For the third straight year, Creighton volleyball is headed to the Sweet 16. But this time, the Bluejays are doing it under first-year head coach Brian Rosen, who has guided the program to its 14th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.

No. 11 ranked Creighton will face No. 10 Arizona State at noon Saturday inside Lexington’s Memorial Coliseum, with a spot in the Elite Eight on the line. The match will be broadcast on ESPN2.

The Bluejays advanced after home victories over Northern Colorado and Northern Iowa last weekend at Sokol Arena. For seniors Kiara Reinhardt and Ava Martin, the moment carries significant weight.

“We’ve had these goals for a long time now,” Rosen said. “They came here and chose Creighton for opportunities just like this. I am just really proud of them and our whole team to get to this point.”

Arizona State (28–3) enters as the No. 7 overall seed and the No. 2 seed in the Kentucky regional. The Sun Devils’ resume is impressive: their only losses are to Pittsburgh, Texas and Iowa State, and they sit one spot ahead of Creighton in the national rankings.

This year, ASU is one of the nation’s most physical defenses, averaging 2.87 blocks per set. Junior outside hitter Noemie Glover, a transfer from Oregon, was named Big 12 Player of the Year. Bailey Miller (outside hitter) and fellow former Duck Colby Neal (middle blocker) earned First Team All-Big 12 honors.

Rosen said Creighton has studied Arizona State closely.

“We’ve gotten to watch them quite a bit on film,” he said. “We have very similar resumes, similar RPIs [Ratings Percentage Indexes], same best win…in Kansas.”

The parallels are striking. Both programs beat Northern Iowa and Kansas—Creighton doing it twice, ASU once. Both were swept by Texas. And both recorded exactly 13 wins against NCAA Tournament teams. On paper, it’s one of the most balanced regional semifinal matchups in the bracket.

Keys for Creighton:

1. Getting ASU out of system: Neutralizing Arizona State’s block will be central to Creighton’s chances. Rosen believes the match will hinge on which team can maintain structure offensively. “Ultimately, I think this match will come down to which team stays in system more consistently,” Rosen said. “Every team, no matter how good, has holes in their block when they’re out of system.”
2. A versatile offensive plan: Forcing ASU’s middle blockers to move will be essential. Setter Anna Maeder said the Jays have already dissected the Sun Devils’ tendencies. “Our coaching staff does a phenomenal job of scouting other teams and giving me a game plan of who we start with, setting, and what we want to run,” Maeder said. Expect outside hitters like Martin and Abbey Hayes to play major roles in shaping that plan.
3. Serving pressure: One of Creighton’s most consistent weapons all season has been its serve. The Bluejays rank fourth nationally with 2.16 aces per set. Liberos Saige Damrow and Sydney Breissinger, along with middle Nora Wurtz, will be key in applying early pressure. “Hopefully, our serving pressure and our ability to win first contact will be the difference,” Rosen said.
4. Staying resilient: Creighton’s path through the NCAA Tournament has already tested its composure. In the opening round, the Jays survived a five-set battle against Northern Colorado. It serves as a reminder that even teams on long win streaks must weather momentum swings. “Even though we haven’t lost [since September], we definitely have been in very versatile situations that I think will help us this weekend,” Maeder said.

A win would send Creighton to the program’s second-straight Elite Eight, playing the winner of the Kentucky vs. Cal Poly match. The match begins at noon Central on ESPN2.