Volleyball Opens Fall Practice Schedule

    Four All-Americans and a legendary head coach are gone from the most successful team in program history, but the expectations for Creighton Volleyball remain higher than ever as Brian Rosen begins his first season at the helm in 2025.

    Rosen, the 2024 AVCA National Assistant Coach of the Year, was promoted to head coach after Kirsten Bernthal Booth resigned in April to take a job with LOVB Volleyball.

    Eleven women return from last year’s Bluejay team that went 32-3 and advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2016, with all three losses coming in true road matches that went five sets against eventual Final Four qualifiers. Add in four transfers and a pair of true freshmen and the Bluejays are once again the favorites to win what would be an unprecedented 12th consecutive BIG EAST regular-season title.

    Ava Martin is on the National Player of the Year Watch List for the second straight season as the senior outside hitter seeks her fourth consecutive All-BIG EAST accolade. A Third Team All-American in 2024, look for Martin to get even more attention after the graduation of fellow outside hitter and Second Team All-American Norah Sis.

    Juniors Destiny Ndam-Simpson and Ava TeStrake combined to hit .411 a year ago and both former Top 50 recruits could be asked to step into a larger role this fall. Also in contention for time on the outside is freshman Abbey Hayes, herself a Top 100 prospect.

    Jaya Johnson was a middle blocker in high school but had a successful transition to right-side hitter last fall, when she earned BIG EAST All-Freshman Team accolades. Look for TeStrake, sophomore Sophia Wendlick and freshman Ashlyn Paymal to battle Johnson for playing time on the right side.

    Kiara Reinhardt anchors Creighton’s middle blocking corps as the sixth-year senior looks to build on her All-BIG EAST honors after leading the league in blocks per set. Ohio State transfer Eloise Brandewie and redshirt freshman Nora Wurtz will also see reps in the middle.

    First Team All-American Kendra Wait’s graduation leaves big shoes to fill at setter, but three women are up to the task. Emersen Strain saw limited action in a back-up role for the Bluejays last fall and will be challenged by transfers Ivy Leuck (Omaha) and Annalea Maeder (California). Maeder is the only player on the 17-woman roster who did not train at Creighton in the spring.

    CU’s back row features four defensive specialists who will go a long way in determining if the Bluejays can lead the country in opponent’s hitting percentage for a second straight campaign. 

    The quartet includes senior Sky McCune and junior Sydney Breissinger, as well as sophomores Alivia Hausmann and Wisconsin transfer Saige Damrow.

    With BIG EAST powerhouses Creighton and Marquette both undergoing coaching changes in the off-season, the league will have a new look as challengers such as DePaul, St. John’s and Connecticut are eager to snap Creighton’s reign atop the conference.

    Creighton’s non-conference schedule remains one of the nation’s best. The Bluejays open the season with 2024 NCAA champion Penn State in Lincoln before travelling to Madison to take on 2022 and 2023 NCAA champ Texas, as well as the first of two match-ups against Big 12 runner-up Kansas.

    CU’s slate also features the likes of USC,  national runner-up Louisville, national semifinalist Nebraska, Northern Iowa, South Florida, Rice, San Diego and UCSB.