Creighton Bluejays
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| Creighton Bluejays | |
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| University | Creighton University |
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| Conference | Missouri Valley Conference |
| NCAA | Division I |
| Athletics director | Bruce Rasmussen |
| Location | Omaha, NE |
| Varsity Teams | 14 |
| Stadium | Morrison Stadium |
| Arena | Qwest Center Omaha |
| Arena 2 | Omaha Civic Auditorium |
| Mascot | Billy Bluejay |
| Nickname | Jays |
| Fight Song | |
| Colors | Blue and White
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| Homepage | www.gocreighton.com |
The Creighton Bluejays, or Jays, are the athletic teams of Creighton University, a Jesuit/Catholic 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:
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[edit] Baseball
Creighton's baseball team 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 appeared in the NCAA College World Series in for the first time in 1991. That season saw the Creighton Bluejays advance to the CWS by defeating the University of Hawaii Rainbows 15-8 in finals of the NCAA West I Regional in Los Angeles, CA. Prior to the victory over Hawaii, the Bluejays swept the four-game regional by beating Pepperdine University, University of Minnesota and host team University of Southern California in a 10-inning 8-7 victory.
The seventh-seeded Bluejays (49-20) opened play versus number two-seed Clemson Tigers in front of then record 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 during that famous 1991 season, Jim Hendry, is now the General Manager of Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs.
Creighton is the host institution (in coordination with the city of Omaha) for 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
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. He became head coach at the beginning of the 1994-1995 season, following stints as the head coach at Kansas State University and Marshall University. Through the 2006-2007 season, Altman owns a record of 260-141 (.648 winning percentage) at Creighton.
The men's team plays all of their home games at the Qwest Center Omaha (17,262). The 2006-2007 season was their fourth at Qwest Center Omaha; Creighton owns a 52-11 (.825 winning percentage) record in their four years at Qwest Center Omaha.
Prior to the Qwest Center, Creighton played their home games at the Omaha Civic Auditorium (9,100). The Omaha Civic Auditorium is the current home of the Creighton women's basketball and volleyball teams.
Famous individuals associated with Creighton basketball include former players: Kyle Korver, Bob Harstad, Chad Gallagher, Ryan Sears, Ben Walker, Paul Silas, Bob Gibson, Benoit Benjamin and Rodney Buford. Famous former coaches include "Red" McManus, Willis Reed, and Eddie Sutton.
The all-time leading scorer in Creighton men's basketball history is Rodney Buford. Buford finished his four-year career at Creighton with 2,116 points.
On March 4, 2007, Creighton, playing as the second seed, defeated top seeded Southern Illinois 67-61 to clinch their tenth Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Championship, and the conference's automatic bid to the 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. The tournament championship was the sixth for head coach Dana Altman.
Senior guard Nate Funk earned the tournament's Most Valuable Player award, and also joined fellow seniors Nick Porter and Anthony Tolliver on the 2007 Missouri Valley Conference All-Tournament team.
On March 16, 2007, Nevada, playing as the seventh seed in the South Region, defeated tenth seeded Creighton 77-71 in overtime in the First Round of the 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. Creighton finished the 2006-2007 season with a 22-11 record.
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 (10): 1978, 1981, 1989, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007
NCAA Tournament Appearances (16): 1941, 1962, 1964, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1981, 1989, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007
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 from 1996 - 2005.
Creighton plays their home matches at Morrison Stadium (capacity appx. 6,000), located at 19th (Florence Blvd.) and California Streets in Omaha's near-north side. 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 of the last five Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championships, earning the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament in each of those years. 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 |
|---|
| Bradley • Creighton (Bluejays) • Drake (Bulldogs) • Evansville • Illinois State (Redbirds) • Indiana State • Missouri State (Bears) • Northern Iowa (Panthers) • Southern Illinois • Wichita State |
