#6 Creighton Volleyball Set to Face #13 Texas in Sweet 16

The Creighton Bluejays and Texas Longhorns are gearing up for an intense battle in the 2024 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. Ranked #6 and seeded second, Creighton (31-2) will take on #13 Texas (20-6), the third seed, in the Regional Semifinal on Friday afternoon.

Match Details

The highly anticipated showdown is scheduled for Friday, December 13, at 12:00 PM Central Time, followed by a match between #5-seed Marquette (25-8) and top-seeded Penn State (31-2) approximately 30 minutes later.

The winners of Friday’s matches will meet in the Regional Final on Sunday at 7:30 PM Central Time, with a coveted spot in the Final Four on the line. All matches will be held at Rec Hall (capacity: 6,502) on Penn State’s campus in University Park, Pennsylvania.

Broadcast Information

Fans can catch Friday’s match live on ESPN2, with commentary by Paul Sunderland, Missy Whittemore, and Shelby Coppedge. The Sunday Regional Final will air on ESPN.
For those streaming, the matches will be available on ESPN+

Creighton’s Record-Breaking Season

Creighton enters the Sweet 16 on a historic run, winning a program-record 24 consecutive matches to achieve a stellar 31-2 record this fall. The Bluejays claimed their 11th consecutive BIG EAST regular-season championship with an 18-0 record in conference play, dropping just three sets. They also secured their 10th BIG EAST Tournament title in 11 seasons.

Last weekend, Creighton swept South Dakota and Ole Miss in front of sold-out crowds at DJ Sokol Arena, earning their fourth Sweet 16 appearance in program history.

Season Highlights

• Ranked #6 in the AVCA Poll, just one spot below their highest-ever ranking.
• Signature wins include back-to-back Top 10 victories over #6 Purdue (3-1) and #10 Kansas (3-0), as well as a win over #20 USC (3-1).
• Creighton boasts an impressive 11-2 record against teams in the 2024 NCAA Tournament field, with losses only to #2 Nebraska and #4 Louisville in five-set road matches.

Key Players

• Kendra Wait: The AVCA National Semifinalist Player of the Year, Wait (11.11 assists, 2.91 digs, 1.05 kills, .91 blocks per set, .402 hitting percentage) was named BIG EAST Player of the Year, BIG EAST Setter of the Year, and BIG EAST Tournament MVP.
• Norah Sis and Ava Martin: These outside hitters form one of the nation’s most lethal attacking duos. Sis (3.88 kills per set,.318 hitting percentage) and Martin (3.67 kills per set, .327 hitting percentage) both earned unanimous All-BIG EAST and AVCA All-West Region honors.
• Kiara Reinhardt leads the BIG EAST with 1.48 blocks per set.
• Transfers Maddy Bilinovic (3.85 digs per set) and Elise Goetzinger (2.46 kills, 1.09 blocks, .383 hitting percentage) have been vital contributors, earning All-BIG EAST and AVCA All-Region recognition.

Team Stats

• Leads the BIG EAST in kills (14.59), service aces (1.91), and blocks (2.73) per set.
• Ranks second nationally in both hitting percentage (.332) and opponent hitting percentage (.124).

Texas: A Formidable Opponent

The two-time defending national champions, Texas is seeded third in the Penn State Region and ranks #13 nationally. The Longhorns hold a 20-6 record, including an impressive 10-2 mark on the road. They enter the Sweet 16 on an eight-match winning streak after a rare slump in late October.

Key Players

• Madisen Skinner: The team’s top offensive weapon, averaging 4.29 kills per set with a.283 hitting percentage.
• Reagan Rutherford and Jenna Wenaas: complementary attackers with 2.55 and 2.27 kills per set, respectively.
• Marianna Singletary leads Texas in blocking with 1.44 blocks per set, while hitting.357.
• Emma Halter anchors the defense with 3.45 digs per set.

Team Stats

• Averages 13.69 kills, 13.28 digs, 2.61 blocks, and 1.41 service aces per set with a .286 hitting percentage.

Creighton and Texas have met only once before, with Texas sweeping the Bluejays in the 2016 Elite Eight (25-19, 25-20, 25-11). Jaali Winters led Creighton in that match with 11 kills and eight digs, while Ebony Nwanebu had 13 kills for Texas.

Creighton’s Accomplished Coach

Kirsten Bernthal Booth, now in her 22nd season at Creighton, boasts a 501-191 record. Under her leadership:

• 11 consecutive BIG EAST regular-season titles.
• 4 Sweet 16 appearances (2015, 2016, 2023, 2024).
• Recognized as VolleyballMag.com National Coach of the Year in 2016.
• Earned her fifth BIG EAST Coach of the Year honour in 2024.

As AVCA President, Booth continues to elevate Creighton’s national profile. With a well-rounded and battle-tested roster, she leads the Blue Jays into what promises to be an electrifying Sweet 16 matchup.