BROOKE BOGGS MEGAN BOBER HEATHER THORSON D.J. Sokol Arena inside the Wayne and Eileen Ryan Athletic Center Table of Contents An exciting season is in store for the Creighton volleyball program in 2012. Table of Contents The 2012 Season 2012 Opponent Information Creighton University D.J. Sokol Arena and Ryan Athletic Center IFC, 2 Ball State, Bradley, Denver Omaha, Nebraska 5 Home Venue History 3 Drake, Evansville, Illinois State 33 University Information 66-67 D.J. Sokol Arena Records & Timeline 4 Indiana State, Kansas Athletics Director Bruce Rasmussen 68 2012 Season Outlook 10 Kansas State, Missouri State, No. Colorado 34 President Timothy R. Lannon, S.J. 68 2012 Roster and Quick Facts 11 Northern Iowa, South Dakota, Southern Illinois Athletics Department Directory 69 Head Coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth 12-14 Syracuse, Tulsa, UCF 35 Student-Athlete Support Center 70 Assistant Coaches Behrens, Mendoza, Sjuts 15 USF, Wichita State, Wisconsin Media & Website Info 72 MVC Tournament, Bluejay Invitational Records 36 Team Photo Inside Back Cover MVC Composite Schedule 37 The Missouri Valley Conference 38 Bluejay Volleyball History The 2011 Season in Pictures 6-7 Alumni Testimonials 8 Bluejays in the Pros 9 2011 MVC Awards and Tournament Review 39 2011 Statistics and Results 40 2011 MVC Standings and Statistics 41 Player Profiles Creighton Volleyball All-Time Honor Roll 42-43 Megan Bober 16 Annual Statistical Leaders 44 Brooke Boggs 17 Kill Records 45 Media Guide Credits Brittany Moon 18 Attack Percentage & Attempt Records 46 The 2012 Creighton Volleyball Media Guide is a pro- Heather Thorson 19 Assist Records 47 duction of the award-winning Creighton University Sports Natalie Hackbarth 20 Ace Records 48 Information Office, directed by Robert Anderson. Interior Kelli Browning 21 Dig Records 49 design, writing and editing by Anderson using an iMac Leah McNary 22 Block Solo/Assist Records 50 with InDesign and Adobe Photoshop CS3 software. Katie Neisler 23 Total Blocks Records 51 Editorial assistance and research provided by Glen Sisk, Michelle Sicner 24 Point Records 52 Shannon Pivovar, Kevin Sarver, Creighton Public Relations Savannah Smith 25 Set & Match Played Records 53 and the Creighton volleyball coaching staff. Photography Kate Elman and Ashley Jansen 26 All-Time Roster & Stats 54 by Creighton University Creative Services, Shelly Laessig Melanie Jereb and Lauren Smith 27 All-Time Uniform Numbers, Year-by-Year Stats 55 (Belles ‘N Buddies Photography), Korie Lebeda, Kelly Goc, Lizzy Stivers 28 Creighton Volleyball Timeline 56 Lon Ortner, Doug French, Dave Weaver, Scott Bruhn, Career Match-by-Match Stats 29-31 Year-by-Year Scores 57-60 Michelle Ratzlaff, Portrait Innovations, Brad Williams, Player Survey 32 Series Records 60-64 White and Blue Review, FPVOLEIBOL.COM and Eric Francis. Outside cover designs by Creighton Marketing. Printing by Creighton Print Center. 1 D.J. Sokol Arena Inside the Wayne and Eileen Ryan Athletic Center Thanks to the generous donations of Wayne and Eileen Ryan and family, Dave and Peggy Sokol, and many others, D.J. Sokol Arena inside the Wayne and Eileen Ryan Athletic Center was dedicated on Aug. 28, 2009. The 75,000-square-foot facility houses a gymnasium holding 2,500 fans, as well as coaches’ offices and locker rooms for women’s basketball, volleyball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, baseball and softball. It also houses areas for ticketing, athletic training, meeting rooms, media workrooms, hospital- ity functions and additional academic space. In addition, the arena is used for other campus and community events, including assemblies, coaching camps and clinics, concerts, speakers and high school graduations. Wayne and Eileen Ryan and their family have been long-time supporters The Ryan and Sokol families were honored during the dedication of the of Creighton University. Wayne Ryan, BS’49, MS’51, chairman and CEO of facility at intermission of the Creighton vs. Texas Tech volleyball match Streck Laboratories, Inc., began his career teaching at Creighton before pur- on Aug. 28, 2009. suing his passion for research that led to the founding of his company. The Ryans are also Jaybackers and their daughter, Connie, serves on Creighton’s Board of Trustees. Dave and Peggy Sokol are honoring their son, D.J. Sokol, who died in 1999 following a battle with Hodgkin’s disease, by naming the gymnasium the D.J. Sokol Arena. Sokol is a former chairman and CEO of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company, a global leader in the production, supply and distribution of energy from diversified fuel sources and for- D.J. Sokol merly served on Creighton University’s Board of Trustees. “We have been searching to find a more suitable venue for women’s bas- ketball and volleyball competitions for some time,” said Creighton athletics director Bruce Rasmussen at its dedication. “Visionary donors like the Ryans and Sokols make our dreams of an even stronger athletics program, champi- oned by intensely loyal fans, more of a reality. This Bluejay spirit is a unifying characteristic that enhances the institution’s visibility and reputation.” Wayne and Eileen Ryan pose with Billy Bluejay at the groundbreaking The facility was fully funded by private donations and is home to Bluejay for the Wayne and Eileen Ryan Athletic Center and D.J. Sokol Arena. volleyball and women’s basketball. A packed student section regularly fills the north end of D.J. Sokol Arena inside the Wayne and Eileen Ryan Athletic Center. 2 Home Venue History For the fourth straight season, Creighton will play all of its home In addition to a large locker room and team lounge at D.J. Sokol volleyball matches on campus at D.J. Sokol Arena in the Wayne and Arena, Creighton’s volleyball program also benefits from coaching Eileen Ryan Athletic Center. offices, a weight room and athletic training rooms in the Ryan Athletic More than 182,000 bricks, 654 tons of steel and 30 miles of elec- Center. The Ryan Athletic Center houses the offices for much of trical wire were used during construction, which employed up to 115 Creighton’s support staff, including ticketing, marketing and sports workers at one time. information. The school uses a Sport Court surface for its volleyball The height of the roof ridge is 78’-10” above the arena floor, with matches and practices. a ceiling fan measuring 20 feet in diameter spinning high above the Creighton Volleyball Home Venues playing surface. 1st Last W-L Avg. By Site Match Match (Pct.) Crowd Kiewit Fitness Center 9/9/94 11/16/96 13-21 (.382) 162 Skutt HS 8/29/97 11/15/97 4-5 (.444) 139 Marian HS 10/10/97 11/1/97 4-0 (1.000) 163 Omaha South HS 9/18/98 11/16/02 24-27 (.471) 268 Omaha Civic Auditorium 9/19/03 11/22/08 44-26 (.629) 730 CenturyLink Center Omaha 9/24/06 10/5/08 0-3 (.000) 11,077 D.J. Sokol Arena 8/28/09 11/5/11 28-14 (.667) 1,041 D.J. Sokol Arena in the Ryan Athletic Center 701 Florence Boulevard • Omaha, NE 68178 Omaha, Neb., is located just west of the convergence of Interstates 29 and 80 on the west bank of the Missouri River. To get to D.J. Sokol Arena, follow the directions below: Going West on I-80 Creighton has averaged over 1,040 fans per match at D.J. Sokol Arena. Traveling west on Interstate 80 from Des Moines as you approach the state line, take Interstate 29 North. Go 1.4 miles before getting in the left lane and exit left onto Interstate 480 West, crossing into Nebraska. Take the 14th Street exit (exit 3). Stay straight to go onto Cass Street. Turn right onto Florence Boulevard. Facility will be on your right. From I-29 North Traveling north on Interstate 29, take I-80 West at the convergence of the two interstates in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Follow the above directions from I-80 West. Going East on I-80 Traveling east on Interstate 80 from Lincoln, take Interstate 480 North to downtown Omaha. Continue on I-480 North to I-480 East, taking the Capitol/ Nayka Benitez unleashes a jump serve. Civic Auditorium exit. At the stoplight, turn left (north) on 19th Street. D.J. Sokol Arena will be on your right in 0.4 miles. From Eppley Airfield When leaving the terminal, turn left (south) on Abbott Drive and follow toward downtown Omaha. Abbott Drive will turn into Cuming Street. Take Cuming Street to 18th Street and turn left (south). Proceed two blocks and the facility will be on your right, just past Mystery Manor. Media Parking Limited media parking is available near D.J. Sokol Arena in a lot located on the northeast corner of the intersection of 18th and Burt Streets. From that intersection, go north and the lot entrance will be on your right. Requests must be made 48 hours or more in advance and names will be placed on a list with the parking attendant. Media should cross the street and enter through the east side of the building, just past Mystery Manor. Media Will Call/Entrance If arriving more than an hour before a match, credentialed personnel must enter through the east doors. Once gates open an hour before first serve, credentialed personnel may enter through any ticketed gate at D.J. Sokol Arena. Credentials will be left with the attendant on the east side of the building. Requests should be made 48 hours in advance by calling Creighton The seating schematic inside D.J. Sokol Arena. Sports Information Director Rob Anderson at (402) 280-5544. 3 D.J. Sokol Arena Records D.J. Sokol Arena/Ryan Athletic Center Records Facility Firsts (Regular-Season) First Match: Texas Tech at Creighton, 8/28/09 First Serve: Tory Vaughan, Texas Tech at Creighton, 8/28/09 First Attack Attempt: Allie Oelke, Creighton vs.