After a season-opening loss to No. 2 Penn State, Creighton’s volleyball program faces a pair of high-profile rematches at the Opening Spike Classic in Madison, Wisconsin, taking on No. 5 Texas and No. 14 Kansas. The games will test a Bluejays outfit that, under first-year coach Brian Rosen, appears determined to prove it can compete with anyone even as it navigates a roster reshaped by six newcomers and just three returning starters.
Creighton’s coach has been clear about the mindset after the setback to Penn State: the opportunity isn’t just to compete with top teams, but to beat them. “Texas is going to want their revenge on us. Kansas is probably going to want a little comeback for us,” Rosen said ahead of the weekend. “We’re just really excited for these opportunities to get to play against these teams in these big moments.” The not-so-subtle takeaway is that the Bluejays intend to meet the moment rather than shrink from it.
The season-opening match showcased the fine line between strong play and missed chances. Creighton jumped into a back-and-forth first set but surrendered 7-2 late runs to Penn State, dropping that frame 25-18. The Bluejays then rallied to keep the second set competitive, even manufacturing an 8-0 run to pull within striking distance before PSU closed it out. In the third, Creighton held leads at 7-3, 22-18 and 24-22, only to see the set slip away. Rosen said the team believes it began playing better as the match progressed, but it’s the late-game opportunities that stuck with him. “We just missed a few,” he said, noting that Penn State’s two one-handed saves kept rallies alive—moves that helped fuel a national championship run last year and a reminder of what it takes to win at the highest level.
Two of the weekend’s opponents present very different challenges. Texas still carries a familiar brand of power and depth even without last year’s national player of the year Madisen Skinner. Rosen pointed to different weapons that could keep Creighton honest: Pitt transfer middle Torrey Stafford, an impact player at the net, and 6-foot-3 setter Ella Swindle, who figures to keep Texas’s tempo and ball control on point. And while Texas has a film advantage on Creighton in theory—having faced other opponents while Creighton will be learning about them during the tournament—Rosen warned that the Longhorns’ blocking prowess places them among the nation’s best, akin to Nebraska’s top-tier presence at the net.
Kansas presents a different curve. The Jayhawks opened with Vanderbilt, a five-set affair that came after Kansas resumed competition for the first time in 45 years, and then pushed Penn State to the brink in a five-set loss. Under Matt Ulmer, hired in January after eight strong seasons at Oregon, Kansas returns 13 players from last year’s NCAA tournament squad and added five newcomers—four freshmen and one transfer. Rosen acknowledged the teams will feel a different “jersey” this season, yet the competition will reveal how both programs have evolved. “Yes, we’re playing the same jersey, but these teams are so completely different,” he said.
The Opening Spike Classic will test Creighton’s depth and chemistry early in the season, the kind of gauntlet Rosen has repeatedly referenced. The schedule features three consecutive top-15 opponents to open the year, a deliberate plan Rosen has defended as a recruiting message and a program-building approach. “This is what we sell in recruiting. Like, this is who we are as a program. We want to play with and against the best,” he said, smiling at the sentiment.
Beyond the results, the weekend offers tangible opportunities for Creighton to grow. The presence of a largely new lineup means there will be growing pains, but also clear opportunities for the supporting cast to step forward and for the team to tighten in late-game situations. If Creighton can clean up the two key tendencies that hurt it against Penn State—converting set points and closing sets more reliably—the Bluejays could flip early momentum in a season that Rosen has framed as a test of character as much as a test of skill.
Outlook and value-added context
– Creighton’s 0-1 start is a reminder of how quickly momentum can shift when facing elite talent, but Rosen’s optimism signals a belief that the roster’s growth arc is progressing, even if the results aren’t yet translating to wins.
– The weekend will determine how quickly the team can gel with a blend of seasoned and new players, a crucial dynamic given the current balance of experience and potential.
– Texas and Kansas, both top-15 programs in the preseason, will offer contrasting game plans and personnel, providing valuable data on where Creighton sits and what adjustments are needed to compete for Big East supremacy and a national tournament berth later in the season.
Summary
Creighton enters the Opening Spike Classic seeking to translate a belief in its capabilities into tangible wins, recognizing that the path to success lies as much in execution under pressure as it does in talent. The two tests against Texas and Kansas will reveal how quickly a team built on a fresh mix of players can mature into a cohesive unit capable of competing with any top program. The early-season gauntlet is exactly the kind of challenge Rosen has said the program wants—one that can sharpen Creighton’s identity and position it for bigger opportunities ahead.