Volleyball
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- kbooth@creighton.edu
- Phone:
- (402) 280-5577
Kirsten Bernthal Booth Bio (PDF)
Kirsten Bernthal Booth turned Creighton Volleyball into one of the nation’s best programs during her 22 seasons as head coach from 2003-24 before resigning on April 6, 2025 to accept a position with League One Volleyball (LOVB).
After inheriting a team that went 3-23 in 2002 before her arrival, Booth steadily built a program that appeared in the AVCA’s Top 25 poll each of her last 13 years. CU reached 14 of the last 15 NCAA Tournaments, including 2016 and 2024 postseason runs to the Elite Eight, with Sweet Sixteen trips in 2015, 2016, 2023 and 2024, and an unprecedented 11 straight BIG EAST regular-season titles. CU was an incredible 196-13 against league foes from 2014-24.
Booth’s final season was arguably the best in season-history. The 2024 Bluejay squad finished 32-3, reaching as high as No. 5 in the AVCA poll before finishing a program-best sixth. All three losses came in five set road contests against eventual Final Four teams, including an Elite Eight loss at eventual national champion Penn State. The Bluejays led the country with five AVCA All-Americans, had a pair of College Sports Communicators Academic All-Americans, were a perfect 20-0 against BIG EAST competition, and dethroned two-time defending national champion Texas in the Regional Semifinals. The Jays were a perfect 19-0 at home, extending its program-record home win streak to 32.
Creighton posted a record of 502-192 and averaged 1,541 fans per home match in Booth’s tenure. All 22 of Booth’s teams qualified for the conference tournament, with 11 of her last 13 teams winning the event.
Booth’s .723 winning percentage and 502 wins are easily the best in Creighton volleyball history. Booth owns 615 career victories overall, an average of 24.6 wins per season, when you add in her 112 wins in three years at Kirkwood (Iowa) Community College.
In her 22 seasons at Creighton, Booth coached 59 First Team and 16 Second Team all-conference selections. Booth’s teams won 17 AVCA Team Academic Awards and featured nine women who won a combined 12 College Sports Communicators Academic All-America accolades.
She was named AVCA Regional Coach of the Year in five of her last 10 seasons (2015, 2016, 2018, 2023, 2024). Booth was also voted BIG EAST Coach of the Year in 2015, 2016, 2019, 2023 and 2024.
Booth led Creighton to 12 conference regular-season championships in her last 13 years, a stretch that started in 2012 with an MVC crown and extended from 2014-24 with 11 straight BIG EAST titles to end her reign.
Under her guidance, Creighton was a national seed in the NCAA Tournament in seven of her final 10 seasons (2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024), something only 10 schools could claim. The Bluejays also owned at least one Top 25 victory in each of her last 10 campaigns.
Creighton’s 344 wins from 2012-24 were fourth-most in the country, and its 119 wins her final four campaigns were third-most. In addition, the Jays were one of seven teams to qualify for the Big Dance each season from 2012-24.
Booth’s players have enjoyed great individual success, as well. Jaali Winters wrapped up one of the greatest careers in program history in 2018 with 96 school records and has played professionally in France, Spain, Greece and the United States. Winters was a four-time All-American, four-time First Team All-BIG EAST pick, the 2018 BIG EAST Player of the Year and a
two-time BIG EAST Championship MVP. Her partner on the outside, Taryn Kloth, was named Honorable Mention All-American in both 2016 and 2018 and became the first female Olympian in Creighton history when she competed in Beach Volleyball at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
A pair of 2024 graduates, Norah Sis and Kendra Wait, also made history. Both women were named BIG EAST Player of the Year and BIG EAST Tournament MVP during their careers, and both also were four-time All-BIG EAST choices. Both women were also Academic All-Americans and drafted to play in the Pro Volleyball Federation.
During her time at Creighton, Booth had players named Conference
Player of the Year (6x), Libero of the Year (3x), Freshman of the Year (5x) and Sport Excellence Award winner (3x).
The Bluejays were near-unbeatable at home since moving into D.J. Sokol Arena in 2009, going 195-33 in the building and 132-8 in conference home matches at the facility in the past 16 years.
D.J. Sokol Arena attracted 61 different crowds of 2,000 or more after opening in 2009, a far cry from the previous high of 764 before her arrival. CU has led the league in average home attendance all but two years since joining the BIG EAST, and in 2018 Creighton ranked 11th nationally with a league-record 2,802 fans per home match.
D.J. Sokol Arena is one of two facilities that Booth has helped open since her arrival, along with the Ruth Scott Training Center (2019), which is located across the street from D.J. Sokol Arena. The “Ruth” serves as a practice venue for both Bluejay volleyball and women’s basketball.
Booth stepped down at a point where her role in the sport had never been more prominent, as she was the President of the American Volleyball Coaches Association and one of 17 members on the AVCA’s Board of Directors.
Booth owns an impressive past, both on and off the court. She has proven to be a popular coach among her players and within the Omaha community, which is a key factor in the team’s record crowds ranking among the top-50 nationally 18 of her final 19 seasons.
Prior to coming to Creighton, Booth went a combined 112-41 in three seasons at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. All three of her teams won at least 36 matches. Her 2000 team reached the NJCAA finals before falling to St. Clair College. Her 2001 team placed fourth nationally and her 2002 club won 39 matches and had seven players earn academic all-conference honors. She was named District Coach of the Year on two different occasions.
In addition to her coaching responsibilities, she served as the school’s human resource coordinator, where she was in charge of staff
development and wellness for all faculty and staff at Kirkwood.
Booth served as a volunteer coach with the University of Iowa in the fall of 1997, helping to run drills and scout opponents. The following spring, she served as interim head coach while running practice and doing other assorted administrative tasks. She later earned her master’s degree in higher education administration with an emphasis in athletic administration from Iowa in 2000.
As an undergrad, Booth’s teams at Truman State went 101-54. She ran the offense as the setter and was named the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association Freshman of the Year in 1993, and earned All-MIAA accolades her final three seasons as well. She capped off her career in 1996 by earning MIAA Player of the Year honors and setting new school records for assists in a season (1,662) and career (6,077), the latter of which ranked third in NCAA history at the Division II level when she graduated. She was inducted into Truman State’s Athletic Hall of Fame in October, 2011.
She was also a member of the Student Senate at Truman State, where she graduated magna cum laude with a degree in communications. In addition, she earned Academic All-American honors and was named the 1997 Missouri NCAA Woman of the Year.
Growing up, Booth excelled in both tennis and volleyball at Lincoln East High School, where she is a member of the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame. She was an All-State setter on the volleyball court and was a three-time All-American and two-time state champion in tennis atNo. 1 singles.
Booth and her husband, Erik, reside in Omaha. The couple have three daughters: Reese, Hayden and Berkeley. Reese finished her freshman volleyball season at the University of Northern Iowa in the fall of 2024.
The Kirsten Bernthal Booth File
Kirkwood Community College (Head Coach)
Year W L Pct. Highlights
2000 37 12 .755 2nd at NJCAA nationals
2001 36 18 .667 4th at NJCAA nationals
2002 39 11 .780 10-1 at home
Totals 112 41 .732 Two-time District Coach of the Year
Creighton University (Head Coach)
Year W L Pct. Highlights
2003 12 18 .400 Record crowds, 9-win improvement
2004 18 11 .621 Record 18 wins, 2 tournament titles
2005 16 14 .533 Record crowds, first win over UNI
2006 21 10 .677 Record 21 wins, MVC Tourney semi’s
2007 21 10 .677 Tie-2nd in MVC, became CU win leader
2008 18 9 .667 2nd in MVC, first to reach 100+ wins
2009 14 17 .452 First Top 25 win; Opened D.J. Sokol Arena
2010 21 12 .636 NCAA Tourney; National Coach of Year
2011 17 14 .548 Earned 150th win at Creighton on 9/30
2012 29 4 .879 NCAA Tourney; MVC RS/Tourney champs
2013 23 9 .719 NCAA Tourney; Beat #13 BYU; 200th win at CU
2014 25 9 .735 NCAA Tourney; BIG EAST RS/Tourney champs
2015 27 9 .750 NCAA Tourney Sweet 16; BIG EAST RS/Tourney champs
2016 29 7 .806 NCAA Tourney Elite Eight; BIG EAST RS/Tourney champs
2017 26 7 .788 NCAA Tourney 2nd Round; BIG EAST RS/Tourney champs
2018 29 5 .853 NCAA Tourney 2nd Round; BIG EAST RS/Tourney champs
2019 25 6 .806 NCAA Tourney 2nd Round; BIG EAST regular-season champ
2020 12 4 .750 NCAA Tourney 1st Round; BIG EAST RS/Tourney champ
2021 31 4 .886 NCAA Tourney 2nd Round; BIG EAST RS/Tourney champs; 400th CU win
2022 27 5 .844 NCAA Tourney 1st Round; BIG EAST RS/Tourney champs
2023 29 5 .853 NCAA Tourney Sweet 16; BIG EAST RS/Tourney champs
2024 32 3 .914 NCAA Tourney Elite 8, BIG EAST RS/Tourney Champs; 500th CU win
Totals 502 192 .723 All-Time Creighton Wins Leader; 14 NCAA’s; 3x NCOY
Career 614 233 .725
Year-By-Year Under Kirsten Bernthal Booth
2024: 32-3, 18-0 BIG EAST, Final RPI of 6,
Year-End AVCA Rank of 6, NCAA Regional Final
The greatest season in team history saw Creighton finish 32-3, setting program records for wins in a season (32) and consecutive wins (25) along the way. The Bluejays lost just three sets in 20 matches against BIG EAST competition en route to an 11th straight regular-season title and 10th conference tournament crown in 12 years. CU swept South Dakota and Ole Miss to advance to the program’s fourth Sweet 16, then knocked out two-time defending champ Texas to return to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2016. CU’s magical run was ended by eventual national champion Penn State, as all three losses came in five sets on the road to teams that reached the Final Four. CU led the nation with five AVCA All-Americans, including First Team pick Kendra Wait and Second Team choice Norah Sis, both of whom were also named Academic All-Americans. The Jays went 19-0 at home, winning its final 34 sets at D.J. Sokol Arena.
2023: 29-5, 16-2 BIG EAST, Final RPI of 12,
Year-End AVCA Rank of 15, NCAA Regional Semifinal
The Bluejays finish 29-5 after sharing a 10th consecutive BIG EAST regular-season crown as well as a ninth BIG EAST Tournament title in the past 10 years. Creighton started the year by winning four straight tournaments, picking up road victories at No. 16 Purdue and No. 9 Minnesota along the way. CU finished off its first unbeaten home season at 13-0, sweeping all eight league matches at D.J. Sokol Arena, as well as 3-0 NCAA Tournament wins vs. Colgate and Minnesota to secure a trip to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2016. Kendra Wait was an AVCA Third Team All-American and CSC First Team Academic All-American after leading CU in digs and assists and picking up BIG EAST Player of the Year and BIG EAST Setter of the Year accolades. Kiana Schmitt was named a CSC Third Team Academic All-American and joined Norah Sis and Ava Martin on the All-BIG EAST Team. Kirsten Bernthal Booth was named AVCA East Region Coach of the Year and shared BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year plaudits.
2022: 27-5, 17-1 BIG EAST, Final RPI of 12,
Year-End AVCA Rank of 21, NCAA First Round
Creighton won its ninth straight regular-season BIG EAST title and defeated No. 14 Marquette in the BIG EAST Tournament title match after yet another dominant season. The Bluejays hosted 15,797 fans for its match against Nebraska, then the largest regular-season volleyball-only crowd in NCAA history, on Sept. 7. Creighton also won regular-season tournaments hosted by Wyoming and Omaha and earned a national seed for the postseason. Norah Sis was named BIG EAST Player of the Year and repeated as BIG EAST Tournament MVP en route to Honorable Mention All-America accolades. Ava Martin gave Creighton its second straight BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and was joined on the All-BIG EAST Team by Sis, Kendra Wait and Kiana Schmitt. Wait was named an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American for a second straight fall. Creighton won its first 17 league matches, including nine straight sweeps.
2021: 31-4, 16-2 BIG EAST, Final RPI of 11,
Year-End AVCA Rank of 22, NCAA Second Round
A school-record 31 victories, including five tournament titles, highlighted Creighton’s 2021 campaign. Unranked to start the season, Creighton swept its first three matches of the season before turning heads with a 3-0 sweep in Lexington of defending national champion and No. 3 Kentucky. The Bluejays went 12-1 in non-conference play prior to a 16-2 run through BIG EAST play to share part of their eighth straight regular-season title. CU then swept both DePaul and host Marquette to win a seventh league tournament title in eight years. The No. 14 national seed in the NCAA Tournament, CU swept Ole Miss before falling to Kansas in the Second Round. Norah Sis was named VolleyballMag.com National Freshman of the Year, BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, BIG EAST Tournament MVP and Third Team All-American after leading CU in kills. Also named All-BIG EAST and All-American were Abby Bottomley, Kendra Wait and Jaela Zimmerman. Bottomley finished her career seventh in NCAA history with 2,711 digs and became the first player in program history to be named a First Team CSC Academic All-American.
2020: 12-4, 7-1 BIG EAST, No RPI Calculated, NCAA First Round
Creighton won the BIG EAST regular-season and tournament titles while returning to the NCAA Tournament in a most unusual season. The global COVID-19 pandemic pushed an abbreviated season into the spring, with limited crowds allowed and face coverings required. Creighton went 3-1 in non-conference play before opening BIG EAST play by splitting two matches with No. 25 Marquette. The Bluejays won their final six league matches to finish atop the Midwest Division, then defeated UConn and Marquette for their sixth BIG EAST Tournament title in seven seasons. The entire NCAA Tournament was held in Omaha, but CU fell in five sets to Ohio Valley Conference champ Morehead State in the First Round. Jaela Zimmerman earned East Region Player of the Year honors from the AVCA and was joined on the All-Conference Team alongside Keeley Davis and Naomi Hickman. Hickman was named Most Outstanding Player of the BIG EAST Tournament, with Annika Welty and All-Freshman Team honoree Kiara Reinhardt also being named All-Tourney.
2019: 25-6, 17-1 BIG EAST, Final RPI of 23,
Year-End AVCA Rank of 16, NCAA Second Round
Picked second in the preseason BIG EAST poll, Creighton still won its sixth straight regular-season league title thanks to a pair of victories over top-10 Marquette. Keeley Davis was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Year after earning Freshman of the Week honors on 10 occasions. Brittany Witt took home Third Team All-America and BIG EAST Libero of the Year accolades for a second time while becoming CU’s all-time digs leader. Davis and Witt joined Jaela Zimmerman, Megan Ballenger and AVCA East Region Player of the Year Madelyn Cole as First Team All-BIG EAST picks. Creighton pushed No. 7 Minnesota to the limit in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament before falling in five sets. Kirsten Bernthal Booth was named BIG EAST Coach of the Year and Angie Oxley Behrens brought home the AVCA National Assistant Coach of the Year award.
2018: 29-5, 18-0 BIG EAST, Final RPI of 16,
Year-End AVCA Rank of 13, NCAA Second Round
Creighton once again went unbeaten against the BIG EAST, including three wins over nationally-ranked Marquette, and non-conference tournament titles in the Bluejay Invitational and the SMU DoubleTree Classic. Jaali Winters was named BIG EAST Player of the Year and AVCA Third Team All-American after closing her career with 96 school records, while Taryn Kloth and Marshall transfer Madelyn Cole were also named Honorable Mention All-Americans and First Team All-BIG EAST. CU set an NCAA regular-season volleyball-only record with 14,022 fans for a Sept. 6 match vs. Nebraska, and earned the No. 9 national seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight fall.
2017: 26-7, 16-2 BIG EAST, Final RPI of 14,
Year-End AVCA Rank of 16, NCAA Second Round
After a grueling non-conference schedule that included road wins at No. 3 Washington and No. 7 Kansas, Creighton won the BIG EAST regular-season and tournament titles for a fourth straight campaign in 2017. Creighton earned the No. 9 national seed and hosted its first NCAA Tournament matches. Creighton went 16-2 in league play, only to avenge both losses en route to a BIG EAST Championship crown. Thanks in part to three sellouts, the Bluejays established a school record for average home attendance (1,873). Brittany Witt was named BIG EAST Libero of the Year and joined as a First Team All-BIG EAST pick by Lydia Dimke, Marysa Wilkinson and Jaali Winters.
2016: 29-7, 18-0 BIG EAST, Final RPI of 12,
Year-End AVCA Rank of 9, NCAA Elite Eight
Three straight five-set wins in the NCAA Tournament helped Creighton reach the program’s first Elite Eight, while tying the school record with 29 wins. The Bluejays started 6-6 against a difficult non-conference slate before a school-record 23 straight wins that ranked as the nation’s longest active streak at the time. That stretch included the first 18-0 season by any volleyball team in BIG EAST history, and a sweep of both matches at the BIG EAST Championship, as Creighton claimed both crowns for the third straight year. Purdue transfer Lydia Dimke was named BIG EAST Player of the Year and Third Team All-American, while Brittany Witt earned East Region Freshman of the Year honors. Kirsten Bernthal Booth was named BIG EAST Coach of the Year and VolleyballMag.com National Coach of the Year. Creighton defeated Northern Iowa, No. 4 Kansas and No. 17 Michigan in the NCAA Tournament before falling to No. 5 Texas in Austin in the Elite Eight.
2015: 27-9, 17-1 BIG EAST, Final RPI of 14,
Year-End AVCA Rank of 19, NCAA Regional Semifinal
Creighton won its second consecutive BIG EAST regular-season and tournament titles, then advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history. Creighton played five top-11 teams in non-conference play, including a 3-0 sweep over No. 10 Kentucky. A five-set comeback over Kansas State ignited a 12-match win streak, and CU won the BIG EAST by three games with a 17-1 mark. The Bluejays then defended their home court with victories over Marquette and Villanova to win the BIG EAST Championship. Creighton earned the No. 16 national seed, defeating Coastal Carolina and No. 23 North Carolina to clinch a Sweet 16 appearance, where it won the first set from No. 2 USC before falling in four sets. Jaali Winters spearheaded the nation’s No. 11 recruiting class and was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and Third Team All-American while setting a CU record for kills in a season. Lauren Smith was First Team All-BIG EAST and All-American Honorable Mention and fellow junior Jess Bird was named MVP of the BIG EAST Championship. Kirsten Bernthal Booth was named BIG EAST Coach of the Year and AVCA East Region Coach of the Year.
2014: 25-9, 16-2 BIG EAST, Final RPI of 34, NCAA First Round
Creighton won both the regular-season and tournament titles in the BIG EAST while advancing to a third consecutive NCAA Tournament. The Bluejays opened the year 7-6 against a ruthless non-conference schedule, and won the Bluejay Invitational for the first time. The Jays avenged both regular-season losses in BIG EAST play with a 3-1 triumph over Seton Hall in the BIG EAST Championship final. Lauren Smith (MVP), Leah McNary and Marysa Wilkinson were named to the league’s All-Tournament Team, while Kelli Browning and Jess Bird were named First Team All-BIG EAST. Browning closed her career as CU’s all-time leader in attack percentage and block assists while being named a Third Team All-American by the AVCA and the Omaha Sports Woman of the Year by the Omaha Sports Hall of Fame. The year also saw Kate Elman become CU’s all-time digs leader.
2013: 23-9, 12-4 BIG EAST, Final RPI of 18, NCAA Second Round
Creighton’s first season in the BIG EAST saw the Bluejays attain a year-end RPI of 18 to go with runner-up finishes in league play during both the regular-season and league tournament. Ranked 24th nationally in the preseason AVCA poll, Creighton opened a challenging preseason schedule with a 3-1 win over No. 13 BYU, part of a stretch that also featured matches vs. No. 7 Hawai’i, California, Kansas, No. 11 UCLA and Wichita State. Kelli Browning and Michelle Sicner were named All-American Honorable Mention by the AVCA, while Browning and Leah McNary were First Team All-BIG EAST. CU led the nation with 3.06 blocks per set. The Bluejays reached the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four seasons, defeating Arkansas before falling in four sets at No. 23 Kansas.
2012: 29-4, 17-1 MVC, Final RPI of 24,
Year-End AVCA Rank of 24, NCAA Second Round
The Bluejays closed their 19-year run in the MVC by winning the program’s first Valley regular-season and tournament titles. CU won regular-season tournaments at South Florida and Northern Colorado before clinching the outright league crown with a memorable 3-2 comeback win at rival Wichita State. The Bluejays swept the Shockers eight days later for the Valley Tourney title, then defeated Marquette in straight sets to open NCAA Tournament play before falling in four frames at Minnesota. Megan Bober was named MVC Player of the Year and Tournament MVP, while Kelli Browning was tabbed MVC Defensive Player of the Year after tying for the national lead with 204 blocks. Both women were named All-American Honorable Mention and were joined on the All-MVC First Team by freshman Melanie Jereb. Kirsten Bernthal Booth was named MVC Coach of the Year and CaptainU National Coach of the Year. Creighton also spent four weeks in the AVCA Top 25 for the first time, reaching as high as No. 21 before finishing No. 24.
2011: 17-14, 12-6 MVC, Final RPI of 74
Creighton finished the 2011 season with a 17-14 mark, falling in the quarterfinals of the MVC Tournament. The Bluejays tied a program record with three First Team All-MVC picks (Megan Bober, Laurel Sanford and MVC Libero of the Year Julianne Mandolfo). Bober broke an MVC single-season record with nine triple-doubles, while Mandolfo set CU single-season records for digs and digs per set. Leah McNary and Michelle Sicner were both named to The Valley’s All-Freshman squad.
2010: 21-12, 13-5 MVC, Final RPI of 32, NCAA Second Round
Creighton’s breakthrough season saw the Bluejays make their first NCAA Tournament and upset No. 16 Iowa State. Kirsten Bernthal Booth claimed National Coach of the Year honors from CVU.com. Creighton finished third in the MVC, the nation’s sixth-ranked conference, and then broke down another barrier by reaching its first conference tournament final. The Bluejays earned an at-large bid and beat Iowa State in five sets before falling at No. 12 Minnesota in the NCAA Tourney. Sophomore Megan Bober was named First Team All-MVC and All-American Honorable Mention as part of a balanced squad that ranked second nationally in digs per set (18.94).
2009: 14-17, 10-8 MVC, Final RPI of 86
Creighton opened D.J. Sokol Arena inside the Wayne and Eileen Ryan Athletic Center, setting a then-school record with 10 home wins. Creighton beat No. 25 Wichita State on Oct. 2 for its first win over a ranked opponent, and hosted the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament for the first time at year’s end. The team overcame a 3-8 non-conference mark with a fourth-place finish in the MVC. Jessica Houts was named First Team All-MVC to lead a Creighton defense that ranked third nationally in blocks per set.
2008: 18-9, 15-3 MVC, Final RPI of 46
Creighton just missed an NCAA bid, finishing with the second-best RPI of any team left out of the field. The Bluejays dropped five-set matches to No. 21 LSU and UAB early in the year and a chance to pick up some key wins were lost when a tournament was cancelled due to a hurricane in Texas. Creighton cruised through the league with a 15-3 mark, including a sweep of UNI on the last weekend of the year, to finish alone in second place and set a program record with an eighth-straight win. However, the Bluejays dropped a five-set match to UNI in the MVC Tournament semifinals. Jessica Houts was named MVC Defensive Player of the Year and Honorable Mention All-American while joining teammates Korie Lebeda and Amanda Cvejdlik on the All-MVC First Team.
2007: 21-10, 14-4 MVC, Final RPI of 56
Creighton didn’t receive an NCAA Tournament at-large bid after a second consecutive 21-10 campaign. The Bluejays tied for second in the MVC but despite one of the nation’s top-15 toughest non-conference schedules, weren’t among four MVC teams selected to the NCAA’s. Kelly Goc and Korie Lebeda both repeated as First Team All-Valley picks, with Goc also named an All-American Honorable Mention. Allie Oelke was MVC Freshman of the Year and libero Bianca Rivera set a single-season dig mark. Creighton averaged 1,860 fans per home match, including more than 13,000 at CHI Health Center Omaha for a Sept. 2 contest vs. Cal Poly.
2006: 21-10, 12-6 MVC, Final RPI of 57
Creighton’s first team to win 20 or more matches ranked among the national leaders in attendance, too. A five-set road win at Wichita State and four-set match against eventual national champion Nebraska before more than 12,000 fans prove the program reached previously unprecedented heights. Kelly Goc and Korie Lebeda were both named First Team All-Valley as Creighton beat three teams that reached the NCAA Tournament.
2005: 16-14, 10-8 MVC, Final RPI of 124
A road win at Northern Iowa highlighted a 16-14 season. Leah Ratzlaff repeated her First Team All-MVC honors and finished 12th in league history in career kills. Korie Lebeda topped the MVC with a league and school-record 13.34 assists per set and was joined by classmates Jessica Houts and Amanda Cvejdlik to form a talented trio of Bluejay freshmen.
2004: 18-11, 10-8 MVC, Final RPI of 95
A then-school-record seven-match winning streak that included victories at Missouri, New Mexico and Iowa helped Creighton reach 18 wins. Leah Ratzlaff was First Team All-MVC, while Carolyn Decker and Kelly Goc were named to the MVC’s All-Freshman Team.
2003: 12-18, 9-9 MVC, Final RPI of 170
With virtually the same personnel, Booth’s first team improved its win total from 2002 by nine to finish 12-18. The season marked the program’s move to the Omaha Civic Auditorium, and attendance records fell. Single-season school records were set for kills (Leah Ratzlaff), digs (Janeen Piller), blocks (Ashley Williams) and assists (Brittany Coleman)..
Major Awards and Honors Under Booth at Creighton
American Volleyball Coaches Association
ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM
Kendra Wait - 2024
ALL-AMERICA SECOND TEAM
Norah Sis - 2024
ALL-AMERICA THIRD TEAM
Kelli Browning - 2014
Lydia Dimke - 2016
Ava Martin - 2024
Norah Sis - 2021
Kendra Wait - 2023
Jaali Winters - 2015, ‘18
Brittany Witt - 2019
ALL-AMERICA HONORABLE MENTION
Maddy Bilinovic - 2024
Megan Bober - 2010, ‘12
Kelli Browning - 2012, ‘13
Madelyn Cole - 2018, ‘19
Lydia Dimke - 2017
Kelly Goc - 2007
Elise Goetzinger - 2024
Jessica Houts - 2008
Taryn Kloth - 2016, ‘18
Ava Martin - 2023
Michelle Sicner - 2013
Norah Sis - 2022
Lauren Smith - 2015
Kendra Wait - 2021, ‘22
Marysa Wilkinson - 2017
Jaali Winters - 2016
Brittany Witt - 2017
Jaela Zimmerman - 2020, ‘21
ALL-CENTRAL REGION FIRST TEAM
Megan Bober - 2010, ‘12
Kelli Browning - 2012
Kelly Goc - 2007
Jessica Houts - 2008
ALL-EAST REGION FIRST TEAM
Megan Ballenger - 2019
Kelli Browning - 2013, ‘14
Madelyn Cole - 2018, ‘19
Keeley Davis - 2019, ‘20
Lydia Dimke - 2016, ‘17
Naomi Hickman - 2020
Taryn Kloth - 2016, ‘18
Ava Martin - 2023
Kiana Schmitt - 2023
Michelle Sicner - 2013
Norah Sis - 2021, ‘22
Lauren Smith - 2015, ‘16
Kendra Wait - 2021, ‘22, ‘23
Jaali Winters - 2015, ‘16, ‘17, ‘18
Marysa Wilkinson - 2016, ‘17
Brittany Witt - 2017, ‘19
Jaela Zimmerman - 2020, ‘21
EAST REGION COACH OF THE YEAR
Kirsten Bernthal Booth - 2015, ‘16, ‘18, ‘23
EAST REGION FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Norah Sis - 2021
Jaali Winters - 2015
Brittany Witt - 2016
EAST REGION PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Madelyn Cole - 2019
Jaela Zimmerman - 2020
ALL-WEST REGION FIRST TEAM
Maddy Bilinovic - 2024
Elise Goetzinger - 2024
Ava Martin - 2024
Norah Sis - 2024
Kendra Wait - 2024
WEST REGION COACH OF THE YEAR
Kirsten Bernthal Booth - 2024
BIG EAST Conference
COACH OF THE YEAR
Kirsten Bernthal Booth - 2015, ‘16, ‘19, ‘23, ‘24
FIRST TEAM
Megan Ballenger - 2019
Maggie Baumert - 2015
Maddy Bilinovic - 2024
Jess Bird - 2014
Abby Bottomley -2021
Kelli Browning - 2013, ‘14
Madelyn Cole - 2018, ‘19
Keeley Davis - 2019, ‘20
Lydia Dimke - 2016, ‘17
Elise Goetzinger - 2024
Naomi Hickman - 2020
Taryn Kloth - 2016, ‘18
Ava Martin - 2022, ‘23, ‘24
Leah McNary - 2013
Kiana Schmitt - 2022, ‘23
Norah Sis - 2021, ‘22, ‘23, ‘24
Lauren Smith - 2015
Kendra Wait - 2021, ‘22, ‘23, ‘24
Marysa Wilkinson - 2017
Jaali Winters - 2015 , ‘16, ‘17, ‘18
Brittany Witt - 2017, ‘19
Jaela Zimmerman - 2019, ‘20, ‘21
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Keeley Davis - 2019
Ava Martin - 2022
Norah Sis - 2021
Jaali Winters - 2015
LIBERO OF THE YEAR
Brittany Witt - 2017, ‘19
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Lydia Dimke - 2016
Norah Sis - 2022
Jaali Winters - 2018
Kendra Wait - 2023, ‘24
SETTER OF THE YEAR
Kendra Wait - 2023, ‘24
TOURNAMENT MVP
Jess Bird - 2015
Naomi Hickman - 2020
Taryn Kloth - 2017
Kiana Schmitt - 2023
Norah Sis - 2021, ‘22
Lauren Smith - 2014
Jaali Winters - 2016, ‘18
Kendra Wait - 2024
CaptainU
COLLEGE COACH OF THE YEAR
Kirsten Bernthal Booth - 2012
College Sports Communicators
ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA
Megan Bober - 2012 (Second Team)
Abby Bottomley - 2021 (First Team)
Emily Greisch - 2006 (Third Team)
Taryn Kloth - 2018 (Third Team)
Kiana Schmitt - 2023 (Third Team)
Norah Sis - 2024 (Second Team)
Kendra Wait - 2022 (Second Team)
Kendra Wait - 2023 (First Team); 2018 (First Team)
Jaali Winters - 2017 (Third Team); 2018 (Second Team)
Brittany Witt - 2019 (Third Team)
CVU.com
NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR
Kirsten Bernthal Booth - 2010
Missouri Valley Conference
COACH OF THE YEAR
Kirsten Bernthal Booth - 2012
FIRST TEAM
Megan Bober - 2010, ‘11, ‘12
Kelli Browning - 2012
Amanda Cvejdlik - 2008
Kelly Goc - 2006, ‘07
Jessica Houts - 2008, ‘09
Melanie Jereb - 2012
Korie Lebeda - 2006, ‘07, ‘08
Julianne Mandolfo - 2011
Leah Ratzlaff - 2004, ‘05
Laurel Sanford - 2011
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kelli Browning - 2012
Jessica Houts - 2008
ELITE 18 AWARD
Brooke Boggs - 2012
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Allie Oelke - 2007
LIBERO OF THE YEAR
Julianne Mandolfo - 2011
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Megan Bober - 2012
TOURNAMENT MVP
Megan Bober - 2012
Olympics
Taryn Kloth - 2024 (Beach Volleyball)
PrepVolleyball.com
ALL-AMERICA SECOND TEAM
Jaali Winters - 2016
ALL-AMERICA HONORABLE MENTION
Lydia Dimke - 2016, ‘17
Taryn Kloth - 2016
Jaali Winters - 2017
Brittany Witt - 2017
VolleyballMag.com
ALL-AMERICA SECOND TEAM
Norah Sis - 2023, ‘24
ALL-AMERICA THIRD TEAM
Maddy Bilinovic - 2024
Ava Martin - 2024
Norah Sis - 2021, ‘22
Kendra Wait - 2023
Jaali Winters - 2016, ‘18
ALL-AMERICA FOURTH TEAM
Brittany Witt - 2019
ALL-AMERICA HONORABLE MENTION
Abby Bottomley - 2021
Lydia Dimke - 2016, ‘17
Elise Goetzinger - 2024
Taryn Kloth - 2018
Ava Martin - 2023
Kendra Wait - 2021, ‘22
Brittany Witt - 2017
Jaela Zimmerman - 2019, ‘20, ‘21
NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR
Kirsten Bernthal Booth - 2016
NATIONAL FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Norah Sis - 2021
AVCA Team Academic Award
Creighton - 2004, ‘05, ‘06, ‘07, ‘08, ‘10, ‘11, ‘13, ‘16, ‘17, ‘18, ‘19, ‘20, ‘21, ‘22, ‘23, ‘24
Kirsten Bernthal Booth vs. Division I Opponents
Opponent W-L
Arkansas 2-1
Arkansas State 2-0
Auburn 1-1
Baylor 0-1
Ball State 2-0
Belmont 1-0
Bowling Green 2-0
Bradley 18-2
Butler 22-1
BYU 1-0
Cal Poly 0-1
CSU Bakersfield 1-0
Cal State Northridge 1-0
California 0-1
Central Michigan 1-0
Charlotte 1-0
Chattanooga 1-0
Coastal Carolina 2-0
Colgate 1-0
Colorado 1-1
Connecticut 5-2
Dayton 0-1
Denver 2-0
DePaul 27-0
Drake 21-3
Duke 0-1
Eastern Washington 0-1
Evansville 19-1
Florida Atlantic 1-0
Florida International 0-1
Florida State 1-0
Georgetown 22-0
Gonzaga 1-0
Green Bay 1-0
Hawai’i 0-1
High Point 1-0
Illinois 1-5
Illinois State 15-9
Indiana State 17-3
Iowa 1-2
Iowa State 7-4
Jacksonville State 2-0
Kansas 4-8
Kansas City 3-0
Kansas State 3-5
Kentucky 5-3
Liberty 1-0
Lipscomb 3-2
Louisville 0-3
Loyola (Chicago) 1-0
Loyola Marymount 0-1
LSU 1-1
Marquette 29-7
McNeese State 2-0
Miami (Ohio) 2-0
Michigan 1-0
Michigan State 0-1
Middle Tennessee 1-1
Minnesota 2-5
Mississippi State 1-0
Missouri 3-0
Missouri State 6-14
Montana 1-0
Montana State 3-0
Morehead State 0-1
Nebraska 0-17
Nevada 1-0
New Mexico 1-0
North Carolina 1-1
NC State 2-0
North Dakota State 2-0
Northeastern 0-1
Northern Colorado 3-1
Northern Illinois 0-1
Northern Iowa 16-23
Ole Miss 3-0
Omaha 5-0
Pacific 0-1
Penn State 0-1
Pepperdine 1-0
Pittsburgh 1-0
Providence 17-0
Purdue 2-1
Oregon State 0-1
Rice 1-1
Saint Louis 3-1
Saint Mary’s (Calif.) 2-0
Samford 1-0
San Diego State 1-0
San Francisco 1-0
Seton Hall 21-3
SMU 2-0
South Dakota 7-2
South Dakota State 2-1
Southern Illinois 20-1
St. John’s 21-3
Stanford 0-1
Stephen F. Austin 1-0
Syracuse 1-0
TCU 1-0
Tennessee 1-0
Texas 1-1
Texas A&M 1-2
Texas Tech 1-0
Toledo 0-1
Tulsa 1-0
UAB 0-2
UC Riverside 1-0
UCF 1-0
UCLA 0-1
USC 4-6
USF 2-0
Utah Valley 1-0
UTSA 1-0
Villanova 22-3
Wake Forest 1-0
Washington 1-2
Weber State 1-0
Wichita State 16-15
Wisconsin 1-1
Wyoming 3-1
Xavier 26-1
TOTALS 502-192
