Click to view on gocreighton.com.

Creighton Volleyball's Natalie Hackbarth will be blogging througout the spring, taking you behind the scenes in preparation for her junior season this fall. Below is her first entry.

1/16/12
January 16th marks a day of firsts. The first of many blogs I'll be posting to keep everyone updated on Bluejay volleyball--on and off the court, the first of many posts we hope you read:), the first Monday of classes for the 2nd semester, and Bluejay volleyball's first day of offseason practice and conditioning. As you can imagine, after a month of sleeping in, exercising on our own time, and eating christmas cookies..it was rough waking up for the first early-morning weights and conditioning session. Especially, when the majority of Creighton volleyball players aren't "morning people." But despite the muscle soreness and the need for an occasional nap, we're all really excited to be back on the volleyball court:)

Click to view story on Omaha World-Herald.

Growing up as a Creighton volleyball fan, Jessica Bird was a member of the school's "Bluejay Buddy" program.

The 5-foot-11 junior outside hitter from Bennington will soon make an even more meaningful contribution after giving an oral commitment to CU head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth.

Click to view story on White and Blue Review.

Creighton volleyball came up just short this season in returning to the NCAA Tournament. A solid returning core will try and take the team there again in 2012. But Julianne Mandolfo, the MVC Libero of the Year, won’t be among them.

"Julianne has not made a decision where she is going to continue her playing career, but intends to transfer," Creighton head coach Kirsten Bernthal-Booth said. "All parties felt it would be in Julianne's best interest to have a chance to pursue other opportunities."

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Jon Ekey of Illinois State University and Natalie Hackbarth of Creighton University have been selected the Prairie Farms/Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athletes of the Week for the 2011-12 academic year, Commissioner Doug Elgin announced today. Ekey and Hackbarth were honored for their performance during the period of November 14-20.

Now in its 13th year of existence, The Valley’s Scholar-Athlete program is sponsored by Prairie Farms, Roberts and Hiland Dairies. On a weekly basis, the Conference honors its student-athletes for their athletic performance for a one-week period and academic success in the classroom.

A forward for the Illinois State men’s basketball team, Ekey, a sophomore from Independence, Missouri, averaged 11.5 points, as the Redbirds downed Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (68-38 on November 17) and Lipscomb (78-70 on November 19).

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Highlighted by Missouri Valley Conference Libero of the Year Julianne Mandolfo, the Creighton Volleyball team had three players named first-team all-conference on Thursday at the league's annual postseason banquet. Two other Bluejay women were named to The Valley's All-Freshman Team.

Mandolfo was joined by Creighton teammates Laurel Sanford and Megan Bober as first-team all-Valley choices, just the second time (also 2008) that the Jays had three first-team all-league picks.It's the first career recognition for Mandolfo and Sanford on the first-team, and second-straight season Bober has been honored.

The Valley coaches also voted a pair of Bluejays to the All-Freshman Team for the first time since 2005, as Leah McNary and Michelle Sicner were recognized.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Senior Karisa Almgren had 13 kills and classmate Laurel Sanford a team-best eight blocks, but it wasn't enough as the fourth-seeded Creighton Volleyball team was upset by fifth-seeded Illinois State in the quarterfinal round of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament on Thursday.

Scores of the match in favor of Illinois State were 25-23, 23-25, 25-16, 25-15.

The Redbirds (18-13), which snapped a five-match losing skid to the Jays, advance into Friday's semifinal match against top-seeded and nationally-ranked Northern Iowa (30-1). Creighton, which reached the MVC Tournament semifinals in the previous five seasons, fell to 17-14 with a setback that likely ends the program's quest for a second straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Creighton juniors Megan Bober and Brooke Boggs are two of 21 women named to the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete Volleyball Team, it was announced today by the league office.

Bober, a setter from Murdock, Neb., was named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team for the first time in her career, earning one of 12 available spots. Bober owns a 3.791 GPA with an Exercise Science major.

Boggs, a defensive specialist from Wildwood, Mo., was one of nine
honorable-mention selections. Boggs owns a 3.891 GPA and her major is Health Care Administration.

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Iowa native Natalie Hackbarth had a career-best 14 kills and Megan Bober had her ninth triple-double of the fall to lead the Creighton Volleyball team to a 3-2 win at Drake on Saturday night in Des Moines. Scores of the match in favor of Creighton were 25-20, 25-16, 22-25, 20-25, 15-10.

Next up for the Jays is the State Farm MVC Tournament, which begins Thursday in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Creighton (17-13, 12-6 MVC) will be the fourth seed in the tournament and take on fifth-seeded Illinois State (17-13, 9-9 MVC) in quarterfinal round play at 7:30 pm. The winner of that match will take on defending champion and nationally-ranked Northern Iowa on Friday at 7:30 pm in semifinal round action.

Creighton took the floor with its MVC Tournament seed locked in, while Drake needed a Senior Night win and two other league results go its way to have any chance at the sixth seed. But it was Creighton that played with more urgency early on, trailing just once in the first two sets to take a 2-0 lead into intermission.

Click to view story on White and Blue Review.

Two weeks ago, the Creighton volleyball team was in the midst of a season-changing run, fighting with Wichita State and Missouri State for the second seed in next week’s MVC Tournament. Unfortunately after a thrilling five-set victory over the Shockers, the Bluejays have lost three straight including last weekend’s losses to league-leading Northern Iowa and last place Bradley. This stretch almost surely has erased the Bluejays’ chances to get the second or even third seed.

Creighton has one regular season match left this season (while most other schools play two), against Drake in Des Moines. Creighton started MVC play by sweeping the Bulldogs in Omaha.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Heath Melugin of Missouri State University and Heather
Thorson of Creighton University have been selected the Prairie
Farms/Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athletes of the Week for the
2011-12 academic year, Commissioner Doug Elgin announced today. Melugin and
Thorson was honored for their performance during the period of October
31-November 6.

Now in its 13th year of existence, The Valley¹s Scholar-Athlete program
is sponsored by Prairie Farms, Roberts and Hiland Dairies. On a weekly
basis, the Conference honors its student-athletes for their athletic
performance for a one-week period and academic success in the classroom.

A midfielder for the Missouri State men¹s soccer team, Melugin, a
senior from Springfield, Missouri, knocked in the game-winning goal with
less than five minutes remaining in a 2-1 double-overtime road win at Drake
on Saturday, November 5.