Early season notes and Minnesota scrimmage updates

It's been widely talked about the losses for Creighton Volleyball from the 2024 squad, but how are things looking for the the 2025 team going through Spring practices?  This team will lean heavily on returners Ava Martin and Jaya Johnson, who played their best postseason volleyball this past season.   Practices have been competitive, but also developmental and instructive as Coach Bernthal-Booth and staff install the Creighton system, tempo and philosophy to several new faces.  Here are some observations thus far and a couple notes from Saturday's Minnesota scrimmage in Brookings, SD

Early Practice Notes, 

Jaya Johnson is set to have an incredible sophomore season. With her size, she has a hammer for an arm and can be a shutdown blocker. 

Ava Martin still looks like Ava Martin. She is a true six-rotation player who can do it all. Blocking has been an area where she has focused heavily, and you can see the improvements. 

**Scrimmage Notes can confirm that Martin is the go-to for the Jays and, at least early on, who the new setter will look to when times are crucial. She is the experienced leader everyone looks at.

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Three of their transfers are already in the gym: Eloise Brandewie (Ohio State), Saige Damrow (Wisconsin), and Ivy Leuck (Omaha). 

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Ivy Lueck (Omaha) brings two years of starting experience running one of the fastest offenses in the country. 

**Scrimmage Notes Lueck was effective in the match watched on Saturday, and when in the system, she found targets. You can tell the Jays have multiple new options in the lineup.  One big positive was the communication and command that Lueck showed when on the court while leading the Jays attack.

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Grad transfer setter Annalea Maeder (Cal) is most likely to run the show this fall, but does not arrive on campus until the fall. This unknown makes it so hard to predict what the Jays will truly look like, but reports have been positive (around college volleyball) that this was a big addition for Creighton that will make them much better.

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Emersen Strain, Freshman, is getting valuable Spring reps and adjusting to the “college game” and the speed. You can tell there are several new factors for her to adjust to, but that is why Spring reps are so valuable.

Brandewie joins sixth year, All-Big East middle Kiara Reinhardt, and redshirt freshman middle, Nora Wurtz. 

They were a wall blocking at their first scrimmages this past weekend and should be a force at the net all season. **Scrimmage Notes: There will need to be development to get the offensive output that Goetzinger provided in 2024, but the trio appeared solid again Saturday vs. Minnesota in the scrimmage match.  Part of this is the uncertainty at setter, but also the development of an offensive weapon amongst the three.

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Saige Darrow and two-year starter, Sydney Breissinger, seem to be the lead candidates for the libero position, while Sky McCune and Alivia Hausman, who have both played significant roles for the Bluejays, add great defensive and serve receive depth. After 

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Ava Martin and Jaya Johnson are a great duo of young pin hitters. Martin should lead the way, but Johnson should be option #2.

**Scrimmage Notes:  Martin was a force vs. the Gophers and was lethal from multiple spots on the court.  Jaya needs to be set in-system and a harder time being terminal vs. a taller block, but as the match went on she read the defense better and found spots to score.

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Destiny Simpson had some clutch moments off the bench in the past and will be counted on for a bigger role this season. She continues to impress with her arm speed and has been working on a new, topspin serve. 

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Abbey Hayes is also on campus early, showing why she was a top recruit for the Jays and her ability to terminate on the outside. We have talked multiple times about Hayes and the potential for a large Freshman season. She had a couple of impact plays in the Minnesota match, proving that. If she can be solid in first contact and provide another reliable go-to option to complement Martin, I think the coaching staff will be thrilled.

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Returners Ava TeStrake and Sophia Wendlick, along with early enrollee Ashlyn Paymal, provide additional depth on the pins and could give the Bluejays reason to consider running a 6-2 this fall. 

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I would assume there will be quite a bit of mixing of lineups and position competitions in the remainder of Spring Practice for the Jays. The staff has a different task this season: making sure to train and develop young talent while also figuring out what lineups and playing time may look like for a solid Creighton team in August.

Also, like many programs, you can’t expect many of these decisions to be made anytime soon. There could be roster juggling well into the beginning of the season as younger athletes get comfortable and fight for more time. With the arrival of Maeder, things will really get serious.