Last fall, there were a lot of questions heading into the Creighton volleyball season. Lauren Bloemke was lost for the season a few weeks before the start of practice and head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth was scrambling to replace the fifth-year senior middle blocker.
Then to add to the worries, middle blocker Laurel Sanford went down in the first match of the season with an ankle injury. She missed the next four matches, during which the Bluejays went 1-3. However, untested players like Karisa Almgren and Heather Thorson stepped in to help seniors Alicia Runge and Allie Oelke as the season wore on. In the end, the challenges made the team stronger. Once Sanford was back in the mix, the Bluejays rolled along to the MVC Tournament finals, received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, and claimed a historic first round win over Iowa State.
“Our strength is our depth,” said Booth. “Our question marks are whether we have the big time gun, someone that can play on the outside. We graduated two seniors that we need to replace. But we are deep and can handle injuries.”
Coach Booth heads into 2011 with the unenviable task of replacing hitters Runge and Oelke. With a talented freshmen class waiting in the wings, it is likely one of them could emerge from Saturday’s Blue-White Scrimmage as the next Creighton volleyball star. Booth is not afraid to tout her incoming class of freshmen.
“I love this team, perhaps we have the best group of freshmen we have ever had. They are all highly talented, and they have really gelled so far.”
Kelli Browning, Katie Neisler, Lizzy Stivers, Leah McNary, and Michelle Sicner provide many different options heading into the season.
Browning is a middle blocker that could help backup Sanford and Thorson right away. With sophomore Savannah Smith questionable for the season, the freshman from Waukesha, Wisconsin could be important to solidify the position. Browning was originally set to sign with Wisconsin before they unexpectedly rescinded their offer telling her she was not making enough progress for them. Since then she has been motivated with something to prove and took the opportunity to join the Bluejays instead.
Sicner is one player that will be hard to keep off the court. The local Omaha product from Millard North made her commitment as a junior and could be a great asset based simply on her height at 6’2″. But in addition to being a great setter, her versatility makes her tough. She had 829 assists, 221 kills, 85 aces, and 83 blocks while hitting .388 as a senior. Coach Booth has a lot of praise for the incoming freshman.
“Michelle is incredible. She is a phenomenal player. Megan (Bober) will be our starting setter, but Michelle is fighting for time in a couple different roles we are looking at.” Booth continued, “It is going to be hard to keep her off the court. I’m just not sure where I am going to find a spot for her yet. So we are working on that.”
Coach Booth already considers Leah McNary one of the most athletic players on the team. The 5’10” freshman from Tarpon Springs, Florida has siblings to vouch for her athleticism. One sister, Madison, is a three time champ in track for Ohio State and an indoor All-American, while sister Lauren also ran track at Howard University. Although McNary is a redshirt candidate, the coaching staff is still trying to decide if that is in the cards.
“She is perhaps the best athlete we have ever had in the gym. The decision hasn’t been made yet,” said Booth. The scrimmage on Saturday may help make the decision.
Neisler and Stivers could be wildcards for the Bluejays and may surprise some people. Both freshmen could be used in different situations. Neisler, out of Texas, was a late addition to the team this past April. She is known for her defense which could give her opportunities to play not only the outside, but also as a defensive specialist where starting positions still remain.
Stivers is a recruited walk-on who also committed to Creighton this past April. Creighton’s School of Medicine lured the California native to the Midwest with her goal to be a nurse. In the meantime she may also get an opportunity to play some volleyball. Like Neisler, she is another player that could be put into different situations either playing the middle or as a hitter in the front row.
Adjusting to college life is hard and adding college sports creates an even greater challenge. However, Booth feels they have adjusted the best of all the freshmen classes she has had.
“All of them get along really well. On the court they have all done outstanding.”
Some roster and playing time decisions will be made after the Blue-White scrimmage this weekend. “We definitely have a couple spots that I’m still questioning who will be starting next Friday,” said Booth. “We brought in an official and had an intersquad scrimmage and we learned a lot. Saturday will be the same thing but to an even greater degree. Now they are going to have to deal with fans and atmosphere and see who can handle that.”
Fans attending the Blue-White scrimmage will see a competitive group of women with some starting spots still up for grabs. Who will rise to the occasion? Will a few freshmen begin to make their mark on CU volleyball? Come to the Blue-White scrimmage (6:30 p.m., Saturday) at Sokol Arena to see for yourself.
Notes
As a part of the Blue-White Scrimmage, former Bluejay Korie Lebeda will be playing this weekend as a defensive specialist and volunteer assistant coach Amanda (Gates) Sjuts will be playing some middle blocker. Lebeda was a three-time all-Missouri Valley Conference selection and record-breaking setter at Creighton from 2005-08. Sjuts played middle blocker at Nebraska from 2005-08 and was a part of the 2006 National Championship team.
Sophomore Savannah Smith is still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and will not play Saturday night. Smith is likely going to redshirt this season.
Defensive specialist Brooke Boggs recently pulled a muscle in her abdominal area but should be available to play Saturday night.
Creighton’s first regular season match is an invite at Texas A&M next weekend. They will open against Texas-San Antonio where former Creighton volleyball head coach Howard Wallace is now an assistant.