Grow Omaha Sports

For the fourth year in a row, Creighton men’s basketball is ranked to begin the season. This year, the Bluejays were ranked No. 23 in the Associated Press preseason Top 25 poll. Creighton is one of 11 schools ranked in the Top 25 of the preseason AP poll each of the last four years, joining Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Duke, Gonzaga, Houston, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee. Not bad company.

Creighton will host No. 16 Iowa State this Friday for an exhibition game at 7:30 p.m. at the CHI Health Center. Tickets are still available, and the game will be broadcast on Nebraska Public Media, 1620 The Zone and 101.9 FM The Keg.

Omaha Supernovas outside hitter Reagan Cooper shined in Week 2 of the Athletes Unlimited Professional Volleyball Championship, earning more than 700 points and 50 kills in a week that saw her climb to No. 2 overall in the standings at the halfway point of the AU season. Despite Team Hentz winning only one match, Cooper was voted the No. 1 MVP in two of the three contests.

Cooper tallied 51 kills on a staggering .365 hitting percentage on 115 swings. With an additional 10 digs, one ace and one assist, she compiled 737 total points — the third most of any player in Week 2. As a result, she has risen to No. 2 overall in the leaderboard and will serve as a captain for Week 3.

AU has the week off as play shifts to Madison, Wis., for the final two weeks of action. The Week 3 draft is scheduled for Monday, October 20, at 10 a.m. Cooper, AU leader Jordan Thompson, former Supernovas setter Natalia Valentín-Anderson and Molly McCage will serve as team captains.

Union Omaha is on a 10-match unbeaten streak after last weekend’s draw against Greenville. By the time the Owls kick off their next match on Saturday, it will have been more than two months since their last loss. Since interim head coach Vincenzo Candela took over, Omaha has risen from 14th to fifth in USL League One standings.

League officials announced last week that Union Omaha midfielder Sergio Ors Navarro was voted USL League One Player of the Month. The 24-year-old is the eighth first-year professional to be voted Player of the Month since the league’s inception in 2019. He scored five goals and added one assist to help Union Omaha to an undefeated 3-0-2 month.

 will host Forward Madison this Saturday, October 18, at 6 p.m. The club will be giving away bobbleheads of Dion Acoff to the first 1,000 fans in attendance.

The Kansas City Royals announced today that Omaha Storm Chasers manager Mike Jirschele is retiring following a 48-year career in professional baseball, including 38 years in the Kansas City Royals organization as a player, coach, manager and in the front office.

The all-time winningest manager in Omaha franchise history (1,214 wins), Jirschele managed the Storm Chasers for 17 seasons and a franchise-record 2,454 games, representing 31 percent of the club’s history. “Jirsch” led Omaha to four division titles, three league championships and one national championship.

Omaha Hockey split last weekend’s series against rival Minnesota State, winning Friday’s opener 6-2 before dropping Saturday’s contest, 4-1. Omaha will return to the ice next Friday, October 24, when it hosts No. 11 Massachusetts for a weekend series.

Creighton senior Annalea Maeder was named Big East Setter of the Week on Monday, her third time receiving the honor this season. In sweeps over Georgetown and Villanova last weekend, Maeder recorded 64 assists and 13 digs, adding a career-high nine kills against Villanova.

Creighton is on an eight-match winning streak that includes six in a row to begin Big East play. Tomorrow, Friday, October 17, the Bluejays host St. John’s at D.J. Sokol Arena at 6 p.m.

This Sunday, October 19, Creighton will host Seton Hall for its annual Pink Out game, with first serve scheduled for 12:30 p.m.

Upcoming Games

• Omaha volleyball at Oral Roberts | Thursday, Oct. 16 | 7 p.m.
• Creighton men’s soccer at Villanova | Friday, Oct. 17 | 2 p.m.
• #13 Creighton volleyball vs. St. John’s | Friday, Oct. 17 | 6 p.m.
• Omaha volleyball at Denver | Saturday, Oct. 18 | 1 p.m.
• Creighton women’s soccer at DePaul | Saturday, Oct. 18 | 3 p.m.
• Omaha men’s soccer at Delaware | Saturday, Oct. 18 | 5 p.m.
• Union Omaha vs. Forward Madison FC | Saturday, Oct. 18 | 6 p.m.
• Omaha women’s soccer vs. Denver | Sunday, Oct. 19 | 12 p.m.
• #13 Creighton volleyball vs. Seton Hall | Sunday, Oct. 19 | 12:30 p.m.
• Omaha volleyball at Kansas City | Tuesday, Oct. 21 | 7 p.m.
• Creighton women’s soccer vs. Seton Hall | Wednesday, Oct. 22 | 7 p.m.

“Candid Coaches” is an annual series from CBS Sports that spotlights relevant topics and issues in men’s college basketball. The second installment of the 2025 survey was released recently, and one question posed to roughly 100 coaches was “Who is the best X’s and O’s coach in college basketball right now?” The top three answers were Purdue’s Matt Painter (19%), UConn’s Dan Hurley (18%), and Creighton’s Greg McDermott (16%). Of the more than 15 coaches receiving votes, none outside of the top three received more than 7 percent of the vote.

One direct quote from an anonymous coach offered high praise for McDermott, noting that “Year in and year out his teams run their offense with precision, pace and high-level execution. Having scouted against him and felt the pressure they put on the defense, it is hard to argue against that. Great after time outs. Great in-game adjustments. And puts players in great spots.”

Omaha Hockey begins its 2025-26 campaign this weekend against another set of Mavericks, No. 20 Minnesota State. Last season the two programs faced off for the first time in nearly 10 years, and Minnesota State swept the weekend series. The puck-drop at Baxter Arena is 7 p.m. both Friday and Saturday.

Union Omaha continued its impressive lossless streak on Sunday, defeating FC Naples 2-1 to clinch its spot in the USL League One Playoffs. Union Omaha has three regular season matches remaining on the following three Saturdays (Oct. 11, 18 and 25). This Saturday, they travel to Greenville Triumph SC for a 1 p.m. match. Their final two matches will be played at Werner Park.

Omaha men’s basketball, the defending Summit League regular-season and tournament champions, was selected second in the 2025-26 Summit League Preseason Poll, revealed Tuesday at Summit League Media Day. The Mavericks, who received 13 first-place votes, trailed only St. Thomas, the projected No. 1 team in the Summit this season. St. Thomas received 17 first-place votes. Senior guards Tony Osburn and Ja’Sean Glover were named to the Preseason All-Summit First and Second teams, respectively.

Creighton volleyball seniors Ava Martin and Kiara Reinhardt earned a pair of weekly Big East honors after a 2-0 week that kept the No. 13 Bluejays undefeated in conference play. Martin was named Offensive Player of the Week after averaging 5.93 points and 4.86 kills per set. Both marks led the conference over the week. Reinhardt was named Defensive Player of the Week for the second straight week, posting nine blocks over two matches. Reinhardt is on a historic pace with her seventh career Big East Defensive Player of the Week honor. Per Associate Athletic Director Rob Anderson, in Creighton program history, only libero Brittany Witt (8) has more. The Bluejays are on the road this weekend, facing Georgetown on Friday at 6 p.m. and Villanova on Saturday at 6 p.m.

Former Creighton softball standout Tara (Oltman) Higgins was named to the DI Softball All-Quarter Century Team last Thursday, Oct. 2. During her time at Creighton, Oltman was a 13-time Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week and set school and league records in wins (118), strikeouts (1,086), innings pitched (1,064) appearances (187), starts (143) and complete games (128). Joining Oltman on the All-Quarter Century Team was former Bluejay assistant coach and Drake star Nicole Newman.

Athletes Unlimited Volleyball continues this weekend at Liberty First Credit Union Arena. Captains Jordan Thompson, Natalia Valentin-Anderson, Morgan Hentz and Claire Hoffman selected their teams for the second week of the 2025 AU Pro Volleyball Championship season during Tuesday morning’s draft.

The four teams begin Week Two tonight, Thursday, Oct. 9. Team Hentz and Team Valentin-Anderson open the doubleheader at 5:30 p.m. before Team Thompson faces off with Team Hoffman in the nightcap at 8 p.m. There will then be two games each Sunday and Monday to round out play in Omaha.

Upcoming Games

• Athletes Unlimited Volleyball | Thursday, Oct. 9 | 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.
• #13 Creighton volleyball at Georgetown | Friday, Oct. 10 | 6 p.m.
• Omaha Hockey vs. #20 Minnesota State | Friday, Oct. 10 | 7 p.m.
• Creighton women’s soccer at Providence | Saturday, Oct. 11 | 11 a.m.
• Omaha volleyball vs. South Dakota | Saturday, Oct. 11 | 12 p.m.
• Union Omaha at Greenville Triumph SC | Saturday, Oct. 11 | 1 p.m.
• Omaha men’s soccer vs. UMass | Saturday, Oct. 11 | 2:30 p.m.
• #13 Creighton volleyball at Villanova | Saturday, Oct. 11 | 6 p.m.
• Creighton men’s soccer vs. Xavier | Saturday, Oct. 11 | 6 p.m.
• Omaha Hockey vs. #20 Minnesota State | Saturday, Oct. 11 | 7 p.m.
• Omaha women’s soccer at South Dakota State | Sunday, Oct. 12 | 1 p.m.
• Athletes Unlimited Volleyball | Sunday, Oct. 12 | 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
• Athletes Unlimited Volleyball | Monday, Oct. 13 | 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.
• Omaha men’s soccer vs. UTRGV | Tuesday, Oct. 14 | 7 p.m.

Athletes Unlimited Volleyball will hold its first week of action on Oct. 3, 5 and 6 at Liberty First Credit Union Arena in Ralston. AU Volleyball is a four-week, pro league featuring games in the volleyball hotbeds Omaha and Madison, Wis. Rosters are redrafted each week, so teams shift constantly.

Players accumulate points through team win points (set and match outcomes), individual statistical performance (kills, digs, serves), and MVP votes from players and fans. Each week, the top four scorers become captains and draft new teams, and at season’s end the athlete with the highest total is crowned champion. According to the league, it developed the scoring system “to highlight the individual performance of an athlete within the context of overall team performance.”

Nine total players from LOVB Nebraska and the Omaha Supernovas will compete in Athletes Unlimited. LOVB Nebraska is represented by three players: Gabby Blossom, Emily Thater and Jaali Winters. Six Supernovas will take part in the event: Sydney Hilley, Brooke Nuneviller, Elise Goetzinger, Morgan Hentz, Reagan Cooper and Sarah Wilhite Parsons.

Omaha Hockey and WoodmenLife are again partnering to show appreciation for military personnel at the Mavericks’ annual Military Appreciation Game against Air Force in an exhibition on Friday, Oct. 3, at Baxter Arena.

The Mavericks will wear specialty camouflage jerseys purchased by WoodmenLife and auctioned off online. The auction opened for bidding today, Thursday, Oct. 2, at 9 a.m. and closes on Friday, Oct. 3, at 11:30 p.m. The proceeds from the auction will be donated to the UNO Office of Military and Veteran Services. Visit OMavs.com/Auctions to bid.

Creighton Volleyball will host its 18th Annual Pink Out match on Sunday, Oct. 19th, and use the competition as an opportunity to benefit the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge Nebraska. This year’s auction features the opportunity to bid on each player’s match-worn pink jersey and an accompanying customizable warm-up top worn by the player pre-match, honoring a loved one who is, or formerly, battled cancer.

This year’s auction begins in a staggered format today, Thursday, Oct. 2nd at 6:30 p.m. and will remain open for 10 days. The auction will begin to close in a similar, 15-minute interval, staggered format at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12th. To bid on items beginning tomorrow evening, visit gocreighton.com/pinkoutauction.

Creighton Volleyball moved up two spots in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association poll this week, coming in at No. 14 following two sweeps over Xavier and Butler. According to Assistant Athletic Director Rob Anderson, Creighton is one of 12 schools (along with Baylor, Florida, Kentucky, Louisville, Nebraska, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Stanford, Texas and Wisconsin) to have been ranked each of the last 68 polls. The streak began on Sept. 6, 2021, and is a program record.

To go along with their improved ranking, the Bluejays took home two weekly Big East honors. Annalea Maeder was named Big East Setter of the Week and Kiara Reinhardt earned Big East Defensive Player of the Week. Tonight, Creighton travels to Milwaukee to face Marquette at 6 p.m. The game will be nationally broadcast on Fox Sports 1.

Omaha men’s soccer forward Theo Klein was named the Summit League Offensive Peak Performer of the Week. Klein opened scoring in Omaha’s 2-0 win over St. Thomas on Saturday. It was his third goal of the season, tying Maguire Perkins for the team lead. Omaha will go for its second Summit League win in as many tries this Saturday as it travels to Kansas City to face UMKC. That match will kick off at 7 p.m.

Creighton men’s soccer goalkeeper Matthew Hudson was named Big East Freshman of the Week after posting his fifth shutout in the last six matches in a 2-0 victory over DePaul. It is Hudson’s second time earning the distinction this season. Tomorrow, the Bluejays head to Storrs, Conn. to take on the UConn Huskies at 6 p.m.

Union Omaha extended its win streak to two games on Wednesday with a 1-0 victory over Portland Hearts of Pine. The Owls have not lost since August 16 and have lost just two games dating back to August 2, exactly two months ago. In that span, they have seven wins, two losses and three draws. Union Omaha now sits at sixth place in league standings at 11-10-5 with four games remaining until the USL League One Playoffs, where the top eight teams will compete for a championship. This Sunday, the Owls will host FC Naples at 4 p.m.

Upcoming Games

• #14 Creighton Volleyball at Marquette | Thursday, Oct. 2 | 6 p.m.
• Omaha Volleyball vs. North Dakota | Thursday, Oct. 2 | 7 p.m.
• Omaha women’s soccer vs. Oral Roberts | Thursday, Oct. 2 | 7 p.m.
• Creighton men’s soccer at Connecticut | Friday, Oct. 3 | 6 p.m.
• Athletes Unlimited Volleyball | Friday, Oct. 3 | 5:30 p.m. & 8 p.m.
• #14 Creighton Volleyball at DePaul | Saturday, Oct. 4 | 1 p.m.
• Omaha Volleyball vs. North Dakota State | Saturday, Oct. 4 | 5 p.m.
• Creighton women’s soccer at Connecticut | Saturday, Oct. 4 | 5:30 p.m.
• Omaha men’s soccer at UMKC | Saturday, Oct. 4 | 7 p.m.
• Omaha women’s soccer at St. Thomas | Sunday, Oct. 5 | 1 p.m.
• Union Omaha vs. FC Naples | Sunday, Oct. 5 | 4 p.m.
• Athletes Unlimited Volleyball | Sunday, Oct. 5 | 5:30 p.m. & 8 p.m.
• Athletes Unlimited Volleyball | Monday, Oct. 6 | 5:30 p.m. & 8 p.m.
• Creighton men’s soccer at Missouri State | Wednesday, Oct. 8 | 6 p.m.