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Creighton Bluejays baseball | |
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2024 Creighton Bluejays baseball team | |
Founded | 1951 |
University | Creighton University |
Head coach | Ed Servais (21st season) |
Conference | Big East |
Location | Omaha, Nebraska |
Home stadium | Creighton Sports Complex (Capacity: 2,000) or Charles Schwab Field Omaha (Capacity: 24,505) |
Nickname | Bluejays |
Colors | Blue, white, and navy blue [1] |
College World Series appearances | |
1991 | |
NCAA regional champions | |
1991 | |
NCAA Tournament appearances | |
1973, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2019 | |
Conference tournament champions | |
MVC: 2007, 2011, 2012 Big East: 2019 | |
Regular season conference champions | |
Big East: 2014, 2019 MVC: 2005, 2011 |
The Creighton Bluejays baseball team represents the Creighton University in NCAA Division I college baseball. Creighton competes as a member of the Big East Conference and plays its home games at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Creighton's baseball team played its first Big East season in 2014. They are coached by Ed Servais.
The team plays its home games at Charles Schwab Field Omaha, also the home of the College World Series, an event which the Bluejays baseball programs serves as the official host school for, providing each of the schools in the tournament practice facilities, training assistance, and assisting with game scoring. [2] Prior to the opening of TD Ameritrade Park, the program played games at the Creighton Sports Complex and Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in South Omaha, which was also the home of the NCAA College World Series and the Omaha Royals (now known as the Omaha Storm Chasers) of the Pacific Coast League.
Creighton appeared in the NCAA College World Series for the only time in 1991. The Jays advanced to the CWS by defeating the Hawaii Rainbows 15–8 in finals of the NCAA West I Regional in Los Angeles. Prior to the victory over Hawaii, the Jays swept the four-game regional by beating Pepperdine, Minnesota and host team USC in a 10-inning 8–7 victory.
The seventh-seeded Bluejays (49–20) opened play against the second seeded Clemson Tigers in front of then record crowd of more than 16,000 at Rosenblatt Stadium. The game ended with an 8–4 Creighton victory, setting up a second round match with MVC rival Wichita State.
The Jays had finished the 1991 regular season with an overall record of 46–18, and a 16–8 record in the Missouri Valley Conference, good enough for second place behind league champion Wichita State. The Shockers had swept the regular season four-game series with the Jays, and had also defeated the Jays twice in the 1991 Missouri Valley Conference Baseball Tournament.
In one of the more memorable games in College World Series history, the Shockers defeated the Jays 3–2 in 12 innings. With one out in the bottom of the twelfth inning Wichita State center fielder Jim Audley threw out Creighton's pinch-runner Steve Bruns at home plate in a play known to Bluejay and Shocker fans alike as "the throw." The game was recently ranked third in the list of the 25 greatest games in College World Series history by the Omaha World-Herald.
The Jays bounced back to defeat Long Beach State 13–4 in an elimination game, to set up a rematch with Wichita State in the National Semifinals. A trip to the title game for Creighton was not to be, however, as Wichita State advanced to the National Championship game after defeating Creighton for the eighth time that season, 11–3.
LSU defeated Wichita State 6–3 to win the 1991 NCAA Baseball National Championship.
The Bluejays Head Coach during that memorable 1991 season, Jim Hendry, is a former General Manager of the Chicago Cubs. Jim Hendry is also the only former Creighton Bluejay to have his number retired. His name and number (25) hang on the center field fence of Creighton Sports Complex.
Notable former Bluejay Baseball players include Hall of Fame inductee Bob Gibson as well as Dave McKay, Pat Venditte, Dennis Rasmussen, Scott Stahoviak, Scott Servais, Zach Daeges, Chad McConnell, Alan Benes, Kimera Bartee and Nicky Lopez.
Big East Conference Regular Season Champions (2): 2014* 2019*
* Outright
Big East Conference Tournament Champions (1): 2019
Missouri Valley Conference Regular Season Champions (2): 2005*, 2011*
* Outright
Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Champions (3): 2007, 2011, 2012
NCAA Regionals Appearances (10): 1973, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2019
College World Series Appearances (1): 1991
The table below reflects the yearly history of the Creighton baseball team. [3] (note official results were not kept until 1966)
Year | Coach | W-L | Conference | Tournament | Post Season | Other |
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1966 | Herb Millard | 12–12 | ||||
1967 | Herb Millard | 15–8 | ||||
1968 | Herb Millard | 14–8 | ||||
1969 | Tony Trvdik | 11–24 | ||||
1970 | Larry Cochell | 25–7 | ||||
1971 | Larry Cochell | 24–21 | ||||
1972 | Dave Baker | 16–17 | ||||
1973 | Dave Baker | 25–16 | NCAA District 5 Playoffs (0–2) | |||
1974 | Dave Baker | 30–18 | ||||
1975 | Dave Baker | 32–12 | ||||
1976 | Dave Baker | 22–27–1 | ||||
1977 | Dave Baker | 15–16 | 4th | 6th | ||
1978 | Jerry Bartee | 16–17 | 6th | 5th | ||
1979 | Jerry Bartee | 17–27–1 | 7th | T-6th | ||
1980 | Jerry Bartee | 26–22–1 | 4th | T-6th | ||
1981 | Dave Underwood | 37–30 | 2nd (West) | |||
1982 | Dave Underwood | 32–23 | 2nd (West) | 4th | ||
1983 | Dave Underwood | 39–17 | 2nd (West) | 4th | ||
1984 | Dave Underwood / Jim Hendry | 23–21 | 6th | |||
1985 | Jim Hendry | 35–27 | 5th | |||
1986 | Jim Hendry | 33–29–1 | 5th | 6th | ||
1987 | Jim Hendry | 35–24 | 5th | 3rd | ||
1988 | Jim Hendry | 43–21–1 | 2nd | T-1st | All-American Catcher Scott Servais Drafted in 3rd Round by Houston Astros | |
1989 | Jim Hendry | 37–26 | 4th | 4th | ||
1990 | Jim Hendry | 48–22 | 3rd | 2nd | NCAA Central Regional (2–2) | |
1991 | Jim Hendry | 51–22 | 2nd | 2nd | NCAA West Regional I (4–0) 1991 College World Series (2–2) | All-American Scott Stahoviak Named National Player of the Year, Bluejays finish 3rd in NCAA |
1992 | Todd Wenberg | 41–19–1 | 2nd | 2nd | NCAA Central Regional (1–2) | |
1993 | Todd Wenberg | 32–25 | T-5th | 3rd | ||
1994 | Jack Dahm | 28–29 | 3rd | 4th | ||
1995 | Jack Dahm | 35–22 | 2nd | 3rd | ||
1996 | Jack Dahm | 19–31–1 | 7th | |||
1997 | Jack Dahm | 27–27 | 7th | |||
1998 | Jack Dahm | 27–27–1 | 6th | T-5th | ||
1999 | Jack Dahm | 38–25 | 3rd | 2nd | NCAA South Bend Regional (0–2) | |
2000 | Jack Dahm | 38–22 | 3rd | 4th | NCAA Tempe Regional (0–2) | |
2001 | Jack Dahm | 21–31 | 7th | |||
2002 | Jack Dahm | 30–24 | 2nd | T-5th | ||
2003 | Jack Dahm | 20–37 | T-6th | T-5th | LHP Tom Oldham 6th Round Draft Pick of Seattle Mariners | |
2004 | Ed Servais | 35–24 | 2nd | 4th | RHP Steve Grasley named All-American; signs with Seattle Mariners | |
2005 | Ed Servais | 48–17 | 1st | 2nd | NCAA Lincoln Regional (2–2) | Bluejays win first conference regular season title in school history, RHP Eric Wordekemper 46th Round Draft of New York Yankees, LHP Scott Reese named All-American |
2006 | Ed Servais | 31–21 | 4th | 4th | OF Zach Daeges named All-American; 6th Round Draft Pick of Boston Red Sox, LHP Marc Lewis 26th Round Draft Pick of Milwaukee Brewers, RHP Adam Schaecher 31st Round Draft Pick of Texas Rangers, OF Chase Odenreider 49th Round Draft Pick of New York Yankees | |
2007 | Ed Servais | 45–17 | 2nd | 1st | NCAA Fayetteville Regional (1–2) | Creighton Wins Conference Tournament, Pitchers Pat Venditte and Ben Mancuso named All-Americans, LHP Marc Lewis 20th Round Draft Pick of Florida Marlins, Catcher Chris Gradoville 24th Round Draft Pick of Texas Rangers, Pat Venditte 45th Round Draft Pick of New York Yankees |
2008 | Ed Servais | 37–21 | 3rd | T-4th | Pitcher Pat Venditte 20th Round Draft Pick of New York Yankees | |
2009 | Ed Servais | 31–25 | 4th | 2nd | 1B Darin Ruf 20th Round Draft Pick of Philadelphia Phillies | |
2010 | Ed Servais | 27–25 | 6th | 6th | SS Elliot Soto 15th Round Draft Pick of Chicago Cubs, C Carson Vitale 38th Round Draft Pick of Texas Rangers | |
2011 | Ed Servais | 45–16 | 1st | 1st | NCAA Corvallis Regional (1–2) | First Creighton baseball team to win both the MVC regular season title and MVC tournament title. P Jonas Dufek 9th Round Draft Pick of Houston Astros, OF Trever Adams 16th Round Draft Pick of Texas Rangers |
2012 | Ed Servais | 28–30 | 8th | 1st | NCAA Los Angeles Regional (2–2) | Creighton goes from "worst to first" in one week by going undefeated in the 2012 MVC Tournament. One of only three "four seeds" to make the regional finals of the 2012 NCAA Division I baseball tournament, before falling to No. 2 national seed UCLA. P Ty Blach 5th Round Draft Pick of San Francisco Giants, C Anthony Bemboom 22nd Round Draft Pick of Los Angeles Angels |
2013 | Ed Servais | 30-18 | 3rd | 8th | Final season in the MVC. | |
2014 | Ed Servais | 32-17 | 1st | 2nd | First year in the Big East. | |
2015 | Ed Servais | 27-14 | 2nd | 2nd | ||
2016 | Ed Servais | 38-17 | 2nd | 2nd | ||
2017 | Ed Servais | 24-25 | 1st | 3rd | ||
2018 | Ed Servais | 34-16 | 5th | Failed to make the BIG EAST or NCAA tournaments -- but swept Nebraska in the season series. | ||
2019 | Ed Servais | 32-11 | 1st | 1st | NCAA Corvallis Regional (3–2) | First Creighton baseball team to win both the BIG EAST regular season title and BIG EAST tournament title. Took BIG EAST hardware: BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year Mitch Ragan; BIG EAST Player of the Year Jake Holton; BIG EAST coaching staff of the year. Took 2 out of 3 against Nebraska during the season. Earned the #2 seed in Corvallis Regional of the NCAA tournament. Lost opening game, but then fought back like warriors through the losers bracket, eliminating defending national champion Oregon State Beavers on their home field, eliminating Cincinnati, and then pushing Michigan to a winner-takes-all final game by overcoming a 4–7 deficit in the ninth inning of the first championship game, where the Jays plated seven runs to win 11–7 in one of the greatest sporting moments in the history of collegiate sports in the state of Nebraska. Just plain ran out of steam in the final game, though. |
2020 | Ed Servais | 5-10 | Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |||
2021 | Ed Servais | 24-15 | 2nd | 3rd | ||
2022 | Ed Servais | 31-18 | 2nd | |||
2023 | Ed Servais | 14-12 |
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The 2012–13 Creighton Bluejays men's basketball team represented Creighton University during the 2012–13 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bluejays, led by third year head coach Greg McDermott, played their home games at the CenturyLink Center Omaha and were in their final season as members of the Missouri Valley Conference. They finished the season 28–8, 13–5 in MVC play to be Missouri Valley regular season champions. They were also champions of the Missouri Valley tournament, defeating Wichita State in the championship game, to earn an automatic bid to the 2013 NCAA tournament. In the tournament, they defeated Cincinnati in the second round before losing in the third round to Duke.
The Creighton Bluejays men's soccer team represents Creighton University in NCAA men's Division I soccer competitions. They compete in the Big East Conference and have risen to prominence in collegiate men's soccer in the last few decades having gone to the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament in 22 of the previous 23 seasons, going back to 1992, with five appearances in the College Cup semifinals and one appearance in the National Championship Match. In conference play, the Bluejays have won 13 conference regular season championships and 13 conference tournament championships; the most recent being the 2014 Big East Conference Regular Season Championship. Creighton is the only soccer program in the nation to have at least one athlete taken in every Major League Soccer (MLS) draft from 1996 to 2014. They are currently coached by Johnny Torres.
The 1963–64 Creighton Bluejays men's basketball team represented Creighton University during the 1963–64 NCAA University Division men's basketball season. The Bluejays, led by fifth year head coach John J. 'Red' McManus and All-American Paul Silas, played their home games at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. The Bluejays set six new team records, plus home attendance marks. The Jays played before 86,856 fans in 13 home games at Omaha's Civic Auditorium including a standing room only crowd of 10,556 for the Oklahoma City game. They finished the season 22–7. The 22 wins were the most ever for a Creighton team, as were the 2,441 points and 84.2 scoring average with 1,024 field goals. Single game marks for most points and field goals were established in the Bluejay's 124–94 win over Miami University of Florida when Creighton tallied a record 54 field goals. The Jays worst loss came at the hands of the Oklahoma City Chiefs in their first meeting 85–101.
Edwin Servais is an American college baseball coach and small-ball connoisseur, currently the head coach at Creighton University, a member of the Big East Conference in NCAA Division I. He has held the position since July 2003, and has led the Bluejays to four appearances in the NCAA tournament.
The 1990–91 Creighton Bluejays men's basketball team represented Creighton University during the 1990–91 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bluejays, led by head coach Tony Barone, played their home games at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. The Jays finished with a 24–8 record, and won the Missouri Valley Conference tournament to earn an automatic bid to the 1991 NCAA tournament. As No. 11 seed in the West region, the Jays knocked off No. 6 seed New Mexico State in the opening round, then fell to Seton Hall in the second round.
The 1980–81 Creighton Bluejays men's basketball team represented Creighton University during the 1980–81 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bluejays, led by head coach Tom Apke, played their home games at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. The Jays finished with a 21–9 record, and won the Missouri Valley Conference tournament to earn an automatic bid to the 1981 NCAA tournament. As No. 8 seed in the Mideast region, the Jays fell to No. 9 seed Saint Joseph's in the opening round.