OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – For the first time in over two decades, Creighton volleyball has a new head coach. Brian Rosen takes over at the helm after serving as associate head coach under Kirsten Bernthal Booth, who stepped down after 22 seasons at The Hilltop.
In an exclusive 1-on-1 interview, Rosen sat down with 6 Sports Director Clayton Collier to preview the 2025 season.
Clayton Collier: Brian, we’re nearing 100 days in office for you. What have the first three months been like as head coach of the Bluejays?
Brian Rosen: Well, I didn’t know there’s a countdown. It’s been great. Honestly, the team, the parents, have been so supportive since this all started. Obviously, Coach Booth moving on to work with LOVB was a huge piece of news for everyone. I think we all shed a lot of tears those few days. Luckily, I still have her as a mentor for me. We talk all the time. I even just saw her this weekend. She was watching her daughter play and I was out recruiting. So I think that’s been big just to have her support, the community support and the team support.
The first few weeks, we were still able to practice. So it’s good to be able to get in the gym with them as head coach, keep our staff together, keep the team together. So that was great.
And then it’s been recruiting season. Obviously, I was the main recruiter already, so able to maintain the commits that we already had. We just went through June 15, which is a big recruiting time for our sport, and we’ve already committed three athletes for our 2027 class who we think are going to continue to elevate our program and take us where we want to go.
Clayton Collier: You have quite a few newcomers also coming in for this year, four transfers, two freshmen. How is everybody starting to mesh here for the new year?
Brian Rosen: What’s been really special is five of those six came in the spring, so three of the transfers and both freshmen enrolled in the spring, so we were able to train with them for the entire semester. And I think that’s really important for our team chemistry, our culture, to teach them our different systems. So that’s been great.
We have one setter animator. She played for the Swiss national team. She was with Cal for the last four years. Incredible high-level setter. She just got here at the beginning of June, so she’s been in the weight room with our team and playing open gyms with them, and doing all those things.I haven’t been able to really watch her play. I got to see her for about 30 minutes running a drill at a camp, and that’s about the extent of what I’ve seen so far.
But to all accounts, everyone’s fitting in great and working hard and really excited to see how all of them kind of integrate into the system, because I think all of them will have opportunities to compete, to play in Year One.
Clayton Collier: You were just telling me that you are a little superstitious. Are these lucky socks for Creighton?
Brian Rosen: These are one of the pairs. All last season, if you go back and look, I wore pretty much the exact same outfit, first day, second day or third day of a weekend. And we went 30-3. So it worked out pretty well.
Clayton Collier: Do you wash in between?
Brian Rosen: I do. I do wash in between. Do wash in between. But yeah, I do get a little superstitious, so we’ll see what comes out this season. New role, I might have to start some new trends. So we’ll see what comes out this year. But if it goes well, you’ll see it again.
Clayton Collier: The regular season starts August 23 against Penn State, the reigning national champs in Lincoln Pinnacle Bank Arena. What does it mean to be included in the AVCA First Serve, such a large showcase of volleyball?
Brian Rosen: When we heard that it was coming to the state of Nebraska, we were hopeful that we would get the invite. Going to an Elite Eight last season and historically, being one of the best programs in the country, we thought we would. We were really excited when they did reach out.
At the time, we didn’t even know who we were going to play. It was just, we want you to be a part of it. And we said it doesn’t matter who we play. We’re in. So, to find out later on that we’re going to get a rematch with Penn State is exciting.
I think a lot of people have looked at our schedule and said, ‘Wow. Like, that’s going to be one of the toughest schedules in the country,’ but that’s what we recruit with. That’s what we tell our athletes from the beginning. So as a team, we’re excited.
We actually read the schedule to our team in the spring in the gym, and there was never like an ‘Oh no.’ It’s like they’re cheering. They’re excited. So yes, it is going to be really tough. Penn State is going to be really tough and a great program. I would not be surprised if they’re the number one team in the country to start the season, and we’re excited to play them.
Clayton Collier: Nebraska also always a tough challenge in the non-conference, but the fact that this rivalry has a new chapter with both you coming in as a new head coach, Dani Busboom Kelly coming in as the new head coach of Nebraska, just how unique is this moment?
Brian Rosen: I think what’s going to be unique is that although there are new two new coaches in, I know that our fan base, their fan base, our athletes, their athletes, all have the same expectations, and it’s to be playing the last weekend of the season and hopefully hold up some trophies.
So yes, we’ll have new faces on the bench coaching, but I think the expectations stay the same. Coming from a state not Nebraska, this state is so special as far as volleyball support, and I know even for when we play Penn State in Lincoln, I feel like their fans will probably support us.
The state of Nebraska embraces Nebraska volleyball. That’s us, that’s Nebraska-Omaha. That’s the division two programs that played in the match in the football stadium. That’s what has always been really unique to me. Even when we’re playing at Nebraska, if our team makes a great play, like they support it, they cheer for it. Then obviously, when the game gets tight, the ‘Go Big Red’ chants are going to start. And, you know, it gets a little different in there. But as a team like, that’s why you play for those environments.
We get to host them this year at [CHI Health Center] and we’re going to put out a lot of stuff. We hope to reclaim the attendance record for an indoor regular season match that Wisconsin took from us a few years ago. So I think us and Nebraska will work together to make sure every sea is filled and we pack that place.
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