Creighton Bluejays
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The Creighton Bluejays, or Jays, are the athletic teams of Creighton University, located in Omaha, Nebraska. Creighton competes in NCAA Division I athletics, competing in the Missouri Valley Conference. Creighton fields 14 teams in eight sports:
- Baseball (Men)
- Men/women's Basketball
- Crew (Women)
- Men/Women's Cross country
- Men/Women's Golf
- Men/Women's Soccer
- Softball (Women)
- Men/Women's Tennis
- Volleyball (Women)
Contents |
[edit] Baseball
Creighton's baseball competes in the Missouri Valley Conference. They are coached by Ed Servais, after a 2005 season that saw them make a return to the NCAA Tournament, they failed to make the postseason in 2006. The teams plays the majority of its home games at the Creighton Sports Complex, occasionally playing home contests at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium, the home of the NCAA College World Series and the Omaha Royals of the Pacific Coast League.
Creighton made its first and only appearance in the NCAA College World Series in 1991. The Creighton Bluejays advanced to the CWS by defeating the University of Hawaii Rainbows 15-8 in finals of the NCAA West I Regional in Los Angeles, CA. Additionally, the Bluejays swept the four-game regional by beating Pepperdine University, University of Minnesota and host team University of Southern California in a hard-fought, 10-inning 8-7 victory.
The seventh-seeded Bluejays (49-20) opened play versus number two-seed Clemson Tigers in front of a home crowd of more than 16,000. The game ended with an 8-4 Creighton victory, setting up a second round match with the Wichita State University Shockers.
The Bluejays Head Coach Jim Hendry is now the General Manager of the Chicago Cubs.
For many years Creighton has also been one of the host institutions (in coordination with the city of Omaha and others) that hosts the NCAA College World Series.
Team Honors:
Missouri Valley Conference Regular Season Champions (1): 2005*
* Outright
NCAA Regionals Appearances (7): 1973, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2005
College World Series Appearances (1): 1991
[edit] Men's Basketball
The men's basketball team is the most popular and most recognizable of all of Creighton's athletic programs, having gone to the NCAA basketball tournament six of the last eight years (1999-2003, 2005, they went to the National Invitation Tournament in 2004 and 2006).
Creighton's men's basketball program has been a member of the Missouri Valley Conference since the 1977-78 season. Prior to the 1977-78 season, the Jays participated as an Independent from 1948-1977.
Creighton's current head coach is Dana Altman. Altman is the "dean" of coaches in the Missouri Valley Conference. He became head coach at the beginning of the 1994-1995 seaon, following stints as the head coach at Kansas State University, and Marshall University. Through the 2005-2006 season, Altman owns a record of 238-130 (.647) at Creighton.
The men's team plays all of their home games at the Qwest Center Omaha (17,560). The 2005-2006 season was their third at Qwest Center Omaha.
On November 14, 2006, Creighton played their 50th game at Qwest Center Omaha, and Creighton owns a 41-9 (.820) record during that span.
Prior to the Qwest Center, Creighton played their home games at the Omaha Civic Auditorium (9,100).
Famous individuals associated with Creighton basketball include former players: Kyle Korver, Paul Silas, Bob Gibson, Benoit Benjamin and Rodney Buford. Famous former coaches include "Red" McManus, Willis Reed, and Eddie Sutton.
Team Honors:
AP National Champions: 1942-43
Missouri Valley Conference Regular Season Champions (13): 1929-30, 1930-31, 1931-32*, 1934-35, 1935-36, 1940-41*, 1941-42, 1942-43*, 1977-78*, 1988-89*, 1990-91*, 2000-01*, 2001-02
* Outright
Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Champions (9): 1978, 1981, 1989, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005
NCAA Tournament Appearances (15): 1941, 1962, 1964, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1981, 1989, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005
NIT Appearances (8): 1942, 1943, 1977, 1984, 1990, 1998, 2004, 2006
Guardians Classic Tournament Champions (2): 2002, 2004
[edit] Women's Basketball
The women's basketball team is coached by Jim Flanery, and were the 2004 WNIT Champions, they play their home games at the Omaha Civic Auditorium.
Team Honors:
Western Athletic Conference Regular Season Champions (2): 1990-91*, 1991-92*
* Outright
Missouri Valley Conference Regular Season Champions (2): 2001-02*, 2002-03
* Outright
Western Athletic Conference Tournament Champions (1): 1992
Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Champions (1): 2002
NCAA Tournament Appearances (3): 1992, 1994, 2002
WNIT Appearances (5): 1987, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005
WNIT Champions (1): 2004
[edit] Men's Soccer
The men's soccer team has gone to the NCAA Tournament every year for the last 15 years with three appearances in the College Cup and one appearance in the National Championship Match--as well as being the only soccer program in the nation to have at least one athlete taken in every Major League Soccer (MLS) draft to date.
Creighton plays their home matches at Morrison Stadium (capacity appx. 6,000), located at 19th (Florence Blvd.) and California Streets. The stadium is named after former Creighton University President Fr. Michael Morrison, S.J.
Prior to the 2003 season, Creighton played their home games at Tranquility Park in West Omaha.
Team Honors:
Missouri Valley Conference Regular Season Champions (7): 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2006
Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Champions (10): 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006
NCAA Tournament Appearances (15): 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
NCAA College Cup Appearances (3): 1996, 2000*, 2002
*National Runner-Up
Former Bluejays and Current Active MLS Players: Mehdi Ballouchy (Real Salt Lake); Brian Mullan (Houston Dynamo); Richard Mulrooney (FC Dallas), Julian Nash (Houston Dynamo); David Wagenfuhr (FC Dallas)
[edit] Women's Soccer
The women's soccer team has won three out of the last five MVC tournament championships and advancing to the NCAA tournament in those same seasons. The team also plays its home games on-campus at Morrison Stadium.
Team Honors:
Missouri Valley Conference Regular Season Champions (1): 2002
Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Champions (3): 2002, 2004, 2005
NCAA Tournament Appearances (3): 2002, 2004, 2005
[edit] External links
| Missouri Valley Conference |
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| Bradley • Creighton • Drake • Evansville • Illinois State • Indiana State • Missouri State • Northern Iowa • Southern Illinois • Wichita State |
