2018 (W) Volleyball Roster
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Jersey Number 3
Kelsey O'Connell
- Position:
- Middle Blocker/Right Side Hitter
- Height:
- 6-2
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Omaha, Neb.
- High School:
- Marian
Awards & Honors
2015-16 BIG EAST All-Academic Team
2015-16 Dean’s List
2016-17 BIG EAST All-Academic Team
2016-17 Dean’s List
2017-18 BIG EAST All-Academic Team
2017-18 Dean’s List
2018: Senior at Creighton
• One of four seniors on the 2018 team, she played as a middle blocker and right side hitter in her Bluejay career.
• Tied season-high with two kills on .400 hitting in first start of the season vs. Providence on Senior Night (Nov. 17).
• Played one set against Northern Iowa (Aug. 24), but did not record any stats.
• Posted first two kills of the season vs. DePaul (Sept. 21).
• Recorded a dig and a block against Butler (Oct. 20).
• Contributed a dig in road victory at DePaul (Oct. 27).
• Collected second block of the season on Nov. 3 at Seton Hall.
• Had one kill vs. Providence (Nov. 16).
• Talented videographer who has produced team’s year-end highlight video each of the past two seasons.
• Will graduate in 3.5 years in December (Journalism, Advertising and News).
2017: Junior at Creighton
• Owned eight kills, two blocks, two digs and one ace while playing in 15 sets over the course of 11 matches off the bench.
• Made 2017 debut in a 3-0 victory vs. Pitt (Aug. 26).
• Had two kills, two digs, two blocks and first career ace against Belmont (Sept. 8).
• Had a kill in her only swing during sweeps over both Seton Hall (Sept. 29) and St. John’s (Sept. 30).
• Put down a pair of kills vs. DePaul (Oct. 6).
2016: Sophomore at Creighton
• Appeared in 10 sets over eight matches, producing four kills and one dig for the season.
• Made her season debut vs. Chattanooga (Sept. 10), earning three attack attempts.
• Earned her first kill of the fall and played two sets vs. Montana State (Sept. 16).
• Earned the kill on match point in 3-0 win at Georgetown (Oct. 8).
• Had one kill in 3-0 wins over St. John’s (Oct. 14) and Butler (Nov. 4).
• Earned first dig of 2016 on Nov. 11 vs. Providence in 3-0 sweep during her final appearance of the fall.
2015: Freshman at Creighton
• Played in 19 matches, including three starts, and finished with 24 kills, 19 blocks and eight digs overall.
• All three starts came against teams that finished the season in the top-25 (Illinois, USC, Louisville).
• Put down a career-high five kills vs. Villanova on Sept. 27.
• Finished with two kills, two digs and a block during a win over Providence (Oct. 23).
• Delivered three kills and three blocks in 3-0 win at Seton Hall (Oct. 31).
• Collected two kills and a block at DePaul (Nov. 7).
• Helped CU come back from down 0-2 at Georgetown with a block on set point to end the third frame (Nov. 20).
• Opened her career with four blocks vs. Miami (Ohio), the second-most blocks in a debut in Creighton history.
• Made her NCAA Tournament debut vs. No. 23 Coastal Carolina (Dec. 4), checking in with the score tied at 24-all late in the first set.
• Named to Creighton’s Dean’s List and to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team.
Marian High School
• Helped Marian to back-to-back state titles as a junior and senior.
• Named First Team All-State in Class A as a junior by the Lincoln Journal Star and Second Team All-State in Class A by the Omaha World-Herald.
• As a junior, had 321 kills on .368 hitting with 52 aces.
• Hit .380 with 171 kills and 37 blocks as a senior, when she was named Second Team All-State by the Omaha World-Herald and landed a spot on the 2014 AVCA Under Armour Watch List.
• Had 10 kills and five blocks in 2014 state title match win against previously undefeated Papillion-La Vista, the nation’s seventh-ranked team.
• Had 20 kills in the state title match as a junior to help the Crusaders to their first state title since 2009.
• Earned a pair of All-Metro honors from the Omaha World-Herald her final two seasons.
• Coached at Marian by Rochelle Rohlfs.
• Picked up six letters in high school, with four in volleyball and two in track and field.
• Won 2014 Omaha Westside Kiwanis Achievement Award.
• Played in the Nebraska Coaches All-Star Game, helping her team to a five-set victory with 16 kills.
• Academically as a sophomore, won a district award on National History Day for a 10-minute video she produced about the attack on Pearl Harbor.
• Also won Scholastic Honorable Mention Awards for oil painting and self portrait in pencil.
• Attended the same high school as former teammates Ashley Jansen and Kate Elman and current teammate Brittany Witt.
• Mother played volleyball at Tulsa.
Personal
• Birthday is January 12.
• Daughter of Chris and Sandi O’Connell.
• Has one brother, Ryan.
• Is a journalism, advertising and news major.
• Favorite vacation spot is Colorado.
• Lists her favorite professor at Creighton as Carol Zuegner.
• Favorite snack is watermelon.
• Best volleyball memories are beating Kansas in the 2016 NCAA Tournament and winning the state tournament in high school.
• Dream dinner guests are Ansel Adams and Peter McKinnon.
• Stayed busy during the summer as a coach with Premier Volleyball, serving as a media developer for Educate Uganda and working in the Creighton Athletic Marketing Department.
• Says Creighton has been her dream school since she was little.
• Favorite author is J.K. Rowling.
• Lists Kelsey Robinson and Jordan Larson as her sports heroes.
• Talented photographer and videographer who put together team’s 2016 and 2017 year-end highlight video.
• Celebrity crush is Chris Pratt.
2015-16 BIG EAST All-Academic Team
2015-16 Dean’s List
2016-17 BIG EAST All-Academic Team
2016-17 Dean’s List
2017-18 BIG EAST All-Academic Team
2017-18 Dean’s List
2018: Senior at Creighton
• One of four seniors on the 2018 team, she played as a middle blocker and right side hitter in her Bluejay career.
• Tied season-high with two kills on .400 hitting in first start of the season vs. Providence on Senior Night (Nov. 17).
• Played one set against Northern Iowa (Aug. 24), but did not record any stats.
• Posted first two kills of the season vs. DePaul (Sept. 21).
• Recorded a dig and a block against Butler (Oct. 20).
• Contributed a dig in road victory at DePaul (Oct. 27).
• Collected second block of the season on Nov. 3 at Seton Hall.
• Had one kill vs. Providence (Nov. 16).
• Talented videographer who has produced team’s year-end highlight video each of the past two seasons.
• Will graduate in 3.5 years in December (Journalism, Advertising and News).
2017: Junior at Creighton
• Owned eight kills, two blocks, two digs and one ace while playing in 15 sets over the course of 11 matches off the bench.
• Made 2017 debut in a 3-0 victory vs. Pitt (Aug. 26).
• Had two kills, two digs, two blocks and first career ace against Belmont (Sept. 8).
• Had a kill in her only swing during sweeps over both Seton Hall (Sept. 29) and St. John’s (Sept. 30).
• Put down a pair of kills vs. DePaul (Oct. 6).
2016: Sophomore at Creighton
• Appeared in 10 sets over eight matches, producing four kills and one dig for the season.
• Made her season debut vs. Chattanooga (Sept. 10), earning three attack attempts.
• Earned her first kill of the fall and played two sets vs. Montana State (Sept. 16).
• Earned the kill on match point in 3-0 win at Georgetown (Oct. 8).
• Had one kill in 3-0 wins over St. John’s (Oct. 14) and Butler (Nov. 4).
• Earned first dig of 2016 on Nov. 11 vs. Providence in 3-0 sweep during her final appearance of the fall.
2015: Freshman at Creighton
• Played in 19 matches, including three starts, and finished with 24 kills, 19 blocks and eight digs overall.
• All three starts came against teams that finished the season in the top-25 (Illinois, USC, Louisville).
• Put down a career-high five kills vs. Villanova on Sept. 27.
• Finished with two kills, two digs and a block during a win over Providence (Oct. 23).
• Delivered three kills and three blocks in 3-0 win at Seton Hall (Oct. 31).
• Collected two kills and a block at DePaul (Nov. 7).
• Helped CU come back from down 0-2 at Georgetown with a block on set point to end the third frame (Nov. 20).
• Opened her career with four blocks vs. Miami (Ohio), the second-most blocks in a debut in Creighton history.
• Made her NCAA Tournament debut vs. No. 23 Coastal Carolina (Dec. 4), checking in with the score tied at 24-all late in the first set.
• Named to Creighton’s Dean’s List and to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team.
Marian High School
• Helped Marian to back-to-back state titles as a junior and senior.
• Named First Team All-State in Class A as a junior by the Lincoln Journal Star and Second Team All-State in Class A by the Omaha World-Herald.
• As a junior, had 321 kills on .368 hitting with 52 aces.
• Hit .380 with 171 kills and 37 blocks as a senior, when she was named Second Team All-State by the Omaha World-Herald and landed a spot on the 2014 AVCA Under Armour Watch List.
• Had 10 kills and five blocks in 2014 state title match win against previously undefeated Papillion-La Vista, the nation’s seventh-ranked team.
• Had 20 kills in the state title match as a junior to help the Crusaders to their first state title since 2009.
• Earned a pair of All-Metro honors from the Omaha World-Herald her final two seasons.
• Coached at Marian by Rochelle Rohlfs.
• Picked up six letters in high school, with four in volleyball and two in track and field.
• Won 2014 Omaha Westside Kiwanis Achievement Award.
• Played in the Nebraska Coaches All-Star Game, helping her team to a five-set victory with 16 kills.
• Academically as a sophomore, won a district award on National History Day for a 10-minute video she produced about the attack on Pearl Harbor.
• Also won Scholastic Honorable Mention Awards for oil painting and self portrait in pencil.
• Attended the same high school as former teammates Ashley Jansen and Kate Elman and current teammate Brittany Witt.
• Mother played volleyball at Tulsa.
Personal
• Birthday is January 12.
• Daughter of Chris and Sandi O’Connell.
• Has one brother, Ryan.
• Is a journalism, advertising and news major.
• Favorite vacation spot is Colorado.
• Lists her favorite professor at Creighton as Carol Zuegner.
• Favorite snack is watermelon.
• Best volleyball memories are beating Kansas in the 2016 NCAA Tournament and winning the state tournament in high school.
• Dream dinner guests are Ansel Adams and Peter McKinnon.
• Stayed busy during the summer as a coach with Premier Volleyball, serving as a media developer for Educate Uganda and working in the Creighton Athletic Marketing Department.
• Says Creighton has been her dream school since she was little.
• Favorite author is J.K. Rowling.
• Lists Kelsey Robinson and Jordan Larson as her sports heroes.
• Talented photographer and videographer who put together team’s 2016 and 2017 year-end highlight video.
• Celebrity crush is Chris Pratt.
Creighton Volleyball vs Nebraska Postgame Press Conference Spring Match
Saturday, April 18
Nebraska Volleyball vs Creighton Postgame Press Conference Spring Match
Saturday, April 18
Creighton Volleyball Media Availability - 4/15/26
Wednesday, April 15
Creighton vs. Kentucky Volleyball Press Conference - 12/13/25
Sunday, December 14
