We are profiling each member of the 2012-13 Creighton women’s basketball team. Join us weekdays from now leading up to the regular season tip-off against Oklahoma for an introduction to this year’s Bluejays, from freshmen to seniors.
Rollerson is a hometown Bluejay from Omaha Central
The Creighton women’s basketball team has not had a shortage of local talent on its rosters during Jim Flanery’s tenure as head coach. There have been no fewer than two players from the Omaha metro on the roster at any one time since the 1996-97 season, while Connie Yori was still in charge. This season, there are four players on the roster from the area including freshman Brianna Rollerson.
Rollerson joins the Bluejays just a few blocks away from Omaha Central where she led her team to the Nebraska Class A state championship last season. Her free throws in the closing seconds were game winners for the Eagles.
Her high school career at Central included 1,101 points and 775 rebounds. She scored 379 points during her senior season as an Eagle. The two-time All-State selection is excited about being able to play in her hometown.
“I love it,” said Rollerson. “My family can come to my game and my coaches. My high school team can come support. So, I am really excited for the season to start. My family was really pushing for it. Josh [Jones] is a big deal, a hometown legend, so he had a big influence. I just want to stand out for the kids around here.”
Rollerson is getting used to learning the ropes with veteran frontcourt teammates Sarah Nelson, Alyssa Kamphaus, and Alexis Akin-Otiko. Just like Akin-Otiko had to adjust to the level of play last season from high school to college, Rollerson will have to adapt during her freshman campaign.
“Basketball-wise, [the biggest adjustment] has been defense. We do a lot of man. At Central we did a lot of zone. I’ve just been working on that and my screening, but it is coming along,” she said.
Her role this season is still being worked out, but she is working hard to make an early impact.
“This year, I am just trying to help out. I know I have a long way to go, but I am working hard, trying to help.”
Last season, the Bluejays went to the NCAA Tournament by winning the MVC automatic berth. Rollerson knows that a return trip is the goal for this team. “We have been working really hard practice-wise and that is the main goal which I think should be attainable.”
Coming to a new team, integrating into the team chemistry can be tough, but it sounds like Rollerson is fitting in just fine.
“We hang out a lot; movie night, dinners at coach’s house. We hang out a lot just off the court.”
See Brianna and the other Creighton Bluejay women take on Southwest Minnesota State on Halloween night at D.J. Sokol Arena in their only exhibition game of the season.