 3-0     BIG EAST
   23   Oct. 7, 2023 - Present   ? ? ?   BIG EAST
   14   Sept. 29, 2012 - End of 2012   Never (left MVC)   MVC
   12   Sept. 20-Oct. 25, 2015   at Villanova, 3-2   BIG EAST
   11   Oct. 11-Nov. 21, 2014   Seton Hall, 3-0   BIG EAST
   11   Oct. 6-Nov. 12, 2017   at Villanova, 3-0   BIG EAST
Streaking In League Play
Creighton has won 25 straight matches against conference teams. Though impressive, there's still six teams with longer active streaks.
   Wins   Team   Current League
   92   Western Kentucky   Conference-USA  Â
   63   High Point   Big South  Â
   33   Northern Iowa   Missouri Valley  Â
   31   Dayton   Atlantic 10  Â
   30   Southeastern Louisiana   Southland  Â
   28   Yale   Ivy  Â
   25   Creighton   BIG EAST  Â
   18   Fairfield   Metro Atlantic Athletic  Â
Putting The 0 In October And November
Creighton is 81-6 in the 10th month of the year since Oct. 1, 2016, including 15 straight wins, and victories in 29 of its past 30 such matches.
   Creighton's been awfully good in the month of November too. Since Nov. 1, 2014, CU is 61-4 in the 11th month of the year.
   Creighton has won 43 straight October home matches (since 10/15/11) and 37 consecutive home matches in November (since 11/23/14). Incredibly, Creighton is 111-10 in sets in those home November contests.
Defense Wins Championships
Creighton ranks sixth nationally with 14.41 kills per set, second with a .313 hitting percentage and is also sixth with 13.36 assists per set.
   But where it has dominated has been on the defensive side of the net, where it ranks 20th in blocks per set (2.69) and third in opponents hitting percentage (.135).
   CU ranked third last year in opponent's hitting percentage (.144) and led the country in 2021 (.124) in that category.
   Last season was the fifth straight non-COVID year that Creighton's led the BIG EAST in opponent's hitting percentage.
   In league play this year, Creighton is hitting .371 and holding foes to .112 hitting.
Sis Is Killing It
Norah Sis ranks fourth in Creighton history with 1,485 career kills after passing Olympian Taryn Kloth in October during a win at Villanova.
Career Kills
       Name   Sets   No.   Years
   1.   Jaali Winters   494   1,843   2015-18
   2.   Leah Ratzlaff   409   1,622   2002-05
   3.   Melissa Walsh   394   1,596   1998-01
   4.   Norah Sis   375   1,485   2021-Pr.
   5.   Taryn Kloth   462   1,427   2015-18
4,000 And Counting
Kendra Wait surpassed the 4,000 assist mark in the Sept. 15 match at No. 4 Louisville and starts this weekend with 4,463 in her career. That's good for second in CU history, trailing only Athletics Hall of Famer Korie Lebeda's 5,281.
Career Assists
       Name   Sets   No.   Years
   1.   Korie Lebeda   428   5,281   2005-08
   2.   Kendra Wait   416   4,463   2021-Pr.
   3.   Megan Bober   480   4,359   2009-12
Doubling Up
Kendra Wait has had a double-double in 12 matches this season, and finished one dig shy in four other contests.
   Wait's 65 double-doubles (in 121 matches played) are tied for the most in program history with at least eight matches still on the schedule.
   Wait has owned a double-double in each of her last eight matches against a Top 25 foe and 16-of-18 overall contests against the Top 25 in her career.
Career Matches With a Double-Double, Career
   D-D   Name   Years
   65   Melissa Weisensee   1994-97
   65   Kendra Wait   2021-Present
   64   Kailey Reyes   1998-01
   60   Melissa Walsh   1998-01
Senior Class Heroes
Creighton's senior class already ranks as one of the winningest groups in program history. The current group that arrived in the fall of 2021 is a combined 106-16.
   Kendra Wait has played in all 106 victories is the 11th student-athlete to appear in 100 or more victories. Of those 11 women, Wait's .876 win percentage in matches appeared just ahead of Kiana Schmitt's .873 (110-16) for the top mark.
   Norah Sis is waiting in the wings to join that list. The senior is 96-13 in her career in matches she's played in, as she's missed 13 matches (10 wins) in her career.
Most Wins, Four-Year Span
   W-L   Years
   111-28   2015-18
   109-25   2016-19
   107-32   2014-17
   106-16   2021-Pres.
   104-31   2012-15
   104-34   2013-16
   99-18   2020-23
Most Wins, Appeared In As A Player
   W-L   Pct.   Name   Years
   116-26   .817   Naomi Hickman   2017-21
   111-28   .799   Jaali Winters   2015-18
   110-16   .873   Kiana Schmitt   2019-23
   109-24   .820   Taryn Kloth   2015-18
   109-25   .813   Brittany Witt   2016-19
   107-25   .811   Megan Ballenger   2016-19
   106-15   .876   Kendra Wait   2021-Pres.
   106-32   .768   Marysa Wilkinson   2014-17
   104-34   .754   Lauren Smith   2013-16
   102-31   .767   Melanie Jereb   2012-15
   101-31   .765   Ashley Jansen   2012-15
133 Weeks As A Ranked Team
Creighton is ranked sixth in this week's AVCA poll, the 133rd time in program history it's been ranked. That's 39th-most of all programs in NCAA history.
   This week is Creighton's eighth straight week this fall and 29th week all-time as a Top 10 team.
   The No. 6 ranking is the best ranking in program history -- matching the last five weeks -- and surpassing the previous best of No. 7 on Aug. 28, 2017.
   All 133 rankings have been since 2012 and under the direction of Kirsten Bernthal Booth.
   The Bluejays are one of 15 schools (along with Baylor, BYU, Florida, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Louisville, Nebraska, Oregon, Penn State, Pitt, Purdue, Stanford, Texas and Wisconsin) to have been ranked each of the last 55 polls.
   Since the start of the 2017 season, here's which teams have been ranked the most weeks:
Most Weeks Ranked Since 2017
   Rk.   Weeks   Team
   1.   128*   Florida
       128*   Kentucky
       128*   Texas
   4.   119   Nebraska
       119   Penn State
       119   BYU
       119   Purdue
       119   Wisconsin
   9.   118*   Baylor
   10.   113   Creighton
   11.   112*   Pittsburgh
   12.   111   Stanford
       111   Minnesota
   14.   104   Oregon
   15.   94   Washington
   16.   92*   Louisville
* includes 9 weeks in Fall of 2020 when most schools didn't play
Best Rankings Ever
Creighton is ranked sixth in this week's AVCA poll, matching its best mark ever. This is the program's 29th Top 10 ranking ever.
Date   Rank
September 23, 2024Â Â Â 6th
September 30, 2024Â Â Â 6th
October 7, 2024Â Â Â 6th
October 14, 2024Â Â Â 6th
October 21, 2024Â Â Â 6th
October 28, 2024Â Â Â 6th
August 28, 2017Â Â Â 7th
September 11, 2017Â Â Â 8th
December 19, 2016 (Year-End)Â Â Â 9th
August 9, 2017 (Preseason)Â Â Â 9th
September 4, 2017Â Â Â 9th
October 29, 2018Â Â Â 9th
November 5, 2018Â Â Â 9th
November 12, 2018Â Â Â 9th
November 19, 2018Â Â Â 9th
November 26, 2018Â Â Â 9th
October 28, 2019Â Â Â 9th
November 4, 2019Â Â Â 9th
September 9, 2024Â Â Â 9th
September 16, 2024Â Â Â 9th
September 10, 2018Â Â Â 10th
September 17, 2018Â Â Â 10th
September 24, 2018Â Â Â 10th
October 1, 2018Â Â Â 10th
October 8, 2018Â Â Â 10th
October 15, 2018Â Â Â 10th
October 22, 2018Â Â Â 10th
October 21, 2019Â Â Â 10th
November 25, 2019Â Â Â 10th
BIG EAST'S Best
Since the reconfiguration of the BIG EAST in the summer of 2013, Creighton, Marquette and St. John's are the only teams to win any sort of BIG EAST volleyball title.
   Creighton owns 10 regular-season titles (3 shared) in that time, while Marquette owns four regular-season (3 shared) crowns.
   As it relates to BIG EAST Tournament titles, Creighton has won nine, Marquette one and St. John's one since 2013.
   Below is a look at the record of each BIG EAST team since league realignment in 2013:
BIG EAST VB Standings, 2013 - October 29, 2024
            BIG EAST only   All    matches
Team (NCAA Bids)Â Â Â WÂ Â Â LÂ Â Â WÂ Â Â L
Creighton (11)Â Â Â 180Â Â Â 16Â Â Â 302Â Â Â 72
Marquette (10)Â Â Â 162Â Â Â 31Â Â Â 274Â Â Â 90
Xavier   114   80   177   164
Butler   101   95   176   170
St. John's (1)Â Â Â 99Â Â Â 97Â Â Â 214Â Â Â 156
Villanova (1)Â Â Â 97Â Â Â 99Â Â Â 184Â Â Â 157
Seton Hall (1)Â Â Â 82Â Â Â 113Â Â Â 163Â Â Â 182
DePaul   62   134   143   194
Georgetown   41   147   108   216
Connecticut#Â Â Â 36Â Â Â 36Â Â Â 71Â Â Â 58
Providence*Â Â Â 29Â Â Â 151Â Â Â 111Â Â Â 202
*Providence rejoined the league for volleyball in 2014 and
its 2013 overall record (12-20) is not included above.
#Connecticut rejoined the league in 2020 and
its record from 2013-19 (96-121) is not included above.
10 Straight BIG EAST Regular-Season Titles
Regular-season champions from 2014-23, Creighton is the first team in BIG EAST volleyball history to win 10 straight regular-season titles.       The previous record had been seven by Notre Dame from 1999-2005.
   The Bluejay volleyball team is also the first Creighton program in any sport to win 10 or more straight league titles, doubling the five in a row by the men's soccer program (1992-96) in the MVC.
League Opener Histories
Including this year's sweep vs. Providence, Creighton owns a 23-8 record all-time in conference openers, including a 20-2 record under Kirsten Bernthal Booth. That includes an 11-1 mark in BIG EAST lid-lifters, and 11 straight wins since a 2013 loss at Butler.
   Each of the previous 11 times that Creighton won its league opener (2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023), the Bluejays went on to win the regular-season title, going a combined 177-13 in regular-season league action. Creighton also won 10 conference tournament titles during those years, going 20-1 at the league tournament in those seasons.
   In the 22 seasons that Creighton has won its conference opener, it has never finished worse than .500 in league play and it owns a combined .781 (306-86) winning percentage (entering 2024) in league matches.
   In the eight years in which Creighton lost its league opener, the Bluejays have had a losing record on five occasions and owns a combined .363 (53-93) winning percentage during league contests.
   In conference home openers, Creighton is 26-5 overall and 20-2 under Booth, with 14 straight wins (including 2024).
   In league road openers, Creighton is 22-9 overall and 19-3 under Booth, with 11 straight wins (including 2024).
   The last team to win a BIG EAST regular-season or tournament title without winning its regular-season opener in conference play was Cincinnati in the fall of 2008.
Home Sweet Home
Creighton is in its 12th season as a member of the BIG EAST since joining the league in the summer of 2013.
   Since then, the Bluejays are 105-4 in home matches against BIG EAST teams (96-3 in the regular-season, 9-1 in the BIG EAST Tournament).
   Since November of 2014, Creighton is 89-1 inside D.J. Sokol Arena against BIG EAST teams, which includes a 81-1 league mark and a 8-0 mark in the conference tournament. The only setback (on Feb. 6, 2021 vs. Marquette) was played as a non-conference match, only to be flipped to a league contest 19 days later.
   Put another way, since enrolling at Creighton in the fall of 2020, fourth-year Bluejay seniors Abbey Milner, Kendra Wait and Norah Sis are 33-0 in home matches against BIG EAST teams, and 99-9 in sets.
   Creighton has won 39 straight matches against BIG EAST opposition at home.
BIG EAST Preseason Poll
Creighton Volleyball was the unanimous pick to win the BIG EAST in a preseason poll of league coaches.
   Creighton earned 10 first place votes to earn the maximum 100 points. Marquette earned Creighton's first place vote (coaches can't vote for their own teams) as well as nine other second-place votes to finish second in the poll with 91 points.
   St. John's (80) was picked third, just ahead of DePaul (74) and Butler (58). Rounding out the bottom half of the poll were Xavier (49), Seton Hall (40), Villanova (39), Connecticut (33), Georgetown (27) and Providence (14).
   Creighton also had three women among the 12 members on the BIG EAST's preseason all-conference team in Ava Martin as well as unanimous selections Kendra Wait and Norah Sis. Sis was also tabbed the BIG EAST's Preseason Player of the Year for the third straight fall.
   Creighton has finished in the spot predicted of it or better in the preseason poll in 19 of 21 years under Kirsten Bernthal Booth, including 10 years where it's finished exactly where it was picked.
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   1st   #3
2013   1st   T-2nd   i1
2014   1st   1st   - -
2015   1st   1st   - -
2016   1st   1st   - -
2017   1st   1st   - -
2018   2nd   1st   #1
2019   2nd   1st   #1
2020Â Â Â 1st (MW)Â Â Â 1st (MW)Â Â Â - -
2021   1st   T-1st   - -
2022   1st   T-1st   - -
2023   2nd   T-1st   #1
2024   1st   ???   ???
The Gauntlet
Creighton played five non-conference matches against Top 25 teams, winning three of those, as part of a non-conference schedule ranked as the nation's fifth-toughest.
   This year was the fifth time in program history that Creighton played five or more Top 25 opponents prior to conference play, also doing so in 2014 (going 0-5), 2015 (1-4), 2017 (3-3) and 2019 (2-3).
   This year's 11-match gauntlet ended with the first time that Creighton has ever played three consecutive matches against Top 10 foes (No. 4 Louisville, No. 6 Purdue, No. 10 Kansas), also part of the first time Creighton played four Top 10 teams in the same month.
   The only other Bluejay teams to play four Top 10 teams in the same season were in 2015 (5, with one of those in the NCAA Tournament), 2016 (4, with two of those in the NCAA Tournament), 2018 (4) and 2019 (4, with one of those in the NCAA Tournament). The challenging schedule paid off in each case, as those previous four teams went a combined 70-2 in league play and 8-0 in league tournament action and 7-4 in NCAA Tournament play.
   The only other time Creighton has previously played five ranked teams in the same month was September of 2017, a stretch that also featured matches on consecutive days against ranked Purdue and Kansas teams in Lawrence.
Stepping Up
Creighton has played five ranked teams this fall, and its defense is a big reason the Bluejays are 3-2 in those contests.
   Maddy Bilinovic has averaged 4.38 digs per set against Top 25 opponents, compared to 3.82 digs per set versus unranked foes.
   Sydney Breissinger averages 2.43 digs per set against Top 25 competition compared to 1.84 digs per set in the remaining contests.
   Creighton has allowed just 0.62 aces per set against ranked teams (13 aces in 21 sets), compared to 0.84 aces against unranked foes (41 aces in 49 sets).
  Â
Dominance Against The Unranked
Creighton is 48-1 in sets this year against unranked teams and 96-2 in sets dating to Oct. 7, 2023 against unranked opposition.       Creighton has outscored unranked opponents 1,223-790 this year, winning an incredible 60.76 percent of those points.
   Creighton has allowed 20 or more points in just 11 of the 49 sets against unranked foes this year.
   The Bluejays are hitting .342 against unranked teams this year, while holding those foes to .109 hitting. CU also owns decisive advantages in kills (725-463), aces (108-41), digs (717-592) and blocks (134.5-53.5) in those matches.
The Incredible Third Sets
Creighton is 20-1 in the third set this season, outscoring foes in points 531-343 to win an incredible 60.7 percent of the points.
   In its late-September run of three straight Top 10 foes, the Bluejays outscored those teams by an incredible 75-43 margin in the third.
   Creighton is hitting .333 in the third set this year, its best of any frame. That figure is .342 in the third set against ranked teams this fall.
   Creighton is also hitting .401 in the second set of its BIG EAST matches, and has held all eight league foes to 19 points or less.
Hidden Stats
The only team to finish a match with more aces than Creighton this season is Connecticut (8-6).
   The only teams to finish a match with more blocks than Creighton are USC (10.5-7.0) and Louisville (13-11).
   The only team to finish a match with more digs than Creighton has been Nebraska (81-80).
Any Stat Will Do
Since joining the BIG EAST a dozen years ago, Creighton has been dominant when it wins just about any stat category, as seen below:
Statistic   W   L   Pct.
With Better Hitting Pct.   293   9   .970
When Hitting .250+Â Â Â 210Â Â Â 6Â Â Â .972
When Hitting .300+Â Â Â 118Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 1.000
When Serving 10+ Aces   18   2   .900
When Owning More Kills   282   21   .931
When Owning More Aces   213   21   .910
When Owning More Digs   244   21   .921
When Owning More Blocks   225   17   .930
Avoiding Losing Streaks
One key to Creighton's extended success over the last dozen years has been its ability to bounce back after a loss.
   The Bluejays have won their last 25 contests immediately following a loss and have not dropped consecutive matches since opening the season 0-2 to begin the 2019 campaign with back-to-back losses to No. 2 Nebraska and No. 20 Baylor in Lincoln, Neb.
   And if that's not enough, EVERY SINGLE OTHER TEAM in the country (all 347 of them) has had a multi-match losing streak since Creighton's last skid and every other team in the BIG EAST has had a multi-match losing streak this season alone.
   Creighton has also won its last 17 matches after a five-set loss, a streak that dates back to early in the 2016 campaign.
   And while not in jeopardy on Friday, it's still worth bragging about that Creighton has also not lost back-to-back matches against conference foes since a three-match losing streak in November of 2011.
No Losers Here
Creighton has been as good as anyone at avoiding losses in recent seasons.
   Creighton, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Texas, Western Kentucky and Wisconsin are the nation's only teams with five losses or less in the 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons.
   If you go back two years more, the nation's only teams to lose six times or less in the 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons are Creighton, Pittsburgh and Texas.
   Creighton is one of just two schools nationally who have won 25 matches or more in every season between 2014-23 (not counting the 2020 COVID-19 year). That group consists of BYU and Creighton.
Nationwide Success
With a 186-13 record against BIG EAST teams since 2014, it's safe to say the 10-time defending BIG EAST champion Creighton Volleyball program has proven itself over the last decade in league play.
   This year, it's going national. The Bluejays have beaten at least one team from each of the other "Power Four" conferences, as well as two teams from its former league, the MVC. The Bluejays are...
   1-0 vs. American Athletic Conference teams
   1-1 vs. Atlantic Coast Conference teams
   2-0 vs. Big 12 Conference teams
   10-0 vs. BIG EAST Conference teams
   2-1 vs. Big Ten Conference teams
   2-0 vs. Missouri Valley Conference teams
   1-0 vs. Southeastern Conference teams
A Bunch of Winners
Creighton's 29 victories last season were tied for sixth-most in the nation and its .853 win percentage was tied for ninth-best.
   Additionally, Creighton's 87 victories in the previous three seasons (2020-22) are tied for fourth in the country (behind only Louisville, Pitt and Wisconsin) and its 312 wins in the previous 12 campaigns is sixth-most (behind only WKU, Nebraska, Texas, Penn State and BYU).
   Creighton also ranked tied for first nationally in fewest sets lost (22) last year with Nebraska and Dayton.
   In its last 34 matches dating to last season, Creighton is 31-3 and has won 96-of-109 sets. All three match losses came in five sets.
   In its 25 matches against BIG EAST schools since October 7, 2023, Creighton has dropped just two sets to league opponents.
Fewest Sets Lost in 2023
Rk.   Sets Lost   Team
1.   22   Creighton
   22   Nebraska
   22   Dayton
4.   23   Wisconsin
   23   Tennessee
   23   Western Michigan
Fewest Sets Lost in 2024 (through 10/21)
Rk.   Sets Lost   Team
1.   7   Pittsburgh
2.   9   Creighton
   9   Dayton
Set-tle Down
Since the start of the 2021 season, Creighton is 82-3 in three-set matches, 15-4 in four-set matches and 9-9 in five set contests.
The Streak At Home
Creighton had its first unbeaten home season in program history last year, going a perfect 13-0 in matches and 39-3 in sets.
   With 10 more wins this season, the Bluejays have extended their program record to 23 straight home wins, surpassing a 15-match home win streak from Sept. 7-Nov. 30, 2018 that had been the standard.
   Creighton's 23-match home win streak is the fifth-longest active streak in the country.
   Creighton has won 62 of its last 64 sets played at D.J. Sokol Arena overall and did not lose a single set to a BIG EAST opponent last fall.
Creighton's Longest Home Win Streaks
Wins   Dates   Snapped By
   23   Sept. 1, 2023 - Present   TBD
   15   Sept. 7 - Nov. 30, 2018   #22 Washington, 3-0
   13   Sept. 1, 2012 - Sept. 7, 2013   California, 3-0
   13   Sept. 9, 2016-Sept. 1, 2017   #18 USC, 3-0
Nation's Longest Active Home Win Streaks (10/28)
Wins   Team   Next Home Match
   38   Nebraska   11/14 vs. #15 Minnesota
   30   Yale   11/1 vs. Princeton
   26   Pittsburgh   11/8 vs. #25 North Carolina
   25   Wisconsin   11/1 vs. #2 Nebraska
   23   Creighton   11/1 vs. St. John's
   20   Dayton   10/29 vs. Duquesne
Top 25 History
Creighton is 220-47 all-time when playing as a ranked team, and also 24-27 all-time against ranked teams when ranked itself. That mark is 4-3 when both Creighton and its opponent are ranked in the top 10.
   Since the start of the 2012 season, 42 of Creighton's 76 losses have come against ranked teams. In that same period, Creighton is 304-34 against unranked teams. Creighton has won all but three of its past 115 home matches over unranked teams and all but 13 of its last 165 matches at all sites against unranked teams.
Ranked vs. Ranked (CU is 24-27)
Home: 10-9Â Â Â Away: 8-11Â Â Â Â Neutral: 6-7
Date   Winner   Loser   CU Score
11/19/12   #11 Minnesota   #21 Creighton   1-3
08/30/13   #25 Creighton   #13 BYU   3-1
09/14/13   #11 UCLA   #24 Creighton   1-3
09/16/13   #7 Hawaii   #23 Creighton   2-3
08/30/14   #22 Kansas   #23 Creighton   1-3
09/03/16   #23 Kentucky   #22 Creighton   0-3
12/02/16   #21 Creighton   #4 Kansas   3-2
12/09/16   #21 Creighton   #17 Michigan   3-2
12/10/16   #5 Texas   #21 Creighton   0-3
08/26/17   #9 Creighton   #3 Washington   3-1
09/01/17   #7 Creighton   #13 Kentucky   3-0
09/02/17   #18 USC   #7 Creighton   0-3
09/08/17   #17 Purdue   #9 Creighton   1-3
09/09/17   #9 Creighton   #7 Kansas   3-0
09/16/17   #19 Iowa State   #8 Creighton   2-3
12/12/17   #12 Michigan St.   #15 Creighton   1-3
08/24/18   #13 Creighton   #5 Kentucky   3-2
08/25/18   #10 USC   #13 Creighton   2-3
09/06/18   #7 Nebraska   #14 Creighton   2-3
09/15/18   #8 Illinois   #10 Creighton   1-3
09/23/18   #10 Creighton   #21 Marquette   3-0
10/26/18   #10 Creighton   #18 Marquette   3-1
11/24/18   #9 Creighton   #16 Marquette   3-1
12/01/18   #22 Washington   #9 Creighton   0-3
08/30/19   #2 Nebraska   #18 Creighton   1-3
08/31/19   #20 Baylor   #18 Creighton   0-3
09/06/19   #23 Creighton   #12 Kentucky   3-1
09/07/19   #23 Creighton   #15 USC   3-1
09/14/19   #12 Washington   #17 Creighton   1-3
10/12/19   #13 Creighton   #10 Marquette   3-2
11/22/19   #12 Creighton   #9 Marquette   3-1
12/07/19   #7 Minnesota   #15 Creighton   2-3
02/05/21   #19 Creighton   #25 Marquette   3-2
02/06/21   #25 Marquette   #19 Creighton   0-3
09/08/21   #3 Nebraska   #19 Creighton   0-3
09/02/22   #17 Creighton   #25 USC   3-1
09/03/22   #16 Kentucky   #17 Creighton   1-3
09/07/22   #2 Nebraska   #17 Creighton   2-3
10/14/22   #21 Creighton   #16 Marquette   3-2
11/19/22   #16 Marquette   #11 Creighton   0-3
11/26/22   #15 Creighton   #14 Marquette   3-2
08/26/23   #18 Creighton   #16 Purdue   3-0
09/06/23   #4 Nebraska   #16 Creighton   1-3
09/16/23   #14 Creighton   #9 Minnesota   3-2
11/05/23   #17 Creighton   #25 Marquette   3-0
12/07/23   #7 Louisville   #17 Creighton   2-3
09/05/24   #11 Creighton   #20 USC   3-1
09/10/24   #5 Nebraska   #9 Creighton   2-3
09/15/24   #4 Louisville   #9 Creighton   2-3
09/20/24   #9 Creighton   #6 Purdue   3-1
09/21/24   #9 Creighton   #10 Kansas   3-0
Hunting The Top 10
Creighton is 10-36 all-time against top-10 teams, including a 10-29 mark under Kirsten Bernthal Booth, and a 2-2 record this year.
   Nine of the 10 victories came away from home, including four sweeps. All four top-five triumphs were also away from home.
   The highest-ranked teams that Creighton has ever beaten are No. 3 Washington (8/26/2017) and No. 3 Kentucky (9/4/2021), both on the road.
Creighton's All-Time Top 10 Wins
Date   Opponent   Score
09/05/15Â Â Â vs. #10 Kentucky (Cedar Falls, Iowa)Â Â Â W 3-0
12/02/16   at #4 Kansas   W 3-2
08/26/17   at #3 Washington   W 3-1
09/09/17   at #7 Kansas   W 3-0
08/24/18Â Â Â vs. #5 Kentucky (Los Angeles, Calif.)Â Â Â W 3-2
10/12/19   at #10 Marquette   W 3-2
11/22/19   #9 Marquette   W 3-1
09/04/21   at #3 Kentucky   W 3-0
09/20/24Â Â Â vs. #6 Purdue (Lawrence, Kan.)Â Â Â W 3-1
09/21/24   at #10 Kansas   W 3-0
They Hit What?
Creighton hit .426 in its Sept. 21 sweep over No. 10 Kansas. That's the best mark Creighton has ever hit against a Top 25 team, and tied for the 18th-best mark in program history against any opponent.
   Creighton hit over .425 on five occasions last year, hitting .493 at Villanova (Oct. 27), .488 vs. Georgetown (Oct. 13), .465 at Seton Hall (Nov. 10), .442 vs. High Point (Sept. 15) and .430 at Providence (Oct. 21).
   The Bluejays have hit .400 or better four times this year so far, including a season-best .471 on Sept. 29 vs. UConn.
   Creighton is 310-9 under Kirsten Bernthal Booth when hitting .250 or better and as a program has won 179 straight matches when hitting .300 or better, a streak that dates to October of 1996.
Birds Of A Feather
Creighton has showcased a three new sets of jerseys this season, as Nike designed some custom-made uniforms.
   Both the white and navy ("Midnight Jays") jerseys are sleeveless in a drastic change from past years.
   The uniforms also feature several different colors of "Hyper-Elite" arm sleeves, which the players wear on their arms and can be mix & matched for a number of uniform combinations.
   If you look closely, the arms sleeves also have a feather design pattern, a nod to Creighton's Bluejay nickname.
   Creighton unveiled some throwback royal blue jerseys on Sept. 27 vs. Providence with its old Jays script logo as part of Alumni Night. Those are also the first Bluejay jerseys in decades (and maybe ever) to feature last names on the back.
Her Kind Of City
Kentucky transfer Elise Goetzinger is a perfect 18-0 in matches played in Omaha in her career, though she did not play in two of those matches due to injury.
   Goetzinger started all five of UK's matches en route to the 2020 national title (in the spring of 2021), which were played in CHI Health Center Omaha's convention center and arena. The Wildcats beat UNLV, No. 18 Western Kentucky, No. 9 Purdue, No. 7 Washington and No. 5 Texas en route to the championship.
   In 2022 Goetzinger was named to the All-Tournament Team while helping the Wildcats to the Bluejay Invitational title with wins over UNI, No. 17 Creighton and No. 25 USC.
   During those 18 wins, Goetzinger owns 111 kills and 59 blocks while hitting .387 in 53 sets played.
Jays Earn Tourney Titles
Creighton's Bluejay Invitational title on the opening weekend of the fall season marked the 13th straight season that Creighton has won at least one tournament, a streak that dates to 2012. Creighton won three of its four non-conference tournaments this year.
    During that span, the Bluejays have won 34 tournament titles, not to mention 10 regular-season league crowns.
   Creighton has also now won at least one home tournament each of the last eight seasons.
   Creighton won five different tournaments last season, tying a program record, and outside of the NCAA Tournament has now won seven of the eight tournaments it has played in.
Creighton's Tournament Titles Since 2012
Year   Titles Won   Tourney Hosts
2012Â Â Â 3Â Â Â USF, UNC, MVC
2013Â Â Â 1Â Â Â BGSU
2014Â Â Â 1Â Â Â CU, BIG EAST
2015Â Â Â 1Â Â Â BIG EAST
2016Â Â Â 1Â Â Â BIG EAST
2017Â Â Â 4Â Â Â WASH, CU, KU, BIG EAST
2018Â Â Â 3Â Â Â SMU, CU, BIG EAST
2019Â Â Â 2Â Â Â UNI, CU
2020Â Â Â 1Â Â Â BIG EAST
2021Â Â Â 5Â Â Â MIZZ, UK, CU, WSU, BIG EAST
2022Â Â Â 3Â Â Â WYO, UNO, BIG EAST
2023Â Â Â 5Â Â Â Purdue, CU, UNO, MINN, BIG EAST
2024Â Â Â 3Â Â Â CU, CU, KU
Packed House
Creighton announced in July that it had sold out of season tickets, and fans have shown up in a big way this fall.
   The Bluejays are averaging 2,348 fans per home match (30th-best nationally), including a crowd of 2,570 on Oct. 20 vs. DePaul that was the third-largest volleyball crowd ever inside D.J. Sokol Arena.
Creighton Volleyball's Largest Home Crowds
   Att.   Opponent   Date   CU Result   Facility
   15,797   #2 Nebraska   09/07/22   L 2-3   CHI Health Ctr.
   14,022   #7 Nebraska   09/06/18   L 2-3   CHI Health Ctr.
   13,081   #18 Cal Poly   09/02/07   L 0-3   CHI Health Ctr.
   12,112   #1 Nebraska   09/24/06   L 1-3   CHI Health Ctr.
   11,279   #3 Nebraska   09/08/21   L 0-3   CHI Health Ctr.
   10,131   #4 Nebraska   09/15/15   L 0-3   CHI Health Ctr.
   8,037   #2 Nebraska   10/05/08   L 0-3   CHI Health Ctr.
   2,653   Auburn   12/02/22   L 2-3   D.J. Sokol Arena
   2,578   #13 Kentucky   09/01/17   W 3-0   D.J. Sokol Arena
   2,570   DePaul   10/20/24   W 3-0   D.J. Sokol Arena
   2,569   NC State   08/30/24   W 3-0   D.J. Sokol Arena
   2,568   Minnesota   12/02/23   W 3-0   D.J. Sokol Arena
   2,563   Colgate   12/01/23   W 3-0   D.J. Sokol Arena
   2,552   South Dakota   11/30/18   W 3-0   D.J. Sokol Arena
   2,517   Coastal Carolina   12/01/17   W 3-1   D.J. Sokol Arena
   2,514   #7 Nebraska   08/31/10   L 0-3   D.J. Sokol Arena
   2,509   #22 Washington   12/01/18   L 0-3   D.J. Sokol Arena
   2,504   #9 Marquette   11/22/19   W 3-1   D.J. Sokol Arena
Olympians Made Here
Taryn Kloth made history earlier this summer when the 2018 graduate became the first female Creighton student-athlete to compete in the Olympics.
   The South Dakota native paired with Kristen Nuss to tie for ninth place in Beach Volleyball, winning their first three matches before losing to a team from Canada that went on to win the silver medal.
   Head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth and associate head coach Angie Oxley Behrens both made the trip to Paris to watch three of Kloth's matches.
   Kloth was a First Team All-BIG EAST choice in 2016 and 2018 and named BIG EAST Tournament MVP in 2017. She ranks fifth in CU history with 1,427 career kills and won four BIG EAST regular-season and tournament titles.
61*
Creighton Volleyball traditionally owns one of the nation's top non-conference schedules, but head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth might have outdone herself this year.
   All 11 of Creighton's non-conference matches were against teams with a Top 61 RPI last year.
   Each of the top four teams that Creighton played from that list were met outside of Omaha.
2023 RPI   School   2024 CU Result
 1   at Nebraska   L 2-3
 6   at Louisville   L 2-3
13   vs. Purdue   W 3-1
15   at Kansas   W 3-0
30Â Â Â USCÂ Â Â W 3-1
34   Missouri   W 3-0
35   vs. Northern Iowa   W 3-0
43   NC State   W 3-0
52   Drake   W 3-0
60   vs. Rice   W 3-0
61   Kansas State   W 3-0
Year-By-Year In Non-Conference Play
Despite annually facing one of the nation's toughest non-conference schedules, Creighton has continued to excel against elite competition.
   Creighton is 11-15 against ranked non-conference foes over the last eight seasons after going 2-43 all-time vs. ranked teams in regular-season non-conference matches.
Non-Conference Records, By Year, Under Booth
Year   Non-Con W-L   vs. Ranked Non-Con   Final W-L
2003Â Â Â 3-8Â Â Â 0-0Â Â Â 12-18
2004Â Â Â 8-2Â Â Â 0-1Â Â Â 18-11
2005Â Â Â 6-5Â Â Â 0-3Â Â Â 16-14
2006Â Â Â 8-3Â Â Â 0-1Â Â Â 21-10
2007Â Â Â 6-5Â Â Â 0-3Â Â Â 21-10
2008Â Â Â 3-5Â Â Â 0-3Â Â Â 18-9
2009Â Â Â 3-8Â Â Â 0-3Â Â Â 14-17
2010Â Â Â 5-5Â Â Â 0-1Â Â Â 21-12
2011Â Â Â 5-7Â Â Â 0-1Â Â Â 17-14
2012Â Â Â 9-2Â Â Â 0-1Â Â Â 29-4
2013Â Â Â 9-3Â Â Â 1-2Â Â Â 23-9
2014Â Â Â 7-6Â Â Â 0-5Â Â Â 25-9
2015Â Â Â 6-7Â Â Â 1-4Â Â Â 27-9
2016Â Â Â 6-6Â Â Â 0-4Â Â Â 29-7
2017Â Â Â 7-4Â Â Â 3-3Â Â Â 26-7
2018Â Â Â 8-4Â Â Â 1-3Â Â Â 29-5
2019Â Â Â 7-3Â Â Â 2-3Â Â Â 25-6
2020Â Â Â 3-2Â Â Â 0-0Â Â Â 12-4
2021Â Â Â 12-1Â Â Â 1-1Â Â Â 31-4
2022Â Â Â 8-3Â Â Â 1-2Â Â Â 27-5
2023Â Â Â 9-2Â Â Â 2-1Â Â Â 29-5
2024Â Â Â 9-2Â Â Â 3-2Â Â Â TBD
Preseason Ranking
Creighton was ranked 12th in the AVCA preseason poll on Aug. 19th. It's the 10th time in the past 12 years that the Jays have been ranked in the preseason, and third year in a row.
   The No. 12 slotting was the second-best preseason ranking in program history.
   Over the last 16 seasons, 295-of-400 teams (73.8 percent) of teams have been in both the preseason and final polls, and since 2008 362-of-400 teams (90.5 percent) in the preseason top-25 polls would go on to reach the NCAA Tournament, as all but preseason No. 13 San Diego, No. 14 Ohio State and No. 23 Rice reached the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
   This year marks the 13th straight season that CU has been ranked at least one week, extending a program record.
   Year   Preseason Rank   Final W-L   Final Rank
   2013   25th   23-9   NR
   2014   23rd   25-9   NR
   2016   18th   27-9   9th
   2017   9th   26-7   16th
   2018   13th   29-5   13th
   2019   18th   25-6   16th
   2020   16th   12-4   NR
   2022   18th   27-5   21st
   2023   18th   29-5   15th
   2024   12th   TBD   TBD
12 Straight NCAA's
Creighton Volleyball has made the NCAA Tournament in each of the previous 12 seasons. They are the first women's team in any sport at Creighton to make 12 straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
   The only other sport in Creighton history to make 12 straight NCAA Tournament appearances is the men's soccer program, which qualified in 17 straight seasons from 1992-2008.
    Creighton is one of seven teams nationally to have appeared in each of the last 12 NCAA Tournaments (2012-23). That group features BYU, Creighton, Florida, Kentucky, Nebraska, Penn State and Texas.
   There are also 13 schools that have appeared in 13 of the last 14 NCAA Tournaments, a group that includes Creighton, Florida State, Hawai'i, Minnesota, Purdue, San Diego, Stanford and Washington. Florida, Kentucky, Nebraska, Penn State, and Texas have appeared in every NCAA Tournament since at least 2010.
Survival of the Fittest
Creighton has won nine matches under Kirsten Bernthal Booth after surviving an opponent's match point, including season-opening wins over No. 5 Kentucky in 2018 and vs. UTSA in 2011. Three of those other comeback wins have come against Wichita State.
   On the other hand, Creighton is 489-3 under Booth when it reaches a match point opportunity, falling only when it wasted two match points on Sept. 4, 2010 to Iowa, two match points on Nov. 1, 2013 in a loss to St. John's, and two match points on Dec. 7, 2019 in an NCAA Tournament loss at No. 7 Minnesota.
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
08/26/11Â Â Â vs. UTSAÂ Â Â 12-14, 13-14Â Â Â 16-14
11/16/12   at Wichita State   13-14   16-14
09/20/15   Kansas State   23-24 (4th set)   15-13
11/20/15   at Georgetown   23-24, 26-27 (4th set)   15-7
08/24/18   vs. #5 Kentucky   16-15, 19-18   22-20
Taking The Fifth
Creighton is 70-41 in five-set matches under Kirsten Bernthal Booth. That's impressive since Creighton had never finished a season with a winning record in fifth sets prior to Booth's arrival.
   Creighton has won 19 of its last 29 true road matches to go five sets, including wins in 2012 over league rivals Northern Iowa, Wichita State and Missouri State, wins in 2013 at Denver and at Wichita State, wins in 2014 at Butler and at St. John's, a win at Georgetown in 2015, an NCAA Tournament win at No. 4 Kansas in 2016, 2017 victories at Butler, Georgetown and Marquette, a 2018 win at Butler, wins at UNI and No. 10 Marquette in 2019, at South Dakota in the 2020 campaign, at Omaha and UConn in 2022 and at No. 9 Minnesota in 2023.
   It's also worth noting that Creighton is 19-5 all-time in five-set home matches at D.J. Sokol Arena.
   Creighton's six victories in five-set matches in 2022 broke the program record of five previously done in 2003, 2011 and 2015. The nine five-set matches in 2022 was also a record.
   Below is a list of Creighton's record in five-set matches on a yearly basis:
Year   Set 5 W-L   Total W-L
1994Â Â Â 0-2Â Â Â 5-20
1995Â Â Â 0-2Â Â Â 11-19
1996Â Â Â 2-6Â Â Â 9-19
1997Â Â Â 3-5Â Â Â 15-13
1998Â Â Â 2-3Â Â Â 7-18
1999Â Â Â 3-3Â Â Â 13-15
2000Â Â Â 3-3Â Â Â 16-12
2001Â Â Â 1-1Â Â Â 14-13
2002Â Â Â 1-3Â Â Â 3-23
2003Â Â Â 5-1Â Â Â 12-18
2004Â Â Â 4-0Â Â Â 18-11
2005Â Â Â 3-1Â Â Â 16-14
2006Â Â Â 4-2Â Â Â 21-10
2007Â Â Â 2-0Â Â Â 21-10
2008Â Â Â 2-3Â Â Â 18-9
2009Â Â Â 1-4Â Â Â 14-17
2010Â Â Â 3-3Â Â Â 21-12
2011Â Â Â 5-2Â Â Â 17-14
2012Â Â Â 4-1Â Â Â 29-4
2013Â Â Â 3-2Â Â Â 23-9
2014Â Â Â 3-2Â Â Â 25-9
2015Â Â Â 5-2Â Â Â 27-9
2016Â Â Â 4-3Â Â Â 29-7
2017Â Â Â 4-1Â Â Â 26-7
2018Â Â Â 3-2Â Â Â 29-5
2019Â Â Â 2-1Â Â Â 25-6
2020Â Â Â 4-2Â Â Â 12-4
2021Â Â Â 1-1Â Â Â 31-4
2022Â Â Â 6-3Â Â Â 27-5
2023Â Â Â 2-3Â Â Â 29-5
2024Â Â Â 0-2Â Â Â 19-2 so far
Total   85-69   582-343
Champions Among Champions
Since the start of the 2012 season, Creighton, Texas and Western Kentucky are the nation's only schools to have won 11 conference regular-season titles. All but three of Creighton's 11 crowns were outright titles, whereas Texas shared one title and WKU shared five.
   Creighton has also won 10 conference tournament titles since 2012, the most in the nation.
Most Conference Titles 2012-2023
Regular-Season   League Tournament
11 (3 shared) Creighton   10 Creighton
11 (1) Texas   9 Dayton
11 (5) Western Kentucky   9 Western Kentucky
10 (1) Fairfield   8 Fairfield
8 (8) Florida A&MÂ Â Â 7 LIU
8 (4) Yale
8 (2) BYUÂ Â Â
8 (1) Colorado State  Â
Bouncing Back
The Creighton staff is quick to credit athletic performance coach Brad Schmidt for helping the team get stronger during the off-season and maintaining that strength during the season.
   Need evidence of that? Since Aug. 25, 2018, Creighton is 23-2 in the match after a five-setter.
2-0 Better Than 0-2
Creighton is 408-11 (.974) all-time when leading a match 2-0, including a 351-5 mark (.986) under Kirsten Bernthal Booth. CU is 272-3 (.989) when up 2-0 dating to September of 2009, and 140-1 (.993) all-time at D.J. Sokol Arena when up 2-0 at the break.
   Per RichKern.com, Division I teams that won the first two sets won 94.9 percent of their matches from 2014-23.
   Conversely, the Jays are 17-208 (.076) all-time when trailing a match 0-2, and 15-109 (.121) under Booth. Those 17 comebacks in program history 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
11/16/12   at Wichita St.   25-16, 25-20, 16-14   Booth
09/05/14   vs. No. Iowa   25-16, 25-22, 15-5   Booth
11/08/14   at Butler   25-16, 25-20, 15-13   Booth
09/20/15   Kansas State   25-23, 26-24, 15-13   Booth
10/09/15   DePaul   25-21, 25-12, 15-11   Booth
11/20/15   at Georgetown   30-28, 26-24, 15-7   Booth
10/13/17   Butler   25-21, 25-23, 15-9   Booth
10/18/18   Xavier   25-17, 25-17, 15-13   Booth
01/31/21   at So. Dakota   25-20, 25-23, 15-7   Booth
10/07/22   at UConn   25-15, 25-12, 15-13   Booth
10/14/22   #16 Marquette   25-19, 25-16, 15-8   Booth
Set 1 Result A Strong Indicator
Creighton is 418-36 (.921) overall under Kirsten Bernthal Booth when it wins set one. In that same time span, CU is just 71-155 (.314) under Booth when it drops the first set.
   Per RichKern.com, Division I teams that lost the first set won just 20.3 percent of their matches from 2014-23.
   Since Aug. 29, 2010, Creighton has gone 158-5 in its last 163 home matches when taking a 1-0 lead, losing only on Sept. 12, 2015 to Pacific, on Sept. 6, 2018 to No. 7 Nebraska and on Jan. 29, 2021 to South Dakota, on Sept. 3, 2022 to No. 16 Kentucky and on Dec. 2, 2022 to Auburn.
   Creighton has gone 150-6 in its last 156 matches at all sites when winning the first set, compared to a 14-21 record in that same span when dropping the opener.
   Creighton has gone 187-4 (.979) in its last 191 matches against unranked foes when winning the opening set.
Against NCAA Tournament Qualifiers
This year's team has nine matches scheduled against teams that made the 2023 NCAA Tournament with contests scheduled against Marquette (2x), Nebraska, Kansas, Purdue, Louisville, Northern Iowa, USC and Missouri.
   After going 3-35 against teams coming off NCAA Tournament bids prior to Kirsten Bernthal Booth's arrival, the Jays are 110-109 since, including a 6-2 record this year.
Year   W-L vs. Previous Season NCAA Teams
1994Â Â Â 0-4
1995Â Â Â 0-2
1996Â Â Â 0-2
1997Â Â Â 0-3
1998Â Â Â 0-5
1999Â Â Â 2-4
2000Â Â Â 0-4
2001Â Â Â 1-6
2002Â Â Â 0-5
2003Â Â Â 0-3
2004Â Â Â 2-2
2005Â Â Â 0-6
2006Â Â Â 4-6
2007Â Â Â 4-9
2008Â Â Â 6-8
2009Â Â Â 1-11
2010Â Â Â 4-7
2011Â Â Â 2-6
2012Â Â Â 8-3
2013Â Â Â 6-6
2014Â Â Â 4-5
2015Â Â Â 11-5
2016Â Â Â 10-7
2017Â Â Â 8-6
2018Â Â Â 8-5
2019Â Â Â 5-4
2020Â Â Â 3-1
2021Â Â Â 3-1
2022Â Â Â 5-4
2023Â Â Â 11-3
2024Â Â Â 6-2 so far
TOTALÂ Â Â 112-144
TOTAL Under Booth   110-109
Lucky 13
Kirsten Bernthal Booth is in some select company, as she has directed her team to 13 NCAA Tournaments. That's more than any other coach in Creighton history.
Name   Sport   NCAA's @CU
Kirsten Bernthal Booth   Volleyball   13
Bob Warming   Men's Soccer   11
Greg McDermott   Men's Basketball   9
Dana Altman   Men's Basketball   7
Brent Vigness   Softball   7
Jim Flanery   Women's Basketball   7
Elmar Bolowich   Men's Soccer   6
Climbing The List
Kirsten Bernthal Booth became Creighton Volleyball's winningest coach in the program's modern history on August 26, 2007, and hasn't let up. Booth owns 489 victories on the Bluejay sideline to rank fifth in school history across all sports.
Coach, Sport   Victories
Brent Vigness, Softball   819
Ed Servais, Baseball   678*
Mary Higgins, Softball   564
Tom Lilly, Men's & Women's Tennis   542*#
Kirsten Bernthal Booth, Volleyball   489*
Jim Flanery, Women's Basketball   427*
Ed Hubbs, Men's & Women's Tennis   347
Dana Altman, Men's Basketball   327
*still active coaching at Creighton
#currently just the women's tennis coach
Against The BIG EAST
Since the BIG EAST was restructured in 2013, Creighton owns a winning percentage better than .750 against each of the other teams currently in the BIG EAST.
   The Bluejays own 199 wins against BIG EAST competition (including BIG EAST Championship play) since 2013, 31 more wins than Marquette for most in the league.
   CU still has not lost to three league foes (DePaul, Georgetown, Providence) since joining the BIG EAST, and Marquette (6), Villanova (3), Seton Hall (3) and St. John's (3) are the only BIG EAST programs to top the Bluejays multiple times since 2013.
Opponent   Reg. Season   BE Tourney   Total
Butler   21-1   -   21-1
Connecticut   4-1   1-0   5-1
DePaul   23-0   2-0   25-0
Georgetown   21-0   -   21-0
Marquette   18-5   6-1   24-6
Providence   17-0   -   17-0
Seton Hall   18-3   2-0   20-3
St. John's   19-2   1-1   20-3
Villanova   18-3   3-0   21-3
Xavier   21-1   4-0   25-1
Total   180-16   19-2   199-18
Production Returns
Creighton returns 13-of-18 letterwinners to the court from last season, including four starters.
   From last year's team, only Kiana Schmitt, Ellie Bichelmeyer, Ann Marie Remmes, Ellie Bolton and Morgan Colangelo are not back.
   All told, of the seven categories listed below, Creighton returns 516.2 of a possible 700% back (73.7 percent).
   Below is a breakdown of the production that is back:
Stat   Returners   Departures
Assists   1,457 (93.3%)   105 (6.7%)
Aces   155 (87.1%)   23 (12.9%)
Digs   1486 (79.4%)   385 (20.6%)
Points   1434.0 (67.5%)   691.5 (32.5%)
Kills   1,134 (67.3%)   552 (32.7%)
Matches Started   135 (66.2%)   69 (33.8%)
Blocks   145.0 (55.4%)   116.5 (44.6%)
President Booth
Creighton coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth is the current President of the American Volleyball Coaches Association, having started her service on January 1, 2024.
   She is also part of the 17-member AVCA Board of Directors, which includes elected representatives, appointed voting members for Diversity Development and Legislation, and non-voting members for Education and Awards.
    She will finish out her term as Past President in 2026.
Players Mentioned
Creighton Volleyball - Milwaukee-Chicago Vlog
Thursday, October 09
Creighton Volleyball - Trojan Invitational - Anna Vlog
Thursday, October 09
Creighton Volleyball - Trojan Invitational Vlog - Eloise
Thursday, October 09
Creighton Volleyball Vlog - Opening Spike Classic
Thursday, October 09