2015 Creighton Men’s Soccer 2015 Quick Facts Creighton University Information Location Omaha, Neb. Founded 1878 Enrollment 8,236 Nickname Bluejays Colors Blue & White President Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, S.J., Ph.D. Director of Athletics Bruce Rasmussen Affiliation NCAA Division I Conference BIG EAST Bluejay Soccer Head Coach Elmar Bolowich Alma Mater Mainz, 1981 Career Record 343-162-49 (26 years) Record at CU 63-18-9 (4 years) Assistant Coach Johnny Torres Alma Mater Creighton, 2008 Assistant Coach Justin Hughes Alma Mater North Carolina, 2006 Graduate Assistant TJ Burns Table of Contents Alma Mater Creighton, 2011 Introduction Record Book Home Field Michael G. Morrison, S.J., Stadium Table of Contents & Quick Facts 1 All-time vs. Top 25 & Weekly Poll History 41 Capacity 7,500 Why Creighton? 2-4 All-Time Honors 42-44 2014 Overall Record 16-3-3 BIG EAST Conference 5 Year-by-Year Statistics & Coaching Ledger 45 2014 BIG EAST Record / Finish 7-1-1 / 1st Bluejays in the Pros 6-7 Year-by-Year Leaders 46 Letterwinners Returning / Lost 13 / 7 Morrison Stadium 8 Bluejay Records 47-48 Starters Returning / Lost 8 / 3 Rasmussen Fitness & Sports Center 9 Morrison Stadium Records 49 Goalkeepers Returning / Lost 2 / 1 2015 Roster 10 NCAA Tournament Teams 50-59 2015 Season Outlook 11 NCAA Tournament Results 60 Conference Regular-Season Titles 13 All-Time Roster 61 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2006, Meet the Bluejays Year-By-Year Scores 62-64 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014 Head Coach Elmar Bolowich 12-13 Assistant Coach Johnny Torres 14 General Information Conference Tournament Titles 13 Assistants Justin Hughes & TJ Burns 15 Omaha, Nebraska 65 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, Fernando Castellanos 16 Creighton University 66-67 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012 Eric DeJulio 17 Creighton Administration 68 Vincent Keller 18 Athletic Performance & Athletic Training 69 NCAA Tournament Appearances 22 Mike Paye 19 Student-Athlete Support 70 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, Timo Pitter 20 Athletics Staff Directory 71 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, Connor Sparrow 21 Media Information 72 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, Diego Bacellar & Myles Englis 22 2014 Fabian Herbers & Ricardo Perez 23 Stefan Wutte & Brock Fitzgerald 24 NCAA College Cup Appearances 5 Michael Kluver & Noah Franke 25 1996, 2000, 2002, 2011, 2012 Ricky Lopez-Espin & Lucas Stauffer 26 Mitch LaGro & Bryce Gibson 27 Sports Information Elias Helbig & Felix Kollmannthaler 28 Assistant SID / Men’s Soccer Contact TBD Peter Prescott & Connor Ramlo 29 Office Phone 402-280-5801 Jacob Rooth & Daniel Rutter 30 Sports Information Director Rob Anderson Joel Rydstrand, Collin Valdivia & Evan Waldrep 31 Office Phone 402-280-5544 Assistant SID Glen Sisk 2014 Season Review 2014 Statistics 32 Office Phone 402-280-2433 2014 Results & Final Polls 33 402-280-3567 or 3564 Press Box 2014 Review & Honors 34 Sports Information FAX 402-280-2495 2014 Year in Pictures 35 Ticket Office 402-280-JAYS Athletic Website GoCreighton.com 2015 Opponents Conference Website BIGEAST.com Opponent Information 36-37 All-Time Series Results 38-40 1 2015 Guide (01-11).indd 1 8/18/2015 3:15:48 PM Q: Why Creighton? • Creighton has appeared in 22 of the last 23 NCAA Tournaments, including 17 straight between 1992 and 2008, one of just four teams to make every tournament in that span. • Creighton has advanced to the College Cup in 1996, 2000, 2002, 2011 and 2012. • Creighton has captured 13 conference tournament champion- ships: 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2012 • Creighton has captured 13 regular-season conference titles: 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014. College Cup • Ten former CU men’s soccer players and coaches have been inducted into the Creighton Athletics Hall of Fame in the last 14 years, most recently David Wright in April. • Creighton annually ranks among NCAA leaders in attendance, including the top-10 in each of the last 11 seasons. Last year Creighton was fifth in total home attendance and 10th in average home attendance. • With Fabian Herbers earning First Team honors in 2014, 18 Jays have achieved NSCAA All-America honors. • In 2014, a state-of-the-art weight room opened inside the Championship Center, located just steps from Morrison Stadium. • Creighton does not compete in football, making soccer a popular fall sport on campus with strong fan support and high attendance. All-Americans Champions NCAA Tourney A: Soccer tradition 2015 Guide (01-11).indd 2 8/18/2015 3:15:51 PM Q: Why Creighton? • In recent years, the Bluejays have been featured in nationally- Exposure televised matches on ESPN, Fox Soccer Channel, Fox Sports Net, Big Ten Network and CBS College Sports. • A dozen Bluejays have earned league Player of the Year honors, including Fabian Herbers in 2014 and Ethan Finlay in 2010 and 2011. • Nine Bluejays have claimed conference Defensive Player of the Year recognition, including Andrew Ribeiro in 2012 and the pro- gram’s only two-time winner, Matt Allen (2006-07). • Eighty-three First Team all-conference honors. • CU assistant coach Johnny Torres was named the National Player of the Year in 1996 and 1997. • Creighton was the only school in college soccer to have at least National P.O.Y. one player selected in each MLS Draft between 1996-2014. • Fifty-two Bluejays have gone on to play professional soccer since 1993, including 17 in the last eight seasons. • Creighton has produced 33 MLS Draft picks since 1996. • The Bluejays are 203-35-20 (.826) at home since 1990, including 101-19-15 (.804) at Morrison Stadium and 36-6-3 (.833) in confer- ence play at the facility. • Morrison Stadium’s Field Turf Revolution all-weather surface is in perfect condition year round, allowing an ideal feel for training and game play. Johnny Torres Seth Sinovic Stadium Professionals A: Soccer excellence 2015 Guide (01-11).indd 3 8/18/2015 3:15:54 PM Q: Why Creighton? • Creighton University has been recognized nationally as one of the top campuses for wireless access, a top-ranked university by U.S. News and World Report for 20 years and a “best-neighbor” urban university. • With a student-to-faculty ratio of 11:1 and an average class size of 24, Creighton students find it easy to get to know their professors. • The 139-acre Creighton campus is within walking distance from downtown Omaha. The campus size makes it easy to walk from resi- dence halls to classes, to the dining halls and to Morrison Stadium. Community • The campus has undergone extensive expansion and remodeling, resulting in townhome style residence halls for upperclassmen and on-campus athletics facilities, among other projects. • The Rasmussen Fitness & Sports Center opened in October of 2012 and is utilized as an indoor practice facility by Creighton’s soccer teams. • In 2014, The Championship Center opened on the east campus ath- letic/fitness/recreation corridor. The 43,000 square-foot Championship Center relocated Athletics from the Vinardi Center/Old Gym, freeing up that space for future use by the University. • Omaha is home to five Fortune 500 headquarters and is one of the wealthiest per capita cities in the nation, making future opportunities in the area inviting. Campus Omaha Scholar-Athletes A: Academic excellence 2015 Guide (01-11).indd 4 8/18/2015 3:15:56 PM BIG EAST Conference Creighton University officially became a member of the BIG EAST Conference at 12:01 a.m. on July 1, 2013. The 2015-16 sea- son will be Creighton’s third in the league. Creighton, along with fellow newcomers But- ler and Xavier, joined a BIG EAST that retained DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Seton Hall, Providence, Villanova and St. John’s. The partnership was announced on March 20, 2013, in New York. The 2015-16 academic year will be the 37th in the history of the BIG EAST, a league synonymous with men’s basketball that has evolved into a well-rounded league that “We feel that joining the BIG EAST competes nationally at the highest level in Conference gives us a greater oppor- sports across the board. BIG EAST basket- tunity to recruit, retain, develop, and ball squads have captured 13 titles in the last 16 years, including men’s (Louisville) and graduate outstanding students and women’s (Connecticut) hoop titles in 2012- outstanding student-athletes. We know 13. that continued success and excel- Since opening its doors in 1979, the league lence in each of our athletics programs has won 38 national championships in six will not be easy. We chose to join the different sports and 142 student-athletes BIG EAST not because it will be easy have won individual national titles through to be successful, we know it will be 2014-15. difficult. At Creighton University, we All 10 schools reside within a top-75 media believe that goals that are difficult to market, including eight schools in a top-35 achieve are the most worthwhile.” market. The BIG EAST became a reality on May Former President Timothy R. Lannon, S.J. Creighton Athletic Director 31, 1979, following a meeting of athletic (left) worked with Athletic Director Bruce Bruce Rasmussen directors from the original seven-school Rasmussen (right) to help pave the way for alliance. CU’s entry into the BIG EAST. 5 2015 Guide (01-11).indd 5 8/18/2015 3:15:58 PM Bluejays in the MLS Chris Schuler Mehdi Ballouchy Real Salt Lake New York City FC Creighton (2006-09) Creighton (2002) Active Bluejays on 2015 MLS Rosters Ethan Finlay Seth Sinovic Eric Miller Columbus Crew Sporting Kansas City Montreal Impact Creighton (2008-11) Creighton (2005-09) Creighton (2011-13) All-Time Bluejays in MLS Player Team(s) Player Team(s) Mehdi Ballouchy Real Salt Lake, Colorado Rapids, Richard Mulrooney San Jose Earthquakes, FC Dallas, New York Red Bulls, San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo Vancouver Whitecaps FC, New York City FC Julian Nash San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo Steve Bernal Dallas Burn, Chicago Fire Ross Paule Colorado Rapids, N.Y./N.J.