The Bluejay Beat

A New School Year, New Season

Technically, summer remains on the calendar, but for Creighton, summer is officially over. Students are back on campus, and fall sports are underway. Women's soccer is in regular-season action, while our other fall programs are gearing up for exciting seasons ahead.

Below are some of the upcoming competition dates for each of our sports that compete in the fall:

#13 Women's Volleyball

First regular-season match: vs. Purdue in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on Friday, August 28, at 6 p.m.
Home opener: vs. Arizona on Friday, September 4, at 6 p.m.

Men's Soccer

First regular-season match/home opener: vs. Florida International tonight, Thursday, August 20, at 6 p.m.

Women's Soccer

Next match: vs. Iowa State in Ames, Iowa, on Sunday, August 23, at 6 p.m.
Home opener: vs. Kansas City on Thursday, August 27, at 6:45 p.m.

Men's and Women's Cross Country

First race/home opener: Platte River Rumble in Ashland, Nebraska, on Friday, September 4. The women run at 6 p.m. and the men run at 6:45 p.m.

We are excited for what promises to be a memorable season as our student-athletes compete for BIG EAST championships, NCAA Tournament appearances, race titles, and record-setting performances. We invite you to join us at D.J. Sokol Arena, Morrison Stadium, and the Olsson Cross Country Course to cheer on these outstanding students who represent the very best of Creighton University.

Although women's volleyball season tickets are sold out, single-match tickets remain available. Click here to purchase tickets for soccer and volleyball home events.

Fly Together Progress

Significant progress has been made on the Fly Together project this summer.

At the corner of Florence Boulevard and Cuming Street, behind home plate at the baseball practice facility, construction is taking shape on the new Baseball and Softball Team Facility. The building will feature batting cages, team locker rooms and lounges, staff offices, and additional amenities that will enhance the student-athlete experience while also supporting visiting teams during the College World Series.

Construction site behind the Baseball practice field

Renderings of the Baseball and Softball Team Facility upon completion

Adjacent to the Ruth Scott Training Center, steel structures are now visible for the future Sports Performance Center, known as "The Bill."

This transformative facility will serve all Creighton student-athletes and include:

10,000 square feet of strength and conditioning space
A dining and nutrition center
Sports medicine facilities
An academic support center
Locker rooms
Coaches' offices
Dedicated sports psychology space

This project will be a game-changer for Creighton Athletics, significantly strengthening our ability to recruit, retain, and develop exceptional student-athletes across all sports.

Both facilities remain on schedule to open in late 2027 or early 2028.

Basketball Season Tickets

The men's and women's basketball non-conference schedules are now set, and a limited number of season tickets are still available.

We need your support at CHI Health Center Omaha and D.J. Sokol Arena to create the toughest home-court environments in the country. Thank you to everyone who has already secured season tickets. Your continued support plays a vital role in our success.

We anticipate the BIG EAST conference schedules being finalized within the next few weeks. Once released, information on mini-plans and single-game tickets will follow.

If you have not secured your seats yet, click here to purchase season tickets while seats are still available.

NCAA Rules and Government Legislation

Aged-Based Eligibility

In June, the NCAA Division I Council approved a major overhaul of student-athlete eligibility rules.

Under the new model, Division I student-athletes may receive up to five years of eligibility if they enroll in college by the academic year following their 19th birthday. The change simplifies the current system by eliminating season-of-competition limits, sport-specific eligibility rules, redshirt regulations, and many eligibility extension waivers.

The new framework will apply to students first enrolling full-time in college in fall 2027 or later.

For students enrolling in fall 2026 and for current student-athletes with eligibility remaining after the 2025-26 academic year, schools will apply either the current eligibility model or the new age-based model, whichever provides the most favorable outcome for the student-athlete.

For most current student-athletes, particularly those from the high school Class of 2023, this change will result in an additional year of eligibility.

Court Rulings Affecting the High School Class of 2022

Recent federal court decisions, including Wisne et al. v. NCAA, have granted preliminary injunctions requiring the NCAA to provide a fifth year of eligibility to athletes from the high school Class of 2022 who exhausted their four years of competition under previous rules.

State courts in Ohio, Tennessee, Georgia, and other states have also issued temporary rulings allowing student-athletes to preserve or petition for additional eligibility.

The NCAA continues to challenge these decisions, creating uncertainty for institutions and student-athletes as roster management decisions are made. Creighton Athletics has added eligible Class of 2022 student-athletes to rosters in accordance with current federal and state guidance and remains prepared to adjust if legal outcomes change.

Protect College Sports Act

The U.S. Senate adjourned for its five-week summer recess without bringing the Protect College Sports Act (PCSA) to a vote.

The bill's co-sponsors, Senators Maria Cantwell, Ted Cruz, and Eric Schmitt, have identified the legislation as a priority and are expected to revisit it when the Senate returns on September 14.

For those interested in learning more, this article provides a helpful overview of the bill's status and next steps: Senate punts on Protect College Sports Act vote until September; what's next? - Yahoo Sports

As we begin a new academic year, Bluejay Athletics is already building momentum both on and off the field.

Fall sports are underway, and we look forward to seeing our fans create outstanding home environments throughout the season. Construction continues to advance on the Fly Together initiative, with significant progress being made on both the Baseball and Softball Team Facility and The Bill. Basketball season is also approaching quickly, with a limited number of season tickets still available.

At the national level, major NCAA eligibility changes and ongoing legislative discussions continue to reshape the landscape of college athletics. Through all these developments, our focus remains the same: providing an exceptional experience for Creighton student-athletes and positioning our programs for continued success.

Thank you for your continued support of Creighton Athletics. Your enthusiasm, attendance, and generosity make a meaningful difference in the lives of our student-athletes and help us pursue excellence in every arena. We are excited for what lies ahead and look forward to sharing another memorable year with the Bluejay community.

Go Jays!

Marcus Blossom
McCormick Endowed Athletic Director

McCormick Endowed Athletic Director, Marcus Blossom

Creighton University Athletics