2022 Volleyball Roster
Roster
Bolton, Ellie
DS
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/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballMB/RS
/ VolleyballRS/S
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballOH/DS
/ VolleyballDS
/ VolleyballS
/ VolleyballS
/ VolleyballDS/OH
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/ VolleyballMB
/ Volleyball
Jersey Number 1
Ellie Bolton
- Position:
- Defensive Specialist
- Height:
- 5-7
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Shawnee, Kan.
- High School:
- St. James Academy
- Deals:
Bio
2024: Senior at Creighton
• After 2023 season, announced she was entering the transfer portal and would play her final year at SMU.
• Senior defensive specialist who has seen most of her action this fall at libero, a role she held as a true freshman in 2020.
• Ranked eighth in the BIG EAST in digs per set.
• Missed six matches from Oct. 20-Nov. 5 due to injury, but has not seen action at libero since returning on Nov. 10.
• Owned at least one ace in 12 straight matches from Aug. 26-Sept. 23, tied for the second-longest streak in CU history.
• Was program’s first player since 2011 to have 20+ digs in four of team’s first six matches of a season.
• Named MVP of the Reamer Club Xtra Special Premier after finishing with 53 digs, 14 assists and two aces in three matches and helping CU to the title (Aug. 27), becoming CU’s first libero to ever be named a Tournament MVP.
• Owned 22 digs in 3-0 win at No. 16 Purdue (Aug. 26), then added 23 digs a day later vs. Duke.
• Had third straight match of 20+ digs when she had 20 in home opener vs. Ball State (Sept. 1).
• Closed Bluejay Invitational with season-high 25 digs and career-high 10 assists vs. UNI (Sept. 3) for her first career double-double.
• Dug 20 balls in 3-0 sweep at Omaha (Sept. 8), then added 18 more digs two days later to knock off unbeaten Iowa State (Sept. 10).
• Named to the Diet Coke Classic All-Tournament Team after 20 digs in victory over No. 9 Minnesota (Sept. 16).
• Registered first career kill vs. Georgetown on Oct. 13.
• Ranked third in the BIG EAST with 0.40 aces per set in league play in 2022.
• One of seven players from Kansas on the Bluejay roster.
• Was PrepVolleyball’s No. 97 recruit in Class of 2020.
• Sister Mya has verbally committed to Michigan State.
2022: Junior at Creighton
• Started 12 of 32 matches, including the final five.
• Ranked second on the team with 38 service aces and 454 serve attempts.
• Her 0.40 aces per set in league play ranked third in the BIG EAST and her 0.32 aces in all matches were ninth-best in the conference.
• Tied career-high with three service aces in road win at Wyoming to clinch Rumble in the Rockies title (Aug. 27).
• Surpassed her career-high with four aces in 3-0 win vs. Northern Iowa (Sept. 3).
• Dealt three aces in 3-0 win vs. Georgetown (Sept. 23).
• Started and dug 10 balls in 3-0 sweep vs. Butler (Sept. 30).
• Served two aces and owned 10 digs in 3-2 win at UConn (Oct. 7).
• Served three straight aces in fourth set vs. DePaul (Oct. 16) and finished with nine digs, six assists and three aces.
• Served a 10-0 run in first set of Creighton’s 3-0 win at Georgetown (Oct. 23).
• Had season-highs with 11 digs and six assists while serving two aces in 3-0 win at Seton Hall (Oct. 28).
• Tied season-high with 11 digs vs. UConn (Nov. 6).
• Had 37 digs in CU’s first 14 matches, then had 112 in the last 18.
2021: Sophomore at Creighton
• Played in team’s final 30 matches, including one start.
• Averaged 1.70 digs, 0.18 assists and 0.06 service aces per set.
• Did not play in team’s first five matches of the fall before checking in and serving a 6-0 run vs. Northern Iowa (Sept. 4).
• Dug three balls in 3-0 win vs. Omaha (Sept. 11).
• Returned to her home state of Kansas and had 15 digs in 3-0 sweep vs. Wichita State (Sept. 18).
• Owned four digs against both St. John’s (Oct. 1) and Seton Hall (Oct. 2).
• Snagged eight digs in win vs. Marquette (Oct. 10).
• Dug a season-high 19 balls at Connecticut (Oct. 16), including 10 in the fourth set when she donned the libero jersey for the first time all fall.
• Finished with nine digs and first ace of the season when she made her first career start in 3-0 win at Providence (Oct. 17).
2020: Freshman at Creighton
• Served as CU’s libero in 52-of-62 sets and became first freshman to lead the team in digs since Brittany Witt in 2016.
• Eighth in the BIG EAST with 3.85 digs per set.
• Her 239 total digs ranked second in the BIG EAST and were tops among freshmen.
• Named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week on March 16.
• Had 12 digs in her collegiate debut vs. Omaha (Jan. 22), moving to libero during the third set.
• Dug 22 balls in five-set match vs. South Dakota (Jan. 29), playing as libero in final three sets.
• Saw action at libero in five-set win at South Dakota (Jan. 31), finishing with 21 digs.
• Led CU with 17 digs vs. DePaul (March 5), also serving first ace.
• Collected 18 digs in 3-0 victory vs. Butler on March 13.
• Had season-high 28 digs in five-set win vs. Xavier (March 27).
• Picked up a match-high 17 digs in BIG EAST Tournament debut vs. UConn (April 2).
• Owned match-high 20 digs in BIG EAST finals victory vs. Marquette (April 3) while also serving up a season-high three aces.
• CU’s first freshman with consecutive matches of 20 or more digs since Brittany Witt (2016).
• Owned 27 digs in NCAA Tournament debut vs. Morehead State (April 14), the third-most ever by a Bluejay in the NCAA’s.
St. James Academy
• Senior year high school team finished the year ranked 20th nationally in the USA Today Super 25 rankings, going 40-3.
• Her junior year team went 34-8 and was ranked 18th nationally, while her sophomore squad was 39-6 and finished 17th in the poll.
• As a senior, named First Team All-State and a Second Team Under Armour All-American.
• Owns school records for digs in a season (616) and digs in a career (2,048).
• Selected to the Kansas 5A State All-Tournament Team during sophomore, junior and senior seasons.
• Had 583 digs (6.3 dps) and named Eastern Kansas League MVP after helping team to Class 5A state runner-up finish as a senior.
• The No. 97 Senior Ace per PrepVolleyball.com.
• Averaged 6.0 digs per set, totaling 616 digs to lead her team to a Class 5A state title in 2017 as a sophomore.
• Recognized by PrepVolleyball.com as a National Sophomore Player of the Year finalist following the 2017 season and Junior Player of the Year finalist following the 2018 campaign.
• Named First Team All-State and First Team All-Eastern Kansas League after both her sophomore and junior seasons, helping team to a state title each campaign.
• Named 2018 EKL Libero of the Year and a PrepVolleyball.com High School All-American Honorable Mention choice, when she had 602 digs.
• Coached by Nancy Dorsey.
• Recognized by PrepVolleyball.com as a 17’s Club Third Team All-American and among their Defensive Dandies (First Team in 2019; Second Team in 2018; Third Team in 2017).
• Named to the 4.0 GPA Honor Roll.
• Committed in February of 2018.
• Played for the KC Power club volleyball program.
Awards & Honors
2020 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week, 3/16
2021-22 BIG EAST All-Academic Team
2021-22 Dean’s List
2022-23 BIG EAST All-Academic Team
2022-23 Dean’s List
2023 Diet Coke Classic, All-Tournament Team, L
2023 Reamer Club Xtra Special Premier All-Tournament Team
2023 Reamer Club Xtra Special Premier Tournament MVP
Personal
• Daughter of Brady and Cristy Bolton.
• Has two siblings, Aidan and Mya.
• A marketing major, but still considering law school after graduation.
• Her great-grandfather George Bolton played football at Creighton (1925-28) and was also CU’s 1928 Prom King.
• Sports hero is Alex Morgan.
• Served as a marketing intern at OBI Creative this summer, a company where Creighton Volleyball alum Karisa (Almgren) Malchow is Vice President.
• Says her favorite social media account to follow is @CreightonVB.
• Dream vacation destination is Greece.
• Best birthday gift ever was concert tickets to see Thomas Rhett.
• Superstition is to chew mint gum before playing.
• Best friends on other volleyball teams are Evelyn Diederich (South Dakota), Anna Feldkamp (Loyola Chicago) and Olivia Lovett (Loyola Chicago).
• Best sports memory is winning back-to-back high school state championships.
• Chose to attend Creighton because of the great culture, amazing coaches and teammates, exceptional education, top-25 program, close to home and the amazing BIG EAST cities.
• Favorite BIG EAST road city is Washington, D.C.
• Best part of the Europe trip was travelling the world and seeing new places with her best friends. • Favorite books are the Harry Potter series.
• Thinks Alexandera Didario or Rachel McAdams would play her in a movie.
• After 2023 season, announced she was entering the transfer portal and would play her final year at SMU.
• Senior defensive specialist who has seen most of her action this fall at libero, a role she held as a true freshman in 2020.
• Ranked eighth in the BIG EAST in digs per set.
• Missed six matches from Oct. 20-Nov. 5 due to injury, but has not seen action at libero since returning on Nov. 10.
• Owned at least one ace in 12 straight matches from Aug. 26-Sept. 23, tied for the second-longest streak in CU history.
• Was program’s first player since 2011 to have 20+ digs in four of team’s first six matches of a season.
• Named MVP of the Reamer Club Xtra Special Premier after finishing with 53 digs, 14 assists and two aces in three matches and helping CU to the title (Aug. 27), becoming CU’s first libero to ever be named a Tournament MVP.
• Owned 22 digs in 3-0 win at No. 16 Purdue (Aug. 26), then added 23 digs a day later vs. Duke.
• Had third straight match of 20+ digs when she had 20 in home opener vs. Ball State (Sept. 1).
• Closed Bluejay Invitational with season-high 25 digs and career-high 10 assists vs. UNI (Sept. 3) for her first career double-double.
• Dug 20 balls in 3-0 sweep at Omaha (Sept. 8), then added 18 more digs two days later to knock off unbeaten Iowa State (Sept. 10).
• Named to the Diet Coke Classic All-Tournament Team after 20 digs in victory over No. 9 Minnesota (Sept. 16).
• Registered first career kill vs. Georgetown on Oct. 13.
• Ranked third in the BIG EAST with 0.40 aces per set in league play in 2022.
• One of seven players from Kansas on the Bluejay roster.
• Was PrepVolleyball’s No. 97 recruit in Class of 2020.
• Sister Mya has verbally committed to Michigan State.
2022: Junior at Creighton
• Started 12 of 32 matches, including the final five.
• Ranked second on the team with 38 service aces and 454 serve attempts.
• Her 0.40 aces per set in league play ranked third in the BIG EAST and her 0.32 aces in all matches were ninth-best in the conference.
• Tied career-high with three service aces in road win at Wyoming to clinch Rumble in the Rockies title (Aug. 27).
• Surpassed her career-high with four aces in 3-0 win vs. Northern Iowa (Sept. 3).
• Dealt three aces in 3-0 win vs. Georgetown (Sept. 23).
• Started and dug 10 balls in 3-0 sweep vs. Butler (Sept. 30).
• Served two aces and owned 10 digs in 3-2 win at UConn (Oct. 7).
• Served three straight aces in fourth set vs. DePaul (Oct. 16) and finished with nine digs, six assists and three aces.
• Served a 10-0 run in first set of Creighton’s 3-0 win at Georgetown (Oct. 23).
• Had season-highs with 11 digs and six assists while serving two aces in 3-0 win at Seton Hall (Oct. 28).
• Tied season-high with 11 digs vs. UConn (Nov. 6).
• Had 37 digs in CU’s first 14 matches, then had 112 in the last 18.
2021: Sophomore at Creighton
• Played in team’s final 30 matches, including one start.
• Averaged 1.70 digs, 0.18 assists and 0.06 service aces per set.
• Did not play in team’s first five matches of the fall before checking in and serving a 6-0 run vs. Northern Iowa (Sept. 4).
• Dug three balls in 3-0 win vs. Omaha (Sept. 11).
• Returned to her home state of Kansas and had 15 digs in 3-0 sweep vs. Wichita State (Sept. 18).
• Owned four digs against both St. John’s (Oct. 1) and Seton Hall (Oct. 2).
• Snagged eight digs in win vs. Marquette (Oct. 10).
• Dug a season-high 19 balls at Connecticut (Oct. 16), including 10 in the fourth set when she donned the libero jersey for the first time all fall.
• Finished with nine digs and first ace of the season when she made her first career start in 3-0 win at Providence (Oct. 17).
2020: Freshman at Creighton
• Served as CU’s libero in 52-of-62 sets and became first freshman to lead the team in digs since Brittany Witt in 2016.
• Eighth in the BIG EAST with 3.85 digs per set.
• Her 239 total digs ranked second in the BIG EAST and were tops among freshmen.
• Named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week on March 16.
• Had 12 digs in her collegiate debut vs. Omaha (Jan. 22), moving to libero during the third set.
• Dug 22 balls in five-set match vs. South Dakota (Jan. 29), playing as libero in final three sets.
• Saw action at libero in five-set win at South Dakota (Jan. 31), finishing with 21 digs.
• Led CU with 17 digs vs. DePaul (March 5), also serving first ace.
• Collected 18 digs in 3-0 victory vs. Butler on March 13.
• Had season-high 28 digs in five-set win vs. Xavier (March 27).
• Picked up a match-high 17 digs in BIG EAST Tournament debut vs. UConn (April 2).
• Owned match-high 20 digs in BIG EAST finals victory vs. Marquette (April 3) while also serving up a season-high three aces.
• CU’s first freshman with consecutive matches of 20 or more digs since Brittany Witt (2016).
• Owned 27 digs in NCAA Tournament debut vs. Morehead State (April 14), the third-most ever by a Bluejay in the NCAA’s.
St. James Academy
• Senior year high school team finished the year ranked 20th nationally in the USA Today Super 25 rankings, going 40-3.
• Her junior year team went 34-8 and was ranked 18th nationally, while her sophomore squad was 39-6 and finished 17th in the poll.
• As a senior, named First Team All-State and a Second Team Under Armour All-American.
• Owns school records for digs in a season (616) and digs in a career (2,048).
• Selected to the Kansas 5A State All-Tournament Team during sophomore, junior and senior seasons.
• Had 583 digs (6.3 dps) and named Eastern Kansas League MVP after helping team to Class 5A state runner-up finish as a senior.
• The No. 97 Senior Ace per PrepVolleyball.com.
• Averaged 6.0 digs per set, totaling 616 digs to lead her team to a Class 5A state title in 2017 as a sophomore.
• Recognized by PrepVolleyball.com as a National Sophomore Player of the Year finalist following the 2017 season and Junior Player of the Year finalist following the 2018 campaign.
• Named First Team All-State and First Team All-Eastern Kansas League after both her sophomore and junior seasons, helping team to a state title each campaign.
• Named 2018 EKL Libero of the Year and a PrepVolleyball.com High School All-American Honorable Mention choice, when she had 602 digs.
• Coached by Nancy Dorsey.
• Recognized by PrepVolleyball.com as a 17’s Club Third Team All-American and among their Defensive Dandies (First Team in 2019; Second Team in 2018; Third Team in 2017).
• Named to the 4.0 GPA Honor Roll.
• Committed in February of 2018.
• Played for the KC Power club volleyball program.
Awards & Honors
2020 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week, 3/16
2021-22 BIG EAST All-Academic Team
2021-22 Dean’s List
2022-23 BIG EAST All-Academic Team
2022-23 Dean’s List
2023 Diet Coke Classic, All-Tournament Team, L
2023 Reamer Club Xtra Special Premier All-Tournament Team
2023 Reamer Club Xtra Special Premier Tournament MVP
Personal
• Daughter of Brady and Cristy Bolton.
• Has two siblings, Aidan and Mya.
• A marketing major, but still considering law school after graduation.
• Her great-grandfather George Bolton played football at Creighton (1925-28) and was also CU’s 1928 Prom King.
• Sports hero is Alex Morgan.
• Served as a marketing intern at OBI Creative this summer, a company where Creighton Volleyball alum Karisa (Almgren) Malchow is Vice President.
• Says her favorite social media account to follow is @CreightonVB.
• Dream vacation destination is Greece.
• Best birthday gift ever was concert tickets to see Thomas Rhett.
• Superstition is to chew mint gum before playing.
• Best friends on other volleyball teams are Evelyn Diederich (South Dakota), Anna Feldkamp (Loyola Chicago) and Olivia Lovett (Loyola Chicago).
• Best sports memory is winning back-to-back high school state championships.
• Chose to attend Creighton because of the great culture, amazing coaches and teammates, exceptional education, top-25 program, close to home and the amazing BIG EAST cities.
• Favorite BIG EAST road city is Washington, D.C.
• Best part of the Europe trip was travelling the world and seeing new places with her best friends. • Favorite books are the Harry Potter series.
• Thinks Alexandera Didario or Rachel McAdams would play her in a movie.
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