Staff Directory
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Jean Lilly is currently in her 25th full season as an assistant of the Creighton women’s tennis program. Lilly has been a part of Bluejay tennis for 29 years. She spent four years as a player at Creighton before becoming an assistant coach.
Lilly was instrumental in the development of BIG EAST Freshman of the Year Valerie Negin and All-BIG EAST First Team Kate Krueger, while helping guide the Bluejays to a 12-8 record in the spring of 2022.
The former Bluejay standout helped the women's team to an 10-6 record during the spring of 2021. Creighton recorded five wins at home, including a 5-2 win against BIG EAST foe, Marquette.
Lilly helped guide the 2020 Bluejays to an 11-4 mark, including a 6-0 record at home, before the season ended on March 12 because of the COVID-19 virus.
Jean contributed to Ashley Ishimura's second consecutive All-BIG EAST honor in 2019 and helped lead the women to a 9-13 record. The team claimed an Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) All-Academic Team award, while eight individuals also claimed ITA Scholar-Athlete status.
She helped lead the women's program to a 15-8 record during the 2018 spring season, the team's best record since 1993 when the team finished 17-9. Ishimura earned a spot on the All-BIG EAST Second Team and the Bluejays finished 1-1 at the BIG EAST Championships.
Lilly helped direct the women's team to a 13-11 record during the 2016-17 campaign, including a BIG EAST regular-season win over Providence. Creighton also finished 1-2 during the BIG EAST Championships to finish tied for seventh in the league. Additionally, The Creighton women's squad claimed an Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) All-Academic Team award. Three individuals also claimed ITA Scholar-Athlete status
Lilly helped lead the women's team to a 9-11 record during the 2015-16 campaign and an eighth place finish in the BIG EAST. The Bluejays notched their first BIG EAST Championships win with a 4-0 victory over Providence. Additionally, the team and five individuals earned academic recognition from the ITA.
Lilly helped direct the women's team to a 10-13 mark in the 2014-15 season and a ninth-place finish in the BIG EAST. In addition, senior Jennie Hartjes earned a 2015 Capital One Academic All-America Division I Women’s At-Large Third Team honor as voted on by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Hartjes' Academic All-America honor marks the first by a Bluejay tennis player in school history.
The Creighton women's tennis team claimed a team award and six individual academic laurels from the ITA after the 2013-14 season. The Bluejays also earned seven BIG EAST All-Academic Awards that same season.
Since joining the BIG EAST in 2014, Lilly has helped the Bluejays post a 104-82 record, while guiding the Bluejays to six quarterfinal appearances at the BIG EAST Tournament.
She also has had success coaching eight MVC All-Conference players, including Hartjes in 2013. Hartjes also earned All-BIG EAST recognition in 2015 - the first honor earned by a CU women's tennis player from the conference. Hartjes finished her stellar career at No. 3 all-time on the CU women’s tennis program wins list with 134 total victories.
As a player, Jean (Fougeron) was a member of the tennis team from 1992 to 1996 and compiled 82 career victories. She currently holds the top record at the No. 1 doubles position for winning percentage. Lilly played at the No. 1 doubles position all four years and with the help of three different partners, defeated several of the nation’s top teams. She was voted team captain for three years. Her 82 career victories at Creighton place her at No. 15 on the Bluejays’ all-time career wins list.
Other honors accrued by Lilly include Academic Scholar-Athlete recognition in 1995 and 1996, a three-time Academic All-Conference Team member and the Missouri Valley Conference President’s Academic Excellence Award for a cumulative grade point average over 3.80.
Lilly graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in May 1996 and went on to earn a master’s degree in mathematics. She presently teaches in the math department at Creighton.
She is married to former CU tennis player and present head coach of the Bluejays,Tom Lilly. During the summer months, Lilly also teaches tennis at Oak Hills Country Club in Omaha. The couple has a son, TJ, and a daughter, Kaitlyn.
