The Creighton volleyball program has added another player to its incoming class this fall. Elizabeth Stivers of Carmel High School in Carmel, California, will be the fourth incoming recruit for the 2011 season. Stivers could fill a needed hitter position for CU coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth.
The Monterey County Herald reported Stivers commitment. Stivers has played middle and outside hitter positions and compiled nearly 400 kills. The Bluejays came calling late in recruiting but got her attention:
“The campus is gorgeous with all the brick buildings, and I got into their nursing program. It’s one of the best in the country.”
This season Stiver led her team to the league title. She was named Mission Trail Athletic League Most Valuable Player, an All-Mission Trail Athletic League selection, and earned a spot on the All-Monterey County Volleyball Team by both the Salinas Californian and the Monterey County Herald newspapers.
Stivers turned down offers from three other schools to sign with Creighton.
“I really liked one of the schools. I liked the coach a lot. It was real hard telling her no. This was a very stressful process.”
See Elizabeth in action with one of her recruiting videos.
The Bluejays made the NCAA Tournament for the first time last season and also notched a first round win. Stivers will try to replace hitters Alicia Runge and Allie Oelke, who graduated this season. Runge was a second team All-MVC player last season while Oelke ended her career as Creighton’s all-time digs leader.
Stivers joins MB Kellie Browning, OH Leah McNary, and S Michelle Sicner for coach Booth’s 2011 class this fall.
Other Notes:
- Not only did Bernthal Booth receive a signee for the volleyball team, she also welcomed another future volleyball player to the Creighton family. Booth posted on the Creighton Volleyball Facebook page that she gave birth on Thursday to a baby girl — Berkeley, 7 lbs 2 oz. 19 1/2 inches.
- Creighton will be playing the top Chinese professional team in an exhibition next Friday, April 22n. The match will begin at 5:30 p.m. and tickets will be sold at the door for $5.