Softball Set to Open BIG EAST Championships vs. UConn on Thursday

BIG EAST Softball Championships - Presented by JEEP
Game #55: #2 UConn Huskies (28-25, 18-6) vs. Creighton Bluejays (29-25, 17-7)
Thursday, May 7 • 3 p.m. CT • Rosemont, Ill. • Parkway Bank Softball Complex
WATCH | LIVE STATS | CU NOTES

This Weekend

Creighton (29-25, 17-7 BE) enters the BIG EAST Softball Championships Presented by JEEP as the no. 3 seed looking to claim its first BIG EAST Tournament title in program history, as well as its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2010.

The Bluejays start play in the double elimination tournament on Thursday, May 7 at 3 p.m. CT against second-seeded UConn (28-25, 18-6 BE).

The loser of the CU/UConn game would play in an elimination game at 6 p.m. CT on Thursday against the loser of No. 1 Providence and No. 4 Providence, while the winner will advance to play in the semifinals on Friday afternoon.

Broadcast Information

This week's BIG EAST Tournament will air on ESPN+ with Evan Stockton and Brea Lassek on the call. A subscription is required to view the games on http://watchESPN.com.

Live Stats Information

Live stat links for this week's BIG EAST tournament can be found via a link on the softball's schedule page on http://GoCreighton.com.

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 (29-25, 17-7 BE)

Creighton heads to the BIG EAST Softball Championships for the third consecutive season sporting a 29-25 overall record and finishing third in BIG EAST with a 17-7 mark in league play.

Owning one of the most potent offenses in the BIG EAST, Creighton has eight starters hitting better than .290. Sophomore Tara Vandewater paces the Bluejays and ranks eighth in the BIG EAST with a .374 batting average. She also ranks tied for fourth in the league with 53 RBI on 58 hits, including 11 doubles, four triples and nine home runs.

Senior Lily West has continued her hot hitting, boasting a .355 batting average on a team-best 60 hits, including nine doubles, five home runs, 26 walks, 34 RBI and 36 runs scored. She is closely followed by junior Kaelan Schultz, who is hitting .348 with 12 doubles, seven home runs while freshman Zoey Greenwood is hitting at a .324 clip with 59 hits, a BIG EAST-leading 15 doubles and 24 stolen bases.

Senior Erika Perez, meanwhile, has stepped into more of a leadership role this season and is showcasing her power, hitting .338 with 12 doubles, four triples, eight home runs, 21 walks and 36 RBI. Perez and veteran returners, Avery Barnard (.294 BA, 11 2B, 35 R, 29 RBI) and Ashten Pierson (.292 BA, 28 Hits, 29 R) have been relied on to lead this talented group.

Freshman Audrey Gilman and sophomore Landrie Harris have been relied on to lead the Bluejays pitching staff this season. Gilman paces the Jays with a 4.33 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 166.1 innings of work, while Harris owns a 4.56 ERA and 28 punchouts in 58.1 innings pitched.

As a team, Creighton leads the BIG EAST batting average (.315), doubles (89), triples (15), RBI (313), runs (341), and stolen bases (121), while the pitching staff owns a 4.83 ERA with 201 strikeouts in 353.1 innings of work.

Head coach Krista Wood is in her fourth season with the Bluejays and holds a 625-421 career record, including a 117-103 mark at Creighton.

Scouting UConn (28-25, 17-6 BIG EAST)

UConn has won 18 of their last 21 games and is 28-25 on the season. The Huskies claimed a share of the BIG EAST Regular Season title for the third time in the last five years after posting a 18-6 mark in league play.

UConn is led offensively by sophomore Cat Petteys and her .385 batting average on a team-leading 65 hits. She paces the Huskies and leads the BIG EAST with 17 home runs, 15 doubles, 56 runs scored and 54 RBI.

She is supported by senior Savannah Ring, who owns a .344 batting average with 63 hits, including 12 doubles, 30 RBI and 40 runs scored, while junior Kaitlyn Breslin boasts a .291 average with nine doubles, 11 home runs and 51 RBI.

Graduate Jessica Walters and freshman Caprice Bohmer have split the duties in the circle for the Huskies this season. Walters leads the team with a 3.45 ERA with 69 strikeouts in 101.1 innings pitched, while Bohmer owns an 12-8 record with a 4.05 ERA and a team-high 120 strikeouts in 117.2 innings of work.

As a team, UConn is hitting .287 with 86 doubles, 12 triples, 52 home runs and 309 runs scored, while owning a 4.32 ERA with 251 strikeouts in 337.1 innings or work.

UConn was picked to finish third in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll as head coach Laura Valentino is in her seventh year at the helm of the Huskies.

Series History Against the Huskies

Creighton and Connecticut have met 23 times previously, with the Huskies holding an 17-6 edge in the all-time series.

The Huskies have won six of the last seven meetings, including taking two of three from the Bluejays in Storrs earlier this season.

Creighton is 2-3 all-time at neutral sites against the Huskies, including a 1-3 mark at the BIG EAST Tournament.

The Bluejays and Huskies split a pair of contests in the 2024 BIG EAST Tournament with Creighton advancing to the title game with a 10-6 win in the semifinals. UConn, however, run-ruled the Jays twice in the 2025 BIG EAST Tournament on the way to claiming the first league title in over 20 years.

Head coach Krista Wood is 4-12 all-time against Connecticut as a head coach.

Milestone Watch

- Lily West owns 242 career hits, one hits shy of tying Heidi Geier for second on Creighton's all-time career hits list and four hits shy of breaking Hall of Famer Christy Lunceford's school record of 245 hits set back in 1997.

- Lily West has scored 133 career runs and needs just four runs scored to tie Cayla Nielsen's school record of 137 runs scored from 2020-2024.

- Lily West owns 35 career doubles and is just one double shy of moving into sixth on the career doubles list at Creighton.

- Zoey Greenwood boasts 59 hits this season and is now just five hits shy of breaking Creighton's freshmen hits record of 64 hits set by Wendy Moon in 1991.

- Zoey Greenwood has recorded 24 stolen bases this season and is now two stolen bases shy of passing Heidi Geier for third on Creighton's single season stolen base list.

- Zoey Greenwood owns a team and BIG EAST-best 15 doubles this season and is now two doubles shy from tying Cayla Nielsen and Temple Windhorst for the third-most doubles in a single season in program history.

- Tara Vandewater has driven in 53 runs this season and is now five RBI shy from moving into a tie with Renae Sinkler O'Gorman for second on Creighton's single season RBI record board.

- Tara Vandewater has scored 42 runs this season, one run shy of tying Cayla Nielsen for seventh on Creighton's single season runs scored list.

- Kaelan Schultz owns 99 career hits and is one shy of recording the 100th hit of her career.

- Ashten Pierson has been hit by a pitch 23 times in her career and is now one hit by pitch shy of tying Alyssa Gappa for sixth on Creighton's career hit by pitch record list.

- Ashten Pierson owns 38 career stolen bases and is now three stolen bases shy of tying Danielle Fitzgerald for sixth on the career stolen base list.

- Ashten Pierson has racked up 18 stolen bases this season and is now one shy of tying Heidi Geier for ninth on Creighton single season stolen base list.

- Ashten Pierson has collected 98 career hits and is now two hits away from 100 for her career.

- Ella Dalton has recorded 32 career stolen bases and is just one stolen base shy of cracking the top 10 on Creighton's career stolen base list.

- Ella Dalton has been hit by a pitch nine times this season, one shy of moving into a tie for fourth on Creighton's single season hit-by-pitch record board.

- Erika Perez owns 72 career walks and is now six walks away from tying Jody Schwartz for eighth on Creighton's career walks top 10 list.

- Keegan Mayhue has hit 12 home runs this season, one homer shy of moving into a tie for 10th on Creighton's single season home run list and is just three home runs shy of tying Amy Baker's freshman record of 15 home runs set in 2010.

- Keegan Mayhue has drove in 45 runs this season, one RBI shy of moving into a tie for fifth on Creighton's single season RBI list.

CU in the BIG EAST Tourney

Creighton will be making their third consecutive and fifth overall appearance in the BIG EAST Tournament since joining the league in 2014.

Creighton is 7-6 all-time in the BIG EAST Tournament, after going 3-2 on the way to a second consecutive runner-up finish at the 2025 BIG EAST Softball Championships in Villanova last season.

Complete results and Creighton BIG EAST Tournament records can be found later in the notes packet.

Creighton Athletics in the BIG EAST Tournament

Creighton owns 14 BIG EAST Tournament titles in 13 years as a league member.

Men's Soccer (2022) has won one title and Baseball (2019, 2025) has won two, while Volleyball (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025) has 11 titles and is Creighton's only women's program to win a BIG EAST Tournament.

Conference Tournament History

Creighton will be making its 32nd postseason conference tournament appearance on Thursday afternoon against second-seeded UConn

Over the course of the 31 conference tournament appearances the Bluejays have claimed nine league tournament titles, owning a 67-39 overall record.

Seeking the first BIG EAST Tournament Title in program history, the last time the Bluejays punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament was in 2010, when the Jays claimed their sixth Missouri Valley Conference Championship.

Below is a breakdown of Creighton's postseason appearances and record by conference.

Conf. App. Record Titles

HCAC 5 16-6 3

WAC 2 6-4 -

MVC 20 38-23 6

BE 4 7-6 -

#Winning

Creighton has opened conference tournament play with a large amount of success, owning a 22-7 record in the first game on the program's 31 conference tournament appearances.

The Bluejays are 3-1 in the opening round at the BIG EAST Tournament, reaching the finals in three of its four previous appearances, including in each of its last three trips to the BIG EAST Championships in 2018, 2024 and 2025.

Finding A Way

Creighton has played 106 games over the course of 31 conference tournament appearances.

Dating back to the Bluejays time in the HCAC, Creighton is 40-19 in conference tournament games decided by two runs or less, including a perfect 4-0 mark in the BIG EAST Tournament.

CU has won 25 of its last 34 conference tournament games decided by two runs or less, dating back to the 2000 MVC Tournament.

The Big Dance

A storied program, Creighton is looking to qualify for its 13th NCAA Tournament in program history, but its first automatic bid into the postseason tournament since 2010.

The Bluejays appeared in the 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2010 NCAA Tournament. CU played in the Women's College World Series twice (1982 and 1986) and the AIAW World Series twice (1980 and 1981). The Bluejays are 12-24 all-time in the NCAA postseason.

Happy Anniversary

Next Monday marks the 35-year anniversary of two of the three longest games in NCAA history, both of which involved Creighton. On May 11, 1991, Creighton faced Utah in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament in Omaha.

In an era when pitching dominated, it's not surprising that Creighton won a 1-0 pitcher's duel. What makes that night so special is that it took 31 innings!

Star Creighton pitcher Kelly Brookhart, who had thrown a complete-game shutout earlier in the day, threw all 31 innings in the longest game in NCAA history. She threw the shutout despite allowing 25 hits and walking eight Utes (all intentional) while stranding an NCAA record 31. Brookhart was no slouch at the plate in that game either, going 6-for-11.

The 31-inning game took 6:24 to complete and finished at 12:24 a.m. on May 12th.

Making the day even crazier was that the Bluejay win forced the "if necessary" game to be played, and that started just 21 minutes later at 12:45 a.m.

Game two turned out to be the third-longest game in NCAA history, as Utah won a 4-3 game in 25 innings after the teams agreed to go to the international tiebreaker rule and place a runner on second base to start the 25th inning.

Brookhart came on in relief in the nightcap and finished off the final 20.1 innings, part of her 58.1 innings of work in an 18-hour span.

We Meet Again

Creighton and UConn ought to be quite familiar with each other by this point.

Thursday will mark the 24th meeting between the school's all-time but the fifth meeting between the Bluejays and Huskies in the BIG EAST Tournament in the last three years.

The Bluejays are 1-3 against UConn in the BIG EAST Tournament, including 0-1 mark in the title game.

Creighton lost to UConn in the second round of the 2024 BIG EAST tournament but earned revenge with a 10-6 win in the semifinals to advance to the 2024 BIG EAST title game.

Last season, UConn pulled away early in a pair of run-rule victories, which included a 18-4 win for the Huskies in the 2025 BIG EAST Title game.

Below is a breakdown of Creighton's record against every opponent in the BIG EAST Tournament.

Creighton in the BIG EAST Tournament

Opponent Overall Title Game

Butler 2-0 0-0

UConn 1-3 0-1

DePaul 0-2 0-1

Providence 1-0 0-0

St. John's 3-0 0-0

Villanova 0-1 0-1

TOTALS 7-6 0-3

Among The Best

Arguably the two best teams in the league, Creighton and UConn own more BIG EAST wins than any other school in the league since the start of the 2024 BIG EAST season.

UConn has won a BIG EAST-best 52 games in league play, but Creighton follows closely behind with a 48-24 record.

Best BIG EAST Record, Last 3 Seasons

Team W L Pct.

UConn 52 20 0.722

Creighton 48 24 0.667

Villanova 42 30 0.583

St. John's 41 31 0.569

Butler 40 32 0.556

Providence 40 32 0.556

Seton Hall 31 41 0.431

DePaul 15 57 0.208

Georgetown 15 57 0.208

Gilman Earns Final BE Freshman of the Week

Freshman Audrey Gilman was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week on Monday, May 4 as the BIG EAST handed out its final weekly honors of the 2026 season.

This was Gilman's second BIG EAST Freshman of the Week plaudit of the season, as she was also recognized on April 20.

A freshman from Kampsville, Ill., Gilman posted a 1-0 record across four appearances, logging a team-best 2.05 ERA and eight strikeouts in 13.2 innings of work as the Bluejays closed out the regular season with a series win over DePaul.

Gilman was nearly flawless in her lone start last week, improving to a perfect 10-0 in BIG EAST play after allowing just one run on four hits in a 2-1 complete-game win over the Blue Demons on Friday. She then fired 1.2 innings of hitless ball in relief to help the Bluejays secure a 9-3 win and clinch the overall series over DePaul on Sunday.

Dirty Thiry

Creighton enters the BIG EAST Tournament with a 29-25 overall record and needing just one win to record the 26th 30-win season in program history.

The Bluejays have won 30 or more game is each of the last two seasons and are looking to capture the first back-to-back-to-back 30-win seasons since the Jays won 30+ games in four straight seasons from 2007-10.

Former head coach and Bluejay pioneer Mary Higgins record 11 thirty-win season, while Brent Vigness collected 12 such campaigns. Head coach Krista Wood is now on the verge of winning 30 or more games in three of her first four seasons on the Hilltop.

Creighton's 30 Win Seasons

Total Wins How Often Last Time

51 1 time 1981

49 1 time 1989

46 1 time 1980

44 2 times 2005

43 2 time 2008

40 1 time 2007

39 2 times 1990

38 2 times 1991

37 1 time 2010

36 2 times 2024

35 1 time 2009
34 2 times 2000

33 1 time 1998

32 3 times 1997

31 1 times 1999

30 2 times 2025

Lily West Eyes All-Time Career Hits Record

Lily West, one of the most prolific hitters in program history, continues her quest to become the Bluejays all-time career hits leader.

The Choctaw, Okla. native currently sits third all-time in program history with 242 career hits and just three hits shy of tying Bluejay Hall of Famer Christy Lunceford as the all-time hits leader in Creighton history.

Earlier this season, West became just the 11th Bluejay in program history to surpass 200 career hits and the first to do so since Cayla Nielsen in 2024, when she passed the 200-hit milestone on March 6th at Seton Hall.

She entered her senior season with 182 career hits, the most by a Bluejay in their first three seasons in program history and recently joined Lunceford as just the second Creighton player in program history to record 50 or more hits in four consecutive seasons.

Most Career Hits, Creighton History

No. Name H Years

1. Christy Lunceford 245 1994-97

2. Heidi Geier 243 1996-99

3. Lily West 242 2023-Pr.

4. Kelly Brookhart 218 1988-91

Ashley Cantu 218 2017-21

6. Cayla Nielsen 209 2020-24

Sue Frederick 209 1986-89

8. Ellen Homan 203 2011-14

Wendy Moon 203 1991-94

10. Renae Sinkler 201 2007-10

Jean Tierney 201 1980-83

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 Amongst The BIG EAST Best

Over the last four seasons, senior Lily West has not only transformed into one of the best hitters in Creighton history, but one of the best hitters in the history of the BIG EAST Conference.

Last weekend, West closed out her BIG EAST career with five hits in the Bluejays series win over DePaul, pushing her career total to 118 hits in BIG EAST play.

West's 118 hits in BIG EAST play ranks third all-time in BIG EAST history for hits in a career and trails only the 137 career hits in league play from current Butler great Cate Lehner and the 130 hits from UConn's Lexi Hastings (2022-25).

Below is the top 10 list for hits in league play in BIG EAST history.

Most Career Hits, BIG EAST in Play History

No. Name H Years

1. Cate Lehner, Butler 137 2023-Pr.

2. Lexi Hastings, UConn 130 2022-25

3. Lily West, Creighton 118 2023-Pr.

4. Stephanie Brown, ND 112 2004-07

5. Amber Patton, DPU 109 2006-09

6. London Jarrard, SJU 106 2022-25

7. Taylor Hill, SHU 102 2022-25

Emma Lee, Providence 102 2016-19

9. Brittany Husk, VU 100 2015-18

Micah Truax, UConn 100 2006-09

A Bunch of Winners

Creighton's won 17 BIG EAST games this season, setting a program record for the most wins in a BIG EAST regular season since joining the league prior to the 2014 season. The Jays' 17 league wins this spring were tied for the seventh-most in a single conference season in program history.

Below shows Creighton's conference wins ranks since joining the BIG EAST in 2014, as well as the most conference wins by a the Bluejays all-time.

Most BIG EAST Wins Since 2014

Rk. Wins Year

1. 17 2026

2. 16 2024

3. 15 2025

4. 12 2018

5. 10 2014

Most Conference Wins All-Time

Rk. Record Year

1. 21 2008

2. 19 2009

19 2007

19 2005

5. 18 2010

18 2002

7. 17 2026

17 2004

8. 16 2024

16 2001

16 1998

Krista vs. The BIG EAST

Throughout her career, head coach Krista Wood's teams played some of their best softball against BIG EAST competition.

In her fourth season with the Bluejays, Wood's currently owns a 60-46 record in the BIG EAST (includes BIG EAST Tournament) with at least four victories over every team in the league.

Creighton's 60 wins over BIG EAST competition over the last four years are the third-most wins by any team in the league, trailing only UConn's 76 wins and Villanova's 65 wins during that time span.

In her eight seasons with South Dakota State, Wood's compiled a 21-5 overall record against the BIG EAST, including a 17-1 mark in her final six seasons that featured 11 straight victories.

In total, Wood's owns a 81-51 overall record against teams from the BIG EAST.

Below is a breakdown of Wood's record against every BIG EAST team.

Krista Wood's Record against BIG EAST Teams

Opponent SDSU CU

Butler 3-0 9-4

Creighton 10-4 0-0

DePaul 2-0 10-2

Georgetown 0-0 9-3

Providence 2-1 6-7

Seton Hall 1-0 7-5

St. John's 1-0 9-5

Connecticut 0-0 4-12

Villanova 2-0 5-8

Totals 21-5 60-46

Bluejays Capture Programs 1,500th Win

Creighton collected the programs 1,500th all-time win on May 3 when the Jays topped DePaul, 9-3, in the regular season finale.

The Bluejays own a 1,500-1,038-3 all-time record, outscoring its opponents 10,397-7,814, an average margin of 1.02 runs per game in 2,541 games as a program.

Below is a list of every game Creighton surpassed any 100-win milestone.

Win # W-L Result Year

1 1-6 Nebraska Wesleyan, 7-6 1977

100 100-57 Wyoming, 3-1 1981

200 200-89 Drake, 10-0 1983

300 300-134 Georgia State, 5-3 1986

400 400-179 Utah State, 4-3 1989

500 500-234 Southern Utah, 5-1 1991

600 600-333 Omaha, 4-3 1995

700 700-415 Evansville, 8-2 1998

800 800-499 Oakland, 1-0 2002

900 900-565-1 #18 Oregon, 4-1 2005

1000 1000-615-2 Wichita State, 3-1 2007

1100 1100-667-2 Kansas, 8-0 2010

1200 1200-746-3 Western Michigan, 9-0 2014

1300 1300-845-3 Grambling State, 11-0 2018

1400 1400-957-3 Omaha, 5-3 2023

1500 1500-1038-3 DePaul, 9-3 2026

The Lineup Shuffle

Creighton had used the same lineup in nearly every game over the final six weeks of the season, before shuffling things up in the regular season series finale against DePaul last weekend.

Junior Kaelan Schultz slid into the leadoff spot for the first time in her career and delivered in a big way with two doubles and a home run in the final two games of the series with the Blue Demons.

This season, Schultz has reached base safely in 23 of her 39 plate appearances as a leadoff batter and is hitting a team-high .424 (28-of-66) with the bases empty.

Senior Lily West, meanwhile, has consistently hit in the three hole in 46 of the Bluejays' 54 games this season.

Gilman Perfect Dealings

Freshman pitching phenom Audrey Gilman made quite a splash in her first season in the BIG EAST, posting a perfect 10-0 record in the circle during league play.

The Kampsville, Ill. natives 10 BIG EAST wins were the most in the league this season and the second-most by a Bluejay pitcher behind only Natalia Puchino's 12 BIG EAST wins in 2024.

Gilman, however, is the first Bluejay to record a perfect 1.000 winning percentage with more than five wins in the circle during in league play since at least 1998.

Gilman Heats Up

In her first season with the Bluejays, freshman Audrey Gilman has found her footing guiding a young Bluejay pitching staff in the circle.

The Kampsville, Ill. native paces the Jays with a 15-8 overall record with a 4.33 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 166.1 innings of work.

Gilman, however, was flawless in BIG EAST play, boasting a perfect 10-0 record with two shutouts, a 4.12 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 83.1 innings pitched.

The standout right-hander has posted victories in nine of her last 11 decisions, which includes complete-game efforts in all eight of the nine wins.

Gilman's 15 victories this year are the most by a Bluejay freshman since Becca Changstrom had 18 wins during her freshman campaign in 2011.

Can't Keep West Off the Bases

Senior Lily West has been one of the most consistent hitters for the Bluejays this season and will carry a 17-game on-base streak into this week's BIG EAST Tournament.

West's 17-game on-base streak is her second longest streak of the season as she reached base safely in 20 straight contests earlier this season.

During her current 17-game on-base streak, West is hitting .352 (19-of-54) with two doubles, two homers, 10 walks and 13 runs scored.

Overall, West has reached base safely in 47 of the 54 games this season, including reaching safely in all 24 BIG EAST games this spring.

Senior Erika Perez also reached base safely in 22 straight games dating back to last season, before having her streak snapped going 0-for-2 against Drake on Feb. 14.

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 22-game on-base streak was the third longest streak by a Bluejay since 2010 and longest since Amy Baker reached base safely in 37 consecutive contests in 2013.

During her 22-game on-base streak, Perez hit .373 with 19 hits, four doubles, and a team-high 19 walks to go with nine runs scored.

Longest Creighton On-Base Streaks Since 2010

OB Streak Player Year

37 Amy Baker 2013

28 Alexis Cantu 2012

22 Erika Perez 2025-26

21 Sydra Seville 2025

21 Ashley Cantu 2019

20 Lily West 2026

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 Lily West 2026

17 Cayla Nielsen 2023

17 Alexis Cantu 2013

16 Michelle Trulin 2016

15 Kaelan Schultz 2026

15 Amy Baker 2012

They Say Defense Wins Championships

Creighton has posted a .974 fielding percentage, a mark that ranks atop the BIG EAST and in the top 25 in the NCAA this season.

The Bluejays .974 fielding percentage leads the BIG EAST as the Jays have committed a BIG EAST-low 38 errors this spring.

CU has finished first or second in the BIG EAST in fielding percentage in three of the last five seasons.

Creighton Single Season Fielding Percentage

Fielding %

1. .977 2024

2. .975 2009

3. .974 2026

.974 1998

5. .973 2008

6. .972 2005

7. .969 2023

8. .968 2007

9. .965 2025

.965 2004

.965 2001

Runners High

Creighton has produced a single season program record 341 runs this season, surpassing the previous high of 321 runs scored last season.

The Bluejays' 341 runs scored leads the BIG EAST and are the 40th-most runs scored in the NCAA this season.

CU, which averages 6.31 runs per game, is a hefty 25-6 when scoring five or more runs this season, including a 17-1 mark when scoring at least eight runs.

Creighton Single Season Team Runs

Runs

1. 341 2026

2. 321 2025

3. 294 2012

4. 282 2004

5. 281 1981

6. 269 1989

7. 265 2010

8. 259 2008

259 2007

10. 253 1980

BIG EAST Scoring Surge

Creighton has scored 341 runs, averaging 6.31 runs per game this season, a number that surged to 191 runs and 7.96 runs per game in BIG EAST contests.

The Bluejays' 191 runs scored in BIG EAST play are 32 more than the next closest opponent in the league this season.

Overall, the 191 runs scored in BIG EAST play this season are the most in a single conference season in program history, surpassing Creighton's previous school record of 179 runs scored last spring.

Conference Play Runs Scored

Year Record Runs Average

2026 17-7 191 7.96

2025 15-9 179 7.45

2012 15-11 150 5.77

2002 18-7 135 5.40

2010 18-7 124 4.96

2024 16-8 115 4.79

2007 19-4-1 109 4.54

2001 16-10 109 4.19

2023 6-18 107 4.46

2008 19-6 104 4.33

2019 8-13 102 4.86

On the Double

Creighton has hit a program record 89 doubles this season, breaking the previous single season school record on 79 double which has stood since 1993.

The Bluejays 89 doubles currently leads the BIG EAST and are tied for the 27th-most in the NCAA this spring.

Under head coach Krista Wood Creighton has recorded 312 doubles, including ranking in the top 10 in program history for single season doubles in all four years.

Creighton Single Season Team Doubles

Doubles

1. 89 2026

2. 79 1993

3. 77 2024

77 2023

5. 74 2001

6. 73 1999

7. 71 2004

8. 69 2025

9 . 65 1997

65 1989

Driving in All The Runs

In addition to setting the single season program record for runs and doubles, Creighton also shattered the single season school record for RBI.

The Bluejays have racked up 313 RBI this season, shattering the previous school record of 292 RBI in 2025.

CU's 313 RBI rank atop the BIG EAST and are the 39th-most in the NCAA this season.

Creighton Single Season Team RBI

RBI

1. 313 2026

2. 292 2025

3. 275 2012

4. 248 2004

5. 244 2010

6. 235 2018

235 2008

8. 233 2023

233 2007

10. 227 2024

Vandewater and Mayhue Rake

Sophomore Tara Vandewater and freshman Keegan Mayhue have been racking up the RBI all season long. Vandewater currently paces the Bluejays and ranking fourth in the BIG EAST with 53 runs batted in, while Mayhue owns 45 RBI this season.

A native of Winterset, Iowa, Vandewater has recorded a team-best 14 multi-RBI games, including eight such games with three or more RBI this season.

Vandewater's 53 runs batted in currently ranks as the third-most RBI in a single season in program history, while Mayhue's 45 RBI are the seventh-most in a single season in school history.

Creighton's Single Season Runs Batted In

No. Name RBI Year

1. Sydney Potter 60 2025

2. Renae Sinkler 58 2010

3. Tara Vandewater 53 2026

4. Alexis Cantu 48 2012

5. Amy Baker 46 2012

Amy Baker 46 2010

7. Keegan Mayhue 45 2026

8. Emma Rosonke 43 2022

Bri (Lingl) McMahon 43 2012

Abby Johnson 43 2004

Freshman Phenom Delivering

Freshman Zoey Greenwood has been dominant at the plate during her first season as a Bluejay.

The New Boston, Texas native ranks second on the team with 59 hits and is one of six Bluejays hitting better than .300 this season with a .324 batting average.

Greenwood's 59 hits are the third-most hits by a Bluejay freshman in program history and the most since Allie Mathewson had 60 hits during her freshman campaign in 2012.

She became just the 11th Bluejay in program history and the first Bluejay since West in 2023 to record at least 50 hits in her freshman season.

In addition, Greenwood has produced 16 multi-hit games this season, becoming the 10th freshman since 2003 to record at least 10 multi-hit games during their freshman campaign.

Her 16 multi-hit games are tied for the second-most by a freshman since 2003 and the most since Allie Mathewson record 18 multi-hit games during her freshman season in 2012.

Below is a list of Creighton's all-time freshmen hit leaders and a list of Creighton freshmen with at least 10 multi-hit games in a season since 2003.

Creighton's Freshman Hits Leaderboard

Name Hits Season

Wendy Moon 64 1991

Allie Mathewson 60 2012

Zoey Greenwood 59 2026

Lily West 58 2023

Jody Jenison 56 1980

Christy Lunceford 55 1994

Sam Dellinger 52 2017

Jody Schwartz 52 1985

Amy Baker 51 2010

Heidi Geier 50 1996

Angie Rajtora 50 1981

Creighton's Freshman Multi-Hit Games Since 2003

Name Year Multi-Hit Games

Allie Mathewson 2012 18

Zoey Greenwood 2026 16

Lily West 2023 15

Ellen Homan 2011 15

Kiara Mills 2019 13

Sam Dellinger 2017 13

Ashley Cantu 2017 13

Amy Baker 2010 12

Dawson Bailey 2006 11

Sydney Potter 2024 10

League Leaders

Not only was Creighton one of the top teams in the BIG EAST standings this season, but the Bluejays also dominated many of the team and individual statistical categories as well.

Individually, Zoey Greenwood is tied for the BIG EAST lead with 15 doubles this season and ranks second with 24 stolen bases, while Ashten Pierson is also tops in sacrifice bunts with 14. In addition, Creighton has three of the top five stolen bases leaders in the league; Greenwood (2nd, 24), Pierson (4th, 18), Emma Bailey (5th, 16).

As a team, Creighton is first in batting average (.315), runs (341), doubles (89), triples (15), RBI (313), stolen bases (122) slugging percentage (.493) and fielding percentage (.974), while ranking second in hits (455), sacrifice flies (21) and sacrifice bunts (31).

West Elevates Up The Chart

In the home stretch of her senior season, Lily West continues her climb up the Bluejay ranks in career batting average, runs scored and runs batted in.

West currently ranks sixth on Creighton's all-time career batting average list with a .338 career batting average, while owning 242 career hits.

In addition, West sits in a tie for eighth on Creighton's career doubles list after tying a career high with two doubles in the Bluejays' 8-4 win over Georgetown on April 12.

West also ranks fourth all-time with 126 career RBI and second with 133 career runs scored.

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. .338 Lily West 242-715 2023-Pr

.338 Kaelan Schultz 99-293 2024-Pr

8. .336 Renae Sinkler 201-599 2007-10

9. .333 Sydra Seville 133-399 2022-25

.333 Cayla Nielsen 209-627 2020-24

DOUBLES

No. Name 2B Years

1. Christy Lunceford 51 1994-97

2. Frenchy Nix 47 1998-01

3. Stacey Rybar 43 2001-04

4. Cayla Nielsen 41 2020-24.
5. Kelly Brookhart 40 1988-91

6. Abby Johnson 36 2002-05

Jody Schwartz 36 1985-88

8. Lily West 35 2023-Pr.

Kailey Wilson 35 2019-23

Bailey Dawson 35 2006-09

10. Erin Fraser 34 1995-98
Dede Pendleton 34 1991-95

Lily's Keeping it 100

Lily West is looking to rewrite the record book in 2026 as the senior slugger closes in on multiple career milestones.

West is one of just 21 Bluejays in program history to record 100 career runs scored, currently sitting second in program history with 133 career runs scored. She is just four runs shy of tying Cayla Nielsen as the all-time career runs scored record holder.

In addition, the senior slugger became the 13th Bluejay in program history to record 100 career RBI and is now fourth on Creighton's all-time career RBI list with 126 RBI

West is just the second Bluejay in program history to record at least 200 career hits, 100 career RBI and 100 career runs scored, joining Bluejay Hall of Famer Renae Sinkler-O'Gorman.

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. Lily West 126 242 2023-Pr.

5. Kailey Wilson 125 168 2019-23

6. Bailey Dawson 121 183 2006-09

Stacey Rybar 121 194 2001-04

8. Liz Dike 119 180 2012-15

9. Jody Schwartz 113 179 1985-88

10. Christy Lunceford 110 245 1994-97

11. Lauren Cisneros 107 165 2003-06

12. Emma Rosonke 106 103 2021-24

13. Dede Pendleton 103 184 1991-95

Bluejays with 100 Career Runs Scored

No. Name R Years

1. Cayla Nielsen 137 2020-24

2. Lily West 133 2023-Pr.

3. Stacey Rybar 132 2001-04

4. Jean Tierney 130 1980-83

5. Heidi Geier 129 1996-99

Ashley Cantu 129 2017-21

7. Sue Frederick 128 1986-89

8. Christy Lunceford 122 1994-97

9. Renae Sinkler 120 2007-10

10. Bailey Dawson 119 2006-09

11. Liz Dike 118 2012-15

12. Lauren Cisneros 113 2003-06

13. Melanie Dorsey 112 2002-05

14. Mary Yori 108 1980-82

Michelle Graner 108 2007-10

16. Michelle Koch 106 2007-10

Ella Dalton 106 2023-Pr.

18. Shelly Esser 103 1992-95

19. Ellen Homan 102 2011-14

20. Madeline Vejvoda 100 2020-24

21. Wendy Moon 100 1991-94

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 220 games of her Bluejay career.

Her 220 consecutive starts are the most consecutive starts by a Bluejay in over 25 years, while her 220 games play currently is tied with Melanie Dorsey for the eighth most in by a Bluejay in program history.

West is one of just four Bluejay's since 1999 to start 200 consecutive games, joining Heidi Geier (2001-04, 210 games), Lauren Cisneros (2003-06, 219 games) and Jessica Wakasugi (2006-09, 216 games). In addition, West is one of just 15 Bluejays overall to start at least 200 career games since 1999.

Creighton Career Games Played

No. Name GP Years

1. Kelly Brookhart 239 1988-91

2. Beth Herod 233 1989-93

3. Karyn Rice 232 1987-90

4. Brenda Konfrst 230 1987-90

5. Jody Schwartz 222 1985-88

6. Stacey Rybar 221 2001-04

Wendy Moon 221 1991-94

8. Lily West 220 2023-Pr.

Melanie Dorsey 220 2002-05

10. Lauren Cisneros 219 2003-06
Dede Pendleton 219 1991-95

Mary Panagos 219 1985-88

Mayhue Bombs Away

Freshman Keegan Mayhue has proved to be a key contributor for Bluejays in her first season on the Hilltop.

The Elm Mott, Texas native has launched a team-high 12 home runs, becoming just the sixth freshman in program history to record double-digit homers during their freshman campaign.

The freshman phenom's 12 homers are the second-most home runs by a freshman in program history and a mere three homers shy of tying Amy Baker's freshman school record of 15 home runs in 2010.

Creighton Freshmen With 10+ Home Runs

No. Name HR Year

1. Amy Baker 15 2010

2. Keegan Mayhue 12 2026

3. Kiara Mills 11 2019

4. Sam Dellinger 10 2017

Bri Lingl 10 2012

Lauren Cisneros 10 2003

Catch Them If You Can

Creighton has soared around the base paths all season long, shattering the school record with 122 stolen bases this season.

The Bluejays broke the program record on April 8 when the Jays stole six bags in a 9-0 win at Drake.

CU's 122 stolen bags surpassed the previous school record of 89 stolen bases in 1991 and currently leads the BIG EAST and are the sixth-most in Division I this season.

Creighton is averaging 2.26 stolen bases per game, a small mark as the Jays have recorded five or more stolen bases nine different times, including a season-high seven stolen bags against Northern Colorado on Feb. 27.

CU's seven stolen bases against the Bears were two shy of the school record and tied for the second-most in a single game in program history.

Below is a breakdown of the stolen bases totals since joining the BIG EAST in 2014, Creighton's single season stolen base top 10 list and the top single game stolen base marks in program history.

Stolen Bases since Joining the BIG EAST

Year SB SB Att. SB%

2026 122 145 84.1

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. 122 2026

2. 89 1991

3. 83 1995

4. 82 2005

5. 79 1997

6. 74 1999

7. 72 2025

8. 71 1993

Creighton Single-Game Stolen Bases

1. 9 - vs. Connecticut 3/13/91

2. 7 - at Northern Colorado 2/27/26

7 - at UC Santa Barbara 3/2/25

7 - vs. Bradley 3/31/01

5. 6 - 12 times, last vs. Georgetown 4/10/26

Fast and Furious

Freshman Zoey Greenwood has been fast and furious on the base paths, pacing the Bluejays and ranking second in the BIG EAST with 24 stolen bases on 27 stolen base attempts this season.

The New Boston, Texas native's 24 stolen bases are tied with Melanie Dorsey and Heidi Geier for fourth-most in a single season in program history. She is now just one stolen base shy of tying Heidi Geier (25) for the third-most in school history.

In addition, Greenwood's 24 stolen bases are the second-most by all freshman in the NCAA this season, trailing only the 38 stolen bags by College of Charleston's Bronwyn Conroy.

Creighton's Single Season Stolen Base List

No. Name SB Year

1. Shelly Esser 29 1995

Tiffany Strnad 29 1991

3. Heidi Geier 25 1997

4. Zoey Greenwood 24 2026

Melanie Dorsey 24 2005

Heidi Geier 24 1999

7. Shelly Esser 23 1993

8. Sydra Seville 21 2025

9. Heidi Geier 19 1996

10. Ashten Pierson 18 2026

Danai Martin 18 2011

Jean Tierney 18 1980

Zoey's On the Double

Freshman Zoey Greenwood leads the Bluejays and is tied for the BIG EAST lead with 15 doubles this season.

Her 15 doubles are tied for the eighth-most amongst all freshmen in Division I this season, as she ranks in the top 75 overall in the NCAA this year.

Greenwood is now just two doubles shy of tying Cayla Nielsen and Temple Windhorst for third on Creighton's single season doubles record board and is looking to become the first Bluejay freshman to lead the team in doubles since Sam Dellinger topped the team with 13 two-baggers in 2017.

Crieghton's Single Season Doubles List

No. Name 2B Year

1. Frenchy Nix 23 1999

2. Christy Lunceford 19 1997

3. Cayla Nielsen 17 2024

Temple Windhorst 17 1999

5. Zoey Greenwood 15 2026

Renae Sinkler 15 2008

Julie Woodley 15 1993

Kelly Brookhart 15 1991

9. Stacey Rybar 14 2004

DeAnn Kaster 14 2002

Jody Ream 14 1989

Walk This Way

Senior Erika Perez has walked 21 times during the Bluejays first 54 games this season, including six time during the Jays' three-game sweep of Villanova.

The Madera, Calif. native drew a career-high tying three walks in the Jays' 11-3 win over the Wildcats on March 21 and two more in the series finale on March 22.

With her 21 walks this spring, Perez is now ninth on Creighton's career walks record board with 72 drawn walks. She is now six walks shy of tying Jody Schwartz for eighth 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. Erika Perez 72 2023-Pr.

10. Ashley Cantu 70 2017-21

Hit Me With Your Best Shot

Junior Ashten Pierson has been hit by a pitch six times this season, pushing her total to 23 career hit-by-pitches.

Pierson's 23 career hit-by-pitches are the seventh-most all-time in a career at Creighton and is now one hit by pitch shy of tying Alyssa Gappa for sixth on the hit by pitch record board.

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. Ashten Pierson 23 2024-pr.

8. Sami Herbster 21 2000-03

9. Mileah McKelvy 19 2016-20

10. Liz McKewon 18 2008-11

Scoring BIG

Despite getting off to slow starts this season, Creighton has put up some big run scoring innings to supplement its early season success.

CU has manufactured some big scoring innings in contests, outscoring its opponents 148-67 in the second and third innings this season.

The Bluejays have scored four or more runs in a single inning 28 times this year, including a season-high eight runs in the 3rd inning of its comeback win over Northern Colorado on Feb. 27.

Below is a list of BIG scoring innings for the Bluejays this season.

Date Opponents Runs Inn.

2/6 Central Arkansas 4 2nd

2/6 Sam Houston 7 6th

2/7 Sam Houston 4 2nd

2/20 UT Arlington 5 6th

2/27 Northern Colorado 8 3rd

2/27 Northern Colorado 4 4th

2/27 Northern Colorado 4 5th

3/6 Seton Hall 7 2nd

3/6 Seton Hall 4 3rd

3/6 Seton Hall 7 7th

3/7 Seton Hall 6 2nd

3/7 Seton Hall 4 4th

3/10 Kansas City 5 4th

3/13 Providence 7 3rd

3/14 Providence 5 2nd

3/21 Villanova 7 2nd

3/22 Villanova 4 1st

3/22 Villanova 4 5th

3/27 Seattle 6 2nd

3/28 Seattle 4 3rd

4/8 Drake 4 3rd

4/11 Georgetown 5 5th

4/18 St. John's 5 3rd

4/18 St. John's 4 5th

4/18 St. John's 4 1st

4/18 St. John's 4 7th

4/25 UConn 7 2nd

Magic Number 5

Since the turn of the century, Creighton has had tremendous success when scoring five or more runs and the Bluejays have continued that success this season owning a 25-6 record when scoring five or more runs this year.

Over the last 26 seasons, Creighton is 425-64 when scoring five or more runs, including a 209-46 mark since joining the BIG EAST in 2014.

In the same time span, Creighton is 250-450-3 when scoring four runs or fever.

In addition, since joining the BIG EAST, Creighton is 125-6 when scoring eight or more runs, which included a perfect 17-1 record this year. Prior to Creighton's 11-12 loss to Connecticut on April 14, Creighton had won 29 consecutive games when scoring eight or more runs.

Additionally, Creighton has won 55 of their last 57 games when scoring 10 or more runs, with both losses coming to the hands of Connecticut each of the last two years.

Small-Ball Bluejays

Creighton has prided itself as building triple-threat players at the plate, perfecting the ability to lay down a bunt at any given time.

This season, Creighton is hitting .575 (23-of-40) with 30 sacrifices in bunting opportunities. Junior Ashten Pierson is 12-of-23 (.522 BA) with a team-high and BIG EAST-best 14 sacrifice bunts, while freshman Zoey Greenwood has converted 4-of-5 bunts and Avery Barnard has executed six sacrifices this spring.

Last season, the Bluejays converted 26 sacrifice bunts, led by Pierson with 11.

Close Call

Creighton has played 21 games decided by two or less runs this season, including 11 one-run contests.

Despite keeping it close, the Bluejays are 10-11 in close games this season, which including a 6-5 mark in one-run contests.

Last season, Creighton played 23 games decided by two or less runs, posting an 11-12 overall record, while recording an 7-10 record in one-run contests.

Sticky Situation

Below are some interesting facts when breaking down the CU lineup.

• Erika Perez is hitting .517 (15-of-29) when leading off an inning and .333 (18-of-54) with runners in scoring position this season.

• Lily West is hitting a blistering .667 (12-of-18) with runner on third with less than two outs and .393 (22-of-56) with runners in scoring position, while hitting .438 (14-of-32) when leading off an inning.

• Additionally, Lily West is hitting .435 (40-of-92) with runners on base, while also hitting .378 (56-of-148) when batting third in the lineup.

• Avery Barnard is hitting .370 (27-of-73) with runners on and has upped that to .632 (12-of-19) with runners on third with less than two outs.

• Zoey Greenwood is hitting a team-high .482 (27-of-56) with runners in scoring position and .416 (37-of-89) with runners on, while driving in 15 two-out runs this season.

• Tara Vandewater is a 12-for-13 (.923) when runners are on third with less than two outs this season and is hitting a blistering .456 (26-of-57) with runners in scoring position, delivering a team-high 19 two-out RBI.

Swiper No Swiping

Senior Lily West has been mowing down the opposition on the base paths early on this season.

In the home stretch of her senior year, West has thrown out 11 would-be base-stealers, including two against UT Arlington on Feb. 22.

By comparison, West only threw out nine would-be base-stealers last season and just 11 in her first two seasons with the Bluejays in 2023-24.

The Choctaw, Okla. native is currently ranked tied for 49th in Division I for runners caught stealing.

Softball Set to Open BIG EAST Championships vs. UConn on Thursday

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Players Mentioned

Emma Bailey

Avery Barnard

Ella Dalton

Alyssa Gappa

Audrey Gilman

Zoey Greenwood

Landrie Harris

Keegan Mayhue

Cayla Nielsen

Erika Perez

Ashten Pierson

Sydney Potter

Natalia Puchino

Emma Rosonke

Kaelan Schultz

Sydra Seville

Tara Vandewater

Madeline Vejvoda

Lily West

Softball Set to Open BIG EAST Championships vs. UConn on Thursday

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Next Event

Players Mentioned

Emma Bailey

Avery Barnard

Ella Dalton

Alyssa Gappa

Audrey Gilman

Zoey Greenwood

Landrie Harris

Keegan Mayhue

Cayla Nielsen

Erika Perez

Ashten Pierson

Sydney Potter

Natalia Puchino

Emma Rosonke

Kaelan Schultz

Sydra Seville

Tara Vandewater

Madeline Vejvoda

Lily West

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