Creighton University
Drake
Softball Heads to Arizona for Bear Down Fiesta
2/11/2026 4:48:00 PM | Softball
Bear Down Fiesta • Tucson, Ariz. • Hillenbrand Stadium
Game #6: Creighton Bluejays (2-3) vs. Drake Bulldogs (4-1)
Friday, Feb. 13, 2026 • 10 a.m. CT || LIVE STATS | WATCH | CU NOTES
Game #7: Creighton Bluejays (2-3) vs. Coastal Carolina (2-3)
Friday, Feb. 13, 2026 • 12:30 p.m. CT || LIVE STATS | WATCH | CU NOTES
Game #8: Creighton Bluejays (2-3) vs. Drake Bulldogs (4-1)
Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026 • 12:30 p.m. CT || LIVE STATS | WATCH | CU NOTES
Game #9: Creighton Bluejays (2-3) vs. Utah Valley (2-3)
Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026 • 7:30 p.m. CT || LIVE STATS | WATCH | CU NOTES
Game #10: Creighton Bluejays (2-3) at #17 Arizona Wildcats (3-2)
Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026 • 12:30 p.m. CT || LIVE STATS | WATCH | CU NOTES | ARIZONA NOTES
This Weekend
Creighton continues its non-conference slate with five games at the Bear Down Fiesta in Tucson, Ariz.
The slate begins early on Friday, Feb. 13 at 10 a.m. Central when the Bluejays meets former Missouri Valley Conference rival Drake, before battling Coastal Carolina at 12:30 p.m. Central.
The schedule continues on Saturday with a rematch against Drake at 12:30 p.m. before a night cap contest against Utah Valley at 7:30 p.m. Central.
The weekend wraps ups on Sunday, Feb. 15 with a game against nationally ranked No. 17 Arizona at 12:30 p.m. Central.
All five games will take place at Hillenbrand Stadium in Tucson, Ariz.
Broadcast Information
Creighton's games Friday (Drake and Coastal Carolina) and Saturday (Drake and Utah Valley) at the Bear Down Fiesta will be broadcasted on FloSoftball, which is a subscription-based platform found at http://flocollege.com.
Sunday's contest at No. 17 Arizona will be aired live on ESPN+. A subscription is required to view the game on http://watchESPN.com.
Live Stats Information
All five contests this weekend will have free live stats available at http://creighton.statbroadcast.com.
Fans can also find the links on the GoCreighton.com softball schedule page.
Scoring updates and infographics will be provided on social media vs. Twitter at @BluejaySoftball.
Bluejays not Blue Jays
Creighton's mascot is the Bluejays or Bluejay, one word. Conversely the MLB Toronto team is the Blue Jays.
Scouting Creighton (2-3)
Creighton is 2-3 on the season, after posting wins over Central Arkansas and Sam Houston last weekend at the Bearkat Classic in Huntsville, Texas.
Sophomore transfer Tara Vandewater made an immediate impact, posting a .462 batting average with six hits, two home runs, six RBI and four runs scored on the way to earning a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll in her first week as a Bluejay.
Junior Kaelan Schultz has stepped into a leadership role this season and showcased her power last week, hitting .357 with a double, triple, home run and four RBI. Schultz and veteran returners Lily West (.267 BA, 4 Hits), Erika Perez (.182 BA, 5 BB) and Ashten Pierson (.100 BA, 2 R) will be relied on to lead this talented group.
Freshman Audrey Gilman shined in her first collegiate weekend, pacing the Bluejays with a 1.83 ERA and a 1-0 record in 15.1 innings of work, while junior Brooklyn Patchen recorded a team-best 11 strikeouts and a 5.25 ERA in 9.1 innings pitched.
Creighton returns seven starters among 13 letterwinners from last season's 30-25 squad that posted the programs first back-to-back 30-win seasons since 2009-10 and finished runner-up in the BIG EAST tournament for a second consecutive year. With the continued success, the Bluejays were picked to finish second in the 2026 BIG EAST Preseason Poll.
Head coach Krista Wood is in her fourth season with the Bluejays and holds a 598-399 career record, including a 90-81 mark at Creighton.
Scouting Drake (4-1)
Drake is 4-1 this season, picking up wins over Green Bay (8-7, 8-2), Western Illinois (11-7) and Oakland (3-1) after suffering a loss to Detroit Mercy (2-1) in the season opener.
Pearson Hall leads a potent Bulldog offense with a .421 batting average on eight hits, including five doubles and two triples. Tatum Aragon follows closely, hitting at a .400 average with six RBI, while Malea Yoxsimer (.400 BA, 6 hits, 3 runs), Natalee Watts (.400 BA, 2 HR, 4 RBI) and Kiley Kindelspire (.389 BA, 3 2B, 7 RBI, 6 Runs) cap off five Bulldogs hitting better than .350.
Jayme Scheck leads the way in the circle with two wins on a team-best 1.62 ERA in 8.2 innings pitched. Peyton Driscoll, meanwhile, owns a team-high seven strikeouts and a 4.77 ERA in 7.1 innings of work.
As a team, Drake is hitting .317 with 16 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 27 walks and 30 runs driven in, while the pitching staff owns a 3.71 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 34.0 innings of work.
Series History Against the Bulldogs
Creighton leads the all-time series against Drake, 61-34.
The Bluejays and Bulldogs met annually from 1993 to 2013 as members of the Missouri Valley Conference.
Drake and Creighton split a pair of game last season in Omaha, with CU claiming a 9-6 win in the most recent contest.
The Bluejays own a 6-5 record in games played at neutral sites, with both teams picking up a win in the Mizzou Tournament in 2018.
Krista Wood is 5-10 all-time against Drake as a head coach.
Scouting Coastal Carolina (2-3)
Coastal Carolina is off to a 2-3 start, with a pair of wins over Akron to go along with losses to Virginia and No. 8 Arkansas.
Senior Delaney Keith has stepped into a starring role, posting a team-best .545 batting average with five RBI and four runs scored. She is supported by junior Brie Normandin, who hit .417 with a double and three runs scored.
Fifth-year Georgia Hood has also delivered early on, recording a .357 batting average with a home run and four runs scored.
Graduate Savannah Jones sets the tone for the Chanticleers in the circle, owning a 3.71 ERA with nine strikeouts in 11.1 innings of work.
Coastal Carolina as a team owns a .239 batting average with five doubles, two home runs and 18 walks, while the pitching staff boasts a 6.76 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 29.0 innings pitched.
Series History Against The Chanticleers
Coastal Carolina has won all three previous meetings against Creighton, outscoring the Bluejays 15-1.
The Chanticleers took down the Bluejays 3-0 at the Spring Games in Madeira, Fla. in the first meeting on March 5, 2023, before capturing a 6-1 and 6-0 victory over the Jays at the Kickin' Chicken Classic last spring.
Head coach Krista Wood is 0-3 in her career against the Chanticleers.
Scouting Utah Valley (2-3)
Utah Valley is coming off a 2-3 showing at the UTEP/NMSU Tournament, where they sandwiched wins over UTEP and UMass Lowell with losses to St. Thomas, New Mexico State and UTEP.
Britney Moreno leads the charge, hitting .412 with a double, triple, home run, five RBI and five stolen bases. Emma Haygood reached base in nine of her 12 plate appearance, posting a .667 batting average with six RBI and three walks, while Angelique Mann hit .375 with a team-best four doubles.
The Wolverines have used six pitchers in the circle this season, led by Ella Miller who owns a team-high 15 strikeouts in 12.1 innings of work. In addition, Payge Armendariz owns a 2.80 ERA with six strikeouts in 5.0 innings pitched this season.
As a team, Utah Valley is hitting .299 with nine doubles, six home runs and 30 RBI, while posting a 5.85 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 31.2 innings of work.
Series History Against The Wolverines
Creighton and Utah Valley have split a pair of games in the all-time series, dating back to 2014.
The Jays suffered a 4-1 defeat at the Rebel Game is 2014, before recording a 15-1 victory over the Wolverines at the Sportca Kick Off Classic in 2018.
Krista Wood has never faced Utah Valley as a head coach.
Scouting #17 Arizona
Arizona is 3-2 and ranked 17th nationally after rollercoaster weekend that featured a pair of run-rule victories over Southern Utah and a thrilling 11-6 upset win over No. 3 Oklahoma.
Sereniti Trice paces the Wildcats offensively with a .563 batting average on nine hits, including a double and a triple, while Addison Duke boasted a .444 average with a double and seven runs score.
In addition, the Wildcats got key contributions from Regan Shockey (.412 BA, 7 Runs) and Tayler Biehl (.333 BA, 6 RBI), with UConn transfer Grace Jenkins (.273 BA, HR, 6 RBI) making an immediate impact in her first season in the desert.
Iowa transfer Jalen Adams has been a workhorse in the circle for Arizona this season, owning a 2.72 ERA with seven strikeouts in 18.0 innings of work.
As a team, the Wildcats are hitting .311 with five double, two triples, three home runs and 22 walks, while the pitching staff owns a 5.13 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 30.0 innings pitched.
Series History Against The Wildcats
Arizona owns a 14-4 record all-time against Creighton, including an 11-3 mark in game played in Tucson.
The Bluejays split the first four meeting with the Wildcats in 1980-81 but have since dropped 12 of the last 14 matchups in the series.
CU is 2-9 all-time against a ranked Arizona team with its most recent top 25 victory over the Wildcats coming in 2009 when Bailey Dawson blasted a three-run home run in a 6-0 win.
Krista Wood has never faced Utah Valley as a head coach.
Milestone Watch
- Krista Wood owns 598 career wins and is four wins shy of becoming the 43rd active Division I head coach to record 600 career victories.
- Saturday's matchup against Drake marks the 1,000th game as a head coach for Creighton's Krista Wood, and 274th in the Bluejays dugout.
- Lily West enters this weekend with 979 career runs scored, just one shy of becoming the 20th Bluejay in program history to score 100 career runs.
- Lily West has driven in 93 runs in her career and is now only seven RBI away from becoming the 13th Bluejay ever to collect 100 career RBI.
- Lily West owns 186 career hits, a mere 14 hits shy of becoming the 11th Bluejay to collect 200 career hits.
- Lily West owns 26 career doubles and is now eight shy of cracking Creighton's career doubles top 10 list.
- Ashten Pierson has been hit by a pitch 18 times in her career and is now one hit by pitches shy of tying Mileah McKelvy for eighth on Creighton's career hit by pitch record list.
Bluejays Vs. Top 25 Competition
Creighton is 19-83-1 against top 25 teams since 2000 and is seeking its first top 25 win since upsetting No. 24 California on Feb. 8, 2014.
The Bluejays have dropped its last 14 contests to ranked opponents and hold an 11-81 overall record against top 25 teams away from home.
CU is 2-9 all-time against a ranked Arizona team with its most recent top 25 victory over the Wildcats coming in 2009 when Bailey Dawson blasted a three-run home run in a 6-0 win.
A complete list of Creighton's top 25 results since 2000 can be found on page 7 of the game notes.
Wood Chases 600th Win
Krista Wood owns 598 career wins as head coach entering this weekend's Bear Down Fiesta in Arizona. She won more than 200 games at both Wayne State College and South Dakota State and owns a career .600 career winning percentage in 19 seasons and 997 games as a head coach.
Only 43 active Division I softball coaches, and only 97 active softball coaches across all levels, own 600 or more victories. She will join Villanova's Bridget Orchard (961) as the only BIG EAST coaches to record more than 600 career wins.
Krista Wood's Milestone Victories
Date W-L Opponent & Site Score
3/4/07 1-0 WSC vs Dominican (NY) 6-1
2/26/10 100-68 WSC vs Pittsburg St. 4-2
4/11/12 200-114 Upper Iowa at WSC 6-4
3/10/16 300-198 SDSU vs. Holy Cross 14-3
4/21/19 400-282 Purdue Ft. Wayne at SDSU 6-4
4/28/22 500-315 St. Thomas at SDSU 10-0
A Grand Occasion
Saturday's matchup with Drake will mark Krista Wood's 1,000th game as a head coach in 20 seasons as a head coach.
Wood's brings a 598-399 mark into this weekend's Bear Down Fiesta, which includes a 270-154 record at Wayne State from 2007-14, a 238-164 record from 2015-22 at South Dakota State and a 90-81 record from 2023-Present at Creighton.
Wood is two wins shy of becoming just the second active head coach in the BIG EAST to record 600 career victories, joining Villanova's Bridget Orchard (961).
Here's a breakdown of her record per 100 games.
Game # W-L Result Year
1 1-0 Beat Dominican (NY), 6-1 2007
100 57-43 Lost to St. Cloud State, 2-0 2008
200 126-74 Lost to Omaha, 8-1 2010
300 192-108 Beat Northern State, 5-2 2012
400 255-145 Beat Upper Iowa, 11-1 (6 inn.) 2014
500 301-199 Beat Hampton, 13-7 2016
600 343-257 Beat Niagara, 9-6 2018
700 410-290 Lost to Murray State, 1-0 2020
800 487-313 Beat Omaha, 6-3 2022
900 543-357 Lost to St. John's, 10-0 (5 inn.) 2024
997 598-399 Lost to South Dakota, 5-2 2026
West Eyes 200 Hits
Lily West entered her senior season with 182 hits in her prolific career and has already collected four hits this season for the Bluejays.
West's 182 hits entering her senior season were the most by a Bluejay in their first three seasons in program history.
The Choctaw, Okla. native now stands just 14 hits shy of becoming the 11th Bluejay ever to reach the 200-hit milestone. The most recent Bluejay to surpass the 200-hit milestone was Cayla Nielsen in 2024.
West has played in 171 career games and can become just the second Bluejay ever to record more than 50 hits in four straight seasons, joining Creighton Hall of Famer Christy Lunceford.
Career Hits
No. Name H Years
1. Christy Lunceford 245 1994-97
2. Heidi Geier 243 1996-99
3. Kelly Brookhart 218 1988-91
Ashley Cantu 218 2017-21
5. Cayla Nielsen 209 2020-24
Sue Frederick 209 1986-89
7. Ellen Homan 203 2011-14
Wendy Moon 203 1991-94
9. Renae Sinkler 201 2007-10
Jean Tierney 201 1980-83
- Lily West 186 2023-Pr.
Most Hits, After 3 Seasons at Creighton
Hits Yr1 Yr2 Yr3 Name Years
182 58 60 64 Lily West 2023-25
169 55 62 52 Christy Lunceford 1994-96
168 50 70 48 Heidi Geier 1996-98
162 52 67 43 Ellen Homan 2011-13
161 64 43 54 Wendy Moon 1991-93
159 42 59 58 Jean Tierney 1980-82
149 44 57 48 Ashley Cantu 2017-19
148 28 57 63 Kelly Brookhart 1988-90
142 51 41 50 Amy Baker 2010-12
140 21 69 50 Sue Frederick 1986-88
West Hitting Way Into Top-10
Five games into her senior season, Lily West looks to continue her climb up the Bluejay ranks in career batting average.
West currently ranks ninth all-time with a .332 career batting average, while owning 186 career hits.
BATTING AVERAGE (minimum 250 at-bats)
No. Avg. Name H-AB Years
1. .404 Anne Timmermann 116-287 1977-79
2. .382 Ashley Cantu 218-570 2017-21
3. .379 Christy Lunceford 245-646 1994-97
4. .358 Heidi Geier 243-678 1996-99
5. .353 Kailey Wilson 168-476 2019-23
6. .336 Renae Sinkler 201-599 2007-10
7. .333 Sydra Seville 133-399 2022-25
.333 Cayla Nielsen 209-627 2020-24
9. .333 Lily West 186-561 2023-Pr.
10. .331 Kiara Mills 123-372 2019-22
West Staying Durable
Senior catcher Lily West has been a fixture in the Bluejays starting lineup since stepping foot on campus in 2023 and is reaching uncharted territory as she has started in all 171 games of her Bluejay career.
Her 171 consecutive starts are the longest starting streak by a Bluejay since Madeline Vejvoda started the final 174 games in her Bluejay career from 2020- 2024.
Lily's Keeping it 100
Lily West, one of the most prolific hitters in program history, is looking to rewrite the record book in 2026 as the senior slugger closes in on multiple career milestones.
The senior slugger owns 99 career runs scored and 93 career RBI. She is just one run shy of becoming the 20th Bluejay in school history to record 100 career runs.
In addition, West is just seven RBI shy of becoming the 13th Bluejay in program history to record 100 career RBI and only 14 RBI away from tying Lauren Cisneros for 10th on Creighton's all-time career RBI list. She will also join the other 12 Bluejays as the only players to ever record 100 hits and 100 RBI in their Creighton careers.
Bluejays with 100 Career Hits & 100 Career RBI
No. Name RBI Hits Years
1. Amy Baker 167 191 2010-13
2. Renae Sinkler 146 201 2007-10
3. Abby Johnson 144 172 2002-05
4. Kailey Wilson 125 168 2019-23
5. Bailey Dawson 121 183 2006-09
Stacey Rybar 121 194 2001-04
7. Liz Dike 119 180 2012-15
8. Jody Schwartz 113 179 1985-88
9. Christy Lunceford 110 245 1994-97
10. Lauren Cisneros 107 165 2003-06
11. Emma Rosonke 106 103 2021-24
12. Dede Pendleton 103 184 1991-95
- Lily West 93 186 2023-Pr.
Bluejays with 100 Career Runs Scored
No. Name R Years
1. Cayla Nielsen 137 2020-24
2. Stacey Rybar 132 2001-04
3. Jean Tierney 130 1980-83
4. Heidi Geier 129 1996-99
Ashley Cantu 129 2017-21
6. Sue Frederick 128 1986-89
7. Christy Lunceford 122 1994-97
8. Renae Sinkler 120 2007-10
9. Bailey Dawson 119 2006-09
10. Liz Dike 118 2012-15
11. Lauren Cisneros 113 2003-06
12. Melanie Dorsey 112 2002-05
13. Mary Yori 108 1980-82
14. Michelle Graner 108 2007-10
15. Michelle Koch 106 2007-10
16. Shelly Esser 103 1992-95
17. Ellen Homan 102 2011-14
18. Madeline Vejvoda 100 2020-24
19. Wendy Moon 100 1991-94
- Lily West 99 2023-Pr.
Two-Hits, One Inning
Creighton sent 12 batters to the plate during its 7-run sixth inning against Sam Houston last Friday night. The Bluejays batted around, with junior Avery Barnard smacking two hits in the inning.
Barnard, a Beatrice, Neb., native opened the frame with a double to right and later recorded an RBI single, becoming the first Bluejay to collect two hits in the same inning since Madeline Vejvoda did so against Omaha on April 23, 2024.
Catch Them If You Can
Creighton soared around the base paths during its opening weekend at the Bearkat Classic. The Jays stole a total of nine bases, including a season-high six bags against South Dakota on Feb. 8.
CU's six stolen bases were three shy of the school record and tied for the fourth-most in a single game in program history.
The six stolen bases were also its most in a single game since the Jays stole seven bags against UC Santa Barbara on March 2, 2025, and the second-most in a single-game in the last 15 years.
Creighton Single-Game Stolen Bases
1. 9 - vs. Connecticut 3/13/91
2. 7 - at UC Santa Barbara 3/2/25
7 - vs. Bradley 3/31/01
4. 6 - eight times, last vs. South Dakota 2/8/26
Last season Creighton stolen 72 bases, the most by a Bluejay squad since joining the BIG EAST in 2014 and the most by a Creighton team since the Jays swiped 82 bags during the 2005 season.
Below is a breakdown of the stolen bases totals since joining the BIG EAST in 2014 and Creighton's single season stolen base top-10 list.
Stolen Bases since Joining the BIG EAST
Year SB SB Att. SB%
2026 9 10 90.0
2025 72 84 85.7
2024 24 29 82.8
2023 20 26 75.9
2022 22 29 75.9
2021 14 18 77.8
2020 18 23 78.3
2019 29 40 72.5
2018 21 25 84.0
2017 22 34 64.7
2016 43 50 86.0
2015 30 39 76.9
2014 39 52 75.0
Creighton Team Stolen Bases
Stolen Bases
1. 89 1991
2. 83 1995
3. 82 2005
4. 79 1997
5. 74 1999
6. 72 2025
7. 71 1993
Schultz Swipes
Kaelan Schultz entered her junior season having recorded just one stolen base in her first two seasons with the Bluejays.
She, however, flashed her speed last weekend, recording two stolen bases in five games at the Bearkat Classic. One of those stolen bases was perfectly executed double steal, in which Schultz stole home for the Bluejays first run of the game against South Dakota.
With her steal of home, Schultz became the third Bluejay in the last four years (since head coach Krista Wood's arrival) to steal home and the first do it since Ashten Pierson stole home against DePaul last season.
Prior to head coach Krista Wood's arrival in 2023, the last time Creighton had stolen home was in 2011.
Making a First Impression
Sophomore Tara Vandewater made an immediate impact in her first week as a Bluejay, earning a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll.
The Winterset, Iowa native, posted a team-best .462 (6-of-13) batting average with two home runs, a double and two stolen bases, while registering a 1.000 slugging percentage and a team-high six RBI.
She made a lasting impression in her first game, blasting a three-run home run to left in her first Bluejay at-bat nd driving in a career-high four runs during the Jays' 5-4 season-opening win over Central Arkansas on Feb. 6.
With her first career home run in her first Bluejay at-bat, Vandewater became the first Creighton player to homer in her Bluejay debut since Sara Loeffelholz launched a homer in her Creighton debut against Indiana State in 2009.
Perez Extends On-Base Streak to 20 Games
Erika Perez reached base safely in all five games of the Bearkat Classic, pushing her career-long on-base streak to 20 consecutive games.
The Madera, Calif. native came into her senior season with a lot of confidence after finishing last year on a 15-game on-base streak.
Perez's 20-game on-base streak is tied for the fifth longest streak by a Bluejay since 2010 and longest since Sydra Seville reached base safely in 21 consecutive contests last season.
During the 20-game on-base streak, Perez has hit .369 with 17 hits, four doubles, and a team-high 18 walks to go with eight runs scored.
Longest Creighton On-Base Streaks Since 2010
OB Streak Player Year
37 Amy Baker 2013
28 Alexis Cantu 2012
25 Sydra Seville 2025
21 Ashley Cantu 2019
20 Erika Perez 2025-Pr.
20 Anna O'Gorman 2017
20 Kelsey Allender 2015
19 Kailey Wilson 2022
18 Lily West 2025-26
18 Sydra Seville 2024-25
18 Cayla Nielsen 2024
17 Cayla Nielsen 2023
17 Alexis Cantu 2013
16 Michelle Trulin 2016
15 Amy Baker 2012
Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Junior Ashten Pierson was hit by a pitch in the season opener against Central Arkansas on Feb. 6, recording the 18th hit-by-pitch of her Bluejay career.
Pierson's 18 career hit-by-pitches are tied with Liz McKewon for the ninth-most all-time in a career at Creighton. She is now one hit by pitch shy of tying Mileah McKelvy for eighth on Creighton's top 10 career hit by pitch record list.
Last season, Pierson was hit by a pitch 12 times, a total that ranks tied with Jen Daro for second-most in a single season in program history.
CREIGHTON CAREER HIT BY PITCH TOP 10
No. Name HBP Years
1. Jen Daro 39 2014-17
2. Michelle Graner 34 2007-10
3. Alexis Cantu 29 2012-14
4. Michelle Koch 25 2007-10
Lauren Cisneros 25 2003-06
6. Alyssa Gappa 24 2021-24
7. Sami Herbster 21 2000-03
8. Mileah McKelvy 19 2016-20
9. Ashten Pierson 18 2024-pr.
Liz McKewon 18 2008-11
Walk This Way
Senior Erika Perez was walked five times during the Bluejays season-opening road trip to the Bearkat Classic in Huntsville, Texas.
The Madera, Calif. native drew a career-high tying three walks in the Jays' 5-4 win over Central Arkansas in the season-opener before draw one addition walk in each contest against Sam Houston and South Dakota.
Perez's five walks last week were the second-most in the BIG EAST, trailing only the seven walks drawn by DePaul's Alexis Houge during opening weekend.
Perez has now drawn 56 walks in her Bluejay career and is now 13 walks shy of tying Karla Hughes for the 10th on Creighton's career walks record board.
Creighton Career Walks Top 10
No. Name BB Years
1. Michelle Graner 111 2007-10
2. Alexis Cantu 110 2012-14
3. Amy Baker 104 2010-13
4. Kailey Wilson 94 2019-23
5. Abby Johnson 85 2002-05
6. Renae Sinkler 81 2007-10
7. Jen Daro 80 2014-17
8. Jody Schwartz 78 1985-88
9. Ashley Cantu 70 2017-21
10. Karla Hughes 69 1979-82
- Erika Perez 56 2023-Pr.
Put it in Neutral
Creighton is 33-21 in neutral site matches under Krista Wood, which includes a 1-2 mark this season.
Just getting started, Creighton is hitting .226 with 14 hits, two doubles, one home runs, nine walks and nine runs scored, while recording a perfect 9-for-9 mark on stolen base attempts.
Last season the Bluejays went 10-5 on neutral fields, hitting .303 with 122 hits, 9 doubles, 10 home runs, 70 RBI, 43 walks and 73 runs scored, while converting on 15 of their 19 stolen bases attempts. In the circle, the Jays posted a 3.93 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 98.0 innings of work.
Creighton will play 11 of their first 20 games at neutral sites this spring.
Magic Number 5
Since the turn of the century, Creighton has had tremendous success when scoring five or more runs and the Bluejays look to continued that success this season after owning a 25-4 record when scoring five or more runs last spring.
Over the last 25 seasons, Creighton is 402-59 when scoring five or more runs. In the same time span Creighton is 246-433-3 when scoring four runs or fever.
Creighton is also 186-41 when scoring five or more runs in a game since joining the BIG EAST in 2014, including a 2-1 record this season.
During that same time frame the Bluejays are 108-5 when scoring eight or more runs, which included a perfect 15-1 record in 2025. Prior to Creighton's 22-18 loss to Connecticut on March 28, Creighton had won 29 consecutive games when scoring eight or more runs.
Additionally, Creighton had won 35 straight games when scoring 10+ runs, before March 28th setback to the Huskies. Overall, the Bluejays have won 44 of their last 45 games when scoring more than 10 runs.
Season Opener History
Creighton opened the 2026 campaign with an 5-4 win over Central Arkansas on Feb. 6, lifting the Bluejays to 24-26 (.480) all-time in season-openers.
The Bluejays are now 3-1 in lid-lifters under Krista Wood, but just 5-8 in season-openers since joining the BIG EAST in 2013.
The Bluejays, however, have outscored foes by an average of 4.28 to 4.10 runs per game in the 50 season-openers.
Head coach Krista Wood is 15-5 all-time in lid-lifters, including an 8-5 mark at the Division I level. Wood also sported a 7-1 record in season-openers at Wayne State College.
Krista Wood in Season-Openers
Date School Opponent Result
3/4/07 Wayne St. Dominican College W, 6-1
3/3/08 Wayne St. St. Anselm (N.Y.) W, 2-0
2/20/09 Wayne St. Colorado Mines W, 3-2
2/26/10 Wayne St. Washburn L, 2-3 (8)
2/18/11 Wayne St. Regis W, 8-0
3/3/12 Wayne St. Gannon W, 6-4
3/3/13 Wayne St. W. Virgina Wesleyan W, 5-4
2/21/14 Wayne St. Nebraska-Kearney W, 11-2
2/7/15 SDSU Utah State W, 6-4
2/12/16 SDSU Green Bay L, 7-10
2/10/17 SDSU Montana L, 5-6
2/9/18 SDSU Kansas City W, 5-3
2/8/19 SDSU Saint Louis W, 6-0
2/7/20 SDSU DePaul W, 4-1
2/12/21 SDSU Iowa State L, 2-4
2/11/22 SDSU Northern Iowa W, 2-1 (9)
2/11/23 Creighton Detroit Mercy W, 4-3
2/9/24 Creighton Southern Illinois L, 0-3
2/7/25 Creighton Purdue Ft. Wayne W, 8-4
2/6/25 Creighton Central Arkansas W, 5-4
It Gets Earlier Every Year
Creighton's season-opener at the Bearkat Classic against Central Arkansas took place on February 6, tied for the second-earliest start date for a season-opener in Creighton Softball history.
The only earlier starts in program history came in 2015 (Feb. 5) when the Jays defeated Pacific, 2-0, at the Kajikawa Classic is Tempe, Ariz.
In comparison, Creighton's season-opener in 1977, its first season as a program, didn't take place until March 28.
Making Opening Statements
Despite holding a 24-26 record in season-openers, Creighton has outscored its opponents 214-205 in 50 season-opening contests.
In the Bluejays' 24 victories, they have averaged an impressive 6.92 runs per game, including five or more runs on 13 different occasions. The Bluejays have also held its opponents to just 1.50 runs per contests in its 24 lid-lifting victories.
Creighton, however, has only averaged 1.85 runs per game and has allowed 6.04 runs per contests during its 26 season-opening losses.
CU Season-Opener Run Differential
CU Runs Scored Runs Allowed
Overall 214 (4.28) 205 (4.10)
In Wins 166 (6.92) 36 (1.50)
In Losses 48 (1.85) 169 (6.04)
Mix of Old and New
Creighton returns 13 letterwinners and seven starters from last season's squad that went 30-25 and finished as the BIG EAST Tournament runner-up for a second consecutive season. The Bluejays also reloaded, bringing in 11 newcomers to the softball program.
Of this season's 11 new faces, eight are freshmen and three are incoming transfers from, Oklahoma State, North Texas and McLennan CC.
Of note, this is the fourth straight season the Bluejays have had at least nine newcomers join the program.
Making an Entrance
Creighton had nine players make their Bluejay debut last weekend at the Bearkat Classic in Huntsville, Texas. Of those nine players who made their debut, five made their Creighton debut in the Jays starting lineup.
The Bluejays do have three players; Aubriella Martinez, Keegan Mayhue and Mazie Flud; that could make their debuts this weekend at the Bear Down Fiesta.
Below is a look at how Creighton's current players have performed in their Creighton debuts.
Name AB H R 2B HR RBI
Dalton 0 0 1 0 0 0
Perez* 3 1 0 0 0 1
West** 3 1 0 0 0 0
Pierson** 2 0 0 0 0 0
Schultz** 2 0 0 0 0 0
Davis 0 0 1 0 0 0
Patchen 0 0 0 0 0 0
Nakasawa** 3 1 0 0 0 0
Smetter** 4 2 1 0 0 1
Barnard 1 0 0 0 0 0
McCutcheon 0 0 0 0 0 0
Ramos 1 0 0 0 0 0
Bailey** 3 0 0 0 0 0
Vandewater** 2 1 1 0 1 4
Greenwood* 3 0 0 0 0 0
Trevino 1 0 0 0 0 0
Vazquez 0 0 0 0 0 0
Name IP H R ER K BB
Patchen 1.1 5 5 5 1 2
Drehs* 0.0 3 2 2 0 0
Gilman 5.2 3 1 0 2 2
Harris* 1.1 2 0 0 1 2
Maloney 1.0 3 4 4 1 1
* - Started Bluejay Debut
**-Started Bluejay Debut in Season-Opener
Freshmen Contribution
Since joining the BIG EAST in 2014, Creighton had only had 14 true freshmen start the Bluejays season opener. On Feb. 6 vs. Central Arkansas, that number rose to 15 as Emma Bailey got the starting nod in right field.
This marked the first time a freshman had started the season-openers since Ashten Pierson earned the starting job at shortstop in 2024, when she became the first freshman in league history to earn BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year honors. In addition, Lily West is the only other active Bluejay to have started a season-opener as a freshman, earning the starting role behind the plate for the season-opener in 2023.
Below is a list of Bluejay freshmen to earn a season-opening start since 2013.
Bluejay Freshman to Start Season Opener Since 2013
Year Name Position
*2026 Emma Bailey Right Field
*2024 Ashten Pierson Shortstop
*2024 Sydney Potter DP
*2023 Lily West Catcher
2023 Natalia Puchino Pitcher
2023 Ensley Frame Shortstop
2019 Kailey Wilson DP
2019 Sam Alm First Base
2017 Ashley Cantu Right Field
2017 Sam Dellinger Left Field
2015 Tash Coffiel Third Base
2014 Jen Daro First Base
2014 Jessica Lewis Second Base
2013 Kelsey Allender Left Field
Current Player in Bold
Starting On The Right Foot
Creighton opened the 2026 season with a 2-3 showing at the Bearkat Classic on Feb 6-8 in Huntsville, Texas. It was the ninth time since joining the BIG EAST in 2014 that Creighton has finished the first weekend of the season with two or more wins, including all four seasons under head coach Krista Wood.
The last time Creighton finished with fewer than two wins in the opening weekend of the season was in 2021 when the Bluejays were swept in a three-game series at Wichita State. On the flip side, the last time Creighton finished the opening weekend with fewer than two losses was 2012 when the Bluejays swept a four-game series against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and started the season 7-0.
Additionally, the last time Creighton opened the year with a perfect showing at a tournament was in 2007 when Creighton went 5-0 at the UCA Spring Clash in Conway, Arkansas.
2026: 2-3 in Huntsville, Texas
2025: 3-2 in Conway, S.C.
2024: 3-2 in San Marcos, Texas
2023: 2-2 in Rosemont, Ill.
2022: 3-2 in El Paso, Texas
2021: 0-3 at Wichita State
2020: 3-2 in San Antonio, Texas
2019: 1-4 in Las Cruces, N.M.
2018: 3-2 in Las Vegas, Nev.
2017: 1-4 in Tempe, Ariz.
2016: 1-4 in Tempe, Ariz.
2015: 3-2 in Tempe, Ariz.
2014: 3-2 in Tempe, Ariz.
Production Returns
Creighton returns seven regular starters from last spring's team that finished 30-25 and capped off the year as the runner-up in the BIG EAST Tournament for a second consecutive season.
All told, CU returns 64.4 percent of its starts, 63.3 percent of its hits, 64.5 percent of its runs, 68.1 percent of its doubles, 57.4 percent of its home runs, 65.4 percent of its RBI, 61.1 percent of its stolen bases and 72.5 percent of its walks off last year's squad.
The Bluejays, however, only return 33.2 percent of its innings pitched, 37.8 percent of its strikeouts, 36.7 percent of its pitching wins and 58.9 percent of its putouts from last season's team.
Below is a breakdown of the production that is back:
Stat Returners Departures
Starts 354 (64.4%) 196 (35.6%)
Hits 300 (63.3%) 174 (36.7%)
Runs 207 (64.5%) 114 (35.5%)
Doubles 47 (68.1%) 22 (31.9%)
Home Runs 31 (57.4%) 23 (42.6%)
RBI 191 (65.4%) 101 (34.6%)
Walks 124 (72.5%) 47 (27.5%)
Stolen Bases 44 (61.1%) 28 (38.9%)
IP 124.0 (33.2%) 249.0 (66.8%)
K's 96 (37.8%) 158 (62.2%)
Wins 11 (36.7%) 19 (63.3%)
PO 659 (58.9%) 460 (41.1%)
Tough Sledding
Creighton has never shied away from playing a tough schedule, and that is no different in 2026. The Bluejays will play five different teams that made the 2025 NCAA Tournament, as well as Preseason Top 25 ranked Arizona on Feb. 15 and Nebraska on March 31.
Coaching is Key
After leading the Bluejays to a 30-25 record in 2025, its first back-to-back 30-win seasons since 2009-10, and a runner-up finish in both the BIG EAST Tournament for a second consecutive season, head coach Krista Wood's expectations are higher than ever as the Creighton Softball program seeks its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2010.
In just three seasons as the Creighton head coach, Wood has engineered one of the nation's greatest turnarounds
.She has coached seven first team and four
second team All-BIG EAST picks, while also recruiting and coaching the 2024 BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year (Natalia Puchino) and the two-time BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year (Ashten Pierson). In addition, Wood has also coached five NFCA All-Great Lakes Region, 11 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District and 38 NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete members during her first three seasons.
Bluejays Tabbed Fourth In Preseason Poll
Fresh off its second consecutive BIG EAST Finals appearance and its first back-to-back 30-win seasons since 2009-10, the Creighton softball team was picked to finish second in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league announced on Friday, January 16.
It's just the second time in Creighton's 13 years in the BIG EAST Conference that the Bluejays have been picked second, as the 2014 squad was also picked second in the Jays inaugural season in the league. It is the Bluejays highest preseason pool ranking since being the league favorites in 2019.
Creighton collected two first-place votes and earned 51 points in the poll, trailing only St. John's six first-place votes and 62 overall points. Defending BIG EAST Tournament champs Connecticut received the final first-place vote and tied Creighton with 51 points for second, just ahead of Villanova, who was tabbed fourth with 50 points.
Providence was picked to finish fifth with 32 points, while Butler came in right behind with 31 points. The bottom three teams in the pool are Seton Hall (24), DePaul (15) and Georgetown (8).
2025 BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. St. John's (6) - 61
T2. Creighton (2) - 51
T2. UConn (1) - 51
4. Villanova - 50
5. Providence - 32
6. Butler - 31
7. Seton Hall - 24
8. DePaul - 15
9. Georgetown - 8
Creighton's BIG EAST Preseason Poll History
Year Preseason Pick Actual Finish
2014 2nd 4th
2015 5th 7th
2016 5th T-5th
2017 5th 6th
2018 5th 2nd
2019 1st 6th
2020 4th N/A
2021 5th 4th
2022 4th 8th
2023 5th T-8th
2024 6th T-2nd
2025 4th T-3rd
2026 2nd TBD
Home Sweet Home
The Creighton Softball program enters a new era in 2026 with the opening of an state-of-the-art facility that ranks amongst the finest in all of Nebraska in the new Creighton Softball Stadium.
Built in conjunction of Creighton's $300 million Fly Together project, the Creighton Softball Stadium is the first of several key elements in the continued renovation of the athletic corridor on the east side of campus.
The 79,011-square-foot stadium features state-of-the-art Triple Threat FieldTurf across the entire playing surface, as well as a 15' 11 1/8" x 31' 6 5/16' fully electronic Daktronics DVX-2802 video/scoreboard in right-center field that will be operated from a new press box. The press box amenities include radio/TV booths, as well as separate space for the public address announcer, official scorer and local/national media. Key analytical technology, such as Trackman and an AWEAR Camera System, will provide enhanced statistical data to elevate player development.
The facility will also feature three pitching rubbers in both the home and visiting bullpen areas, just down the line from sunken dugouts that include storage space and player restrooms.
In addition, the facility has 298 fixed seats and a capacity of 600 with the potential for seating to be added in the future. Restrooms and concessions spaces will be provided at the main entrance of the stadium. Additionally, the facility is accessible to individuals with disabilities and seating inside the stadium meets ADA standards.
The field's dimensions are 200' down the left field line, 220' to straight-away center and 200' down the right field line.
