Olivia Elger (#21 | 5-7 | G | Fr.)
Inheriting the No. 21 uniform from former Bluejay great Carli Tritz, freshman Olivia Elger plays the game with the same fearless attitude and ability to make plays off the dribble. From day one in practice, she hasn’t been shy about getting up close and making returning guards Marissa Janning and Jade Owens work hard to get into their offensive sets. No matter what she does on the court in the games that count this season, having a guard with the athletic ability to simulate the pressure that teams on Creighton’s 2015-16 schedule such as Wichita State, St. John’s, DePaul, and Seton Hall will apply this season could prove to be great preparation for Jim Flanery’s plethora of guards that he has at his disposal.
On the other side of the floor, Elger has a nice shooting stroke, and is one of the best players on the team at creating her own shot off the dribble. Her long-term outlook at Creighton is bright, even if her career may not begin that way. After all, she is joining a loaded back court and will need to catch up on a lot of experience and familiarity that those other players like Janning, Owens, Lauren Works, MC McGrory, and Myah Mellman have with the sets Jim Flanery likes to run, and the level of communication he demands on the defensive end.
Richwoods High School (Peoria, Ill.)
- averaged 17.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.8 steals per game as a sophomore
- averaged 20.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 2.9 steals per game as a junior
- averaged 16.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.7 steals per game as a senior
- named Large-School Girls Basketball Player of the Year by the Peoria Journal Star as a junior
- was named Class 3A First-Team All-State after her junior and senior seasons
Head Coach Jim Flanery on Elger:
“Olivia is competitive. I’ve been impressed with her fight on the defensive end, which for a freshmen you always like to see. She’s a multi-skilled guard. She can score, she can pass, she’s a good ball-handler. She can score off the dribble and off the three. She’s just got to play more at this level. We think her potential is very good.”
5-on-5 with Olivia Elger
Q: What were the factors in why you decided to come here and play at Creighton?
A: “I really just liked the atmosphere, the team, the coaches, the education, and the business school.”
Q: What has been the most challenging part of the transition from high school to college?
A: “I think off the court the most challenging thing has been time management. On the court, definitely just intensity. It’s crazy how much of a difference there is between high school, where you can take a few possessions off, and in college there is no doing that.”
Q: The team was picked fourth in the preseason poll. What did you think of that selection, and what are you expectations for this group this season?
A: “I think it’s a pretty good position to be in. Fourth is still the upper half of the conference, but still kind of leaves room for us to reach our ultimate goal, which is a Big East championship. I guess you can see us as a little bit of underdogs being picked fourth, but still respectable.”
Q: When the schedule was released, which game or road trip did you circle as one you are anticipating the most?
A: “Definitely DePaul. Chicago is pretty close to home, and just their style of play. I watched them growing up, and they obviously have a really good program and a really good team, so that’s a big game.”
Q: When your Creighton career is over, what will you have hoped to accomplish in your time as a Bluejay?
A: “Big East championship. NCAA appearances and some wins.”