It has been a historic week for Creighton’s volleyball program. Last Saturday the Bluejays advanced to the Missouri Valley Conference tournament championship game for the first time, losing to Northern Iowa in four sets and falling just short of the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The result of the match wasn’t surprising, given that the Panthers have not lost a match to MVC competition for two full seasons.
But the championship loss didn’t preclude Kirsten Bernthal Booth’s Bluejays from extending their season. Sunday the team found out that they secured an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament — the first invitation, automatic or otherwise, for the event in school history. Eight seasons into her career as Creighton head coach, Booth told WBR the team is emotional about its trip to the NCAA Tournament.
“We are obviously excited about the opportunity and it is something the program has worked for, for a long time,” Booth said. “What I told the players is that it is not about them, but all the players that have put in a lot of hard work to build the program. I have heard from a lot of alumni parents and players over the past few days that they are relishing in this because they and their daughters built the foundation.”
That’s not to say the current players aren’t relishing in the accomplishment. “When you choose a school, you always want to end up at the NCAA Tournament,” junior Laurel Sanford said. “I didn’t expect to with Creighton. I think it is just an extra bonus for me at least. It is everyone’s dream to go to the NCAAs so I definitely think my dream came true.”
Last season the Bluejays finished 14-17, but CU finished strong and built the foundation for this season’s run to an at-large bid. “Experience is a huge factor. We had some new kids on the court last year and they really developed,” Booth said. “I think our ball handling is far better than last year. Megan [Bober] went from a good setter to a great setter. She has really taken off and become outstanding.”
Sanford has been another bright spot for Creighton this season, rising as a leader on the team. “I think I tied to step up as a leader this year more so than I have in past years,” Sandford said. “My freshman and sophomore year, I was just another player and this year I tried to step out and be uncomfortable in a role that I am not used being in.”
Sanford was a go-to player for Creighton when things were tough. The Bluejays struggled greatly when she injured her ankle in the first match of the season against San Francisco. The team went 1-3 during the next four matches when Sanford was out.
She and her teammates now get a chance to stun some other schools. Friday, the Bluejays will open the NCAA Tournament against #16 Iowa State (20-8) in Minneapolis at 4:30 p.m. The winner will advance Saturday to play the winner of Friday’s match between North Dakota State (20-10) and #12 Minnesota (24-8). After initially telling her team to expect a road trip to Lincoln for first round games in Nebraska’s bracket, Booth is pleased the Bluejays get to go to the Twin Cities.
“I actually thought we were going to Lincoln, but then as I thought about it, Missouri State would have to fly to Minnesota, so for regionalization, it made sense for us to go to Minnesota.” She continued, “We have two kids from Minnesota that are so excited to go home.”
Sanford (Eagan) and Allie Oelke (Chanhassen) hail from Minnesota, and both are pumped to be playing in the Minnesota Sports Pavilion, where they grew up watching volleyball.
“It is hard to not overthink about it and get excited,” Sanford said. “It is something where Allie and I grew up going to watch the U of M play. We have been to the Pavilion a million times. To be able to play there is pretty exciting. I know I have to keep that in the back of my mind that I am actually playing in Minnesota, but it is hard not to.”
The Cyclones aren’t strangers to Creighton, as the Bluejays have faced Iowa State in the recent past. ISU came to Omaha during the 2008 season, beating the Bluejays in four sets. But CU travelled to Ames and won a four-setter themselves in 2007. Booth, Oelke, and Sanford were around for those matches.
“Iowa State is going to be a tough team, so we are excited about the matchup. We are just pleased to be playing,” Booth said. Iowa State has been to the NCAA Tournament the past five seasons. So it will be a tough task.
The growth of the program is something that Booth and the Bluejays want to continue to build upon, and garnering a win in the NCAA Tournament can really take them to the next level. “I don’t think by the end of the conference tournament we were a hardcore bubble team. I think people thought Creighton deserved to be in, thanks to our 25-30 RPI range. I think we earned it,” she said. “We want to go and win some matches, but with that said, I wouldn’t walk away and say we shouldn’t have gotten in if we lost to Iowa State.”
So, how can the Bluejays win in their first trip to the NCAA Tournament? Creighton boasts the second-best digs per set average in the nation, led by Nayka Benitez, Julianne Mandolfo, and Brooke Boggs.
Benitez and Mandolfo battled all year for the libero position with Benitez starting all of the non-conference and Mandolfo taking over the position during most of the conference season. Then, over the final couple weeks of the regular season and the MVC Tournament, Benitez returned to the libero position. She garnered All-MVC Tournament honors for her play.
“I wasn’t thinking about any types of awards. I was thinking of the team. I am happy for the award, but I am kind of sad we didn’t win,” she said. For Benitez, just being able to go to the NCAA Tournament is something special for her. “When I decided to come here, I knew that they had never been to the NCAA Tournament, but I knew they had a very good team. We have made history. I think we can do more.”
Regardless of how Creighton does this weekend in the NCAA Tournament, one thing that can be applauded is the way this program has been built from the ground up. The history made over the past week can bring some exciting expectations for next season as well. But right now, the Bluejays hope to make some noise in Minnesota with an opportunity to advance to Seattle next week.
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Following the Bluejays in Minnesota
There are several ways to follow the Creighton volleyball team as they take part in their first NCAA Tournament in school history.
Video Webcast: The Minnesota Gopher website will have free live video streaming of all matches in their regional in Minneapolis. A link will be available at game time for the 4:30 p.m. match.
Audio Stream: The game will be carried on 1180 KOIL AM in Omaha and online. Brad Burwell and Creighton Sports Information Director Rob Anderson will be on the call.
Live Blog/Chat: Iowa State will be hosting an online blog/chat during the match that you can follow along and participate in. Assistant Director for Athletics Communications at Iowa State Meaghan Hayden will blog live from the Minnesota Sports Pavilion’s press row during Friday’s match.
Live Stats: Live Stats are available from the NCAA website via the interactive bracket.