University of Louisville
Creighton
No. 4 Cardinals Head to Omaha for the Bluejay Invitational
September 11, 2025 | Women's Volleyball
Four-Match Road Trip Continues in Omaha Beginning with Creighton
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The No. 4-ranked University of Louisville volleyball will head to Omaha, Neb., to compete in the Bluejay Invitational. The Cards will face No. 18 Creighton, Northern Iowa and Rice from Friday, Sept. 12, through Sunday, Sept. 14.
Louisville is coming off a five-set loss to No. 2 Texas in the Shriners Children's Showdown at the Net challenge. UofL posted an impressive 19 total blocks in the match, with middle blocker Cara Cresse matching her career-high 14 blocks. Outside hitters Chloe Chicoine and Payton Petersen each posted double-doubles against the Longhorns. Chicoine tallied 13 kills and 14 digs, while Petersen added 18 kills and 10 digs. Setter Nayelis Cabello stuffed seven blocks, and middle blockers Kalyssa Blackshear and Hannah Sherman each added five. The Cards served six aces including two each from Ava Utterback and Hannah Kenny.
UofL last faced off against Creighton on Sept. 15, 2024, where Louisville grabbed a 3-2 win at home. Louisville matched up with Northern Iowa twice in 2024, sweeping the Panthers in the regular season before squeezing out a 3-2 win in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The match against Creighton will be broadcast on FS1. Louisville outside hitter Payton Petersen will face off against her mom, UNI head coach Bobbi Petersen, and twin sister, UNI libero/defensive specialist Jadyn Petersen.
Schedule
Friday
9 p.m. ET No. 4 Louisville at No. 18 Creighton
Saturday
7:30 p.m. ET Louisville vs. Northern Iowa
Sunday
1 p.m. ET Louisville vs. Rice
Quick Peek at the Cards
? Middle blocker Cara Cresse matched her career-high with 14 blocks against No. 2 Texas. Outside hitters Chloe Chicoine (13 kills/14 digs) and Payton Petersen (18 kills/10 digs) both posted double-doubles against the Longhorns.
? This weekend, outside hitter Payton Petersen will face off against her mom, UNI head coach Bobbi Petersen, and twin sister, UNI libero/defensive specialist, Jadyn Petersen.
? Five different Cardinals posted new career highs against Illinois on Sept. 7. Outside hitters Chloe Chicoine and Payton Petersen along with middle blocker Kalyssa Blackshear set new highs in kills (17, 20 and 13), setter Nayelis Cabello extended her career high in assists (52) and libero Kamden Schrand added 28 digs, besting her previous high by 10.
? Libero Kamden Schrand was voted MVP of the Cardinal Classic. Outside hitters Chloe Chicoine and Payton Petersen were named to the All-Tournment Team.
? Louisville was voted to No. 4 in the AVCA Coaches' Poll released on Sept. 8. The Cards were also picked to finish second in the ACC in the 2025 Preseason Poll, taking home six first-place votes.
? Setter Nayelis Cabello, outside hitter Chloe Chicoine and middle blocker Cara Cresse were selected to the ACC All-Preseason Team.
? Chloe Chicoine and Cara Cresse were named to the 2025 AVCA Division I Player of the Year Award Watch List.
? Nayelis Cabello and Cara Cresse were voted as team captains for the 2025 season. Chloe Chicoine joins them as a court captain.
? The Cardinals finished 2024 as the 2nd-ranked team in the AVCA Coaches Poll.
? An NCAA record 21,860 fans attended the National Championship in the KFC Yum! Center.
? An NCAA record 21,726 fans watched the National Semifinal matches in the KFC Yum! Center.
? UofL finished 2024 ranked No. 1 in the nation in blocks/set (3.09) and No. 10 in opponent hitting (.154). Cara Cresse was seventh in blocks/set (1.50) and Elena Scott was No. 71 in digs/set (4.40).
? Outside hitters Charitie Luper and Sofia Maldonado Diaz finished their careers being named to the NCAA All-Final Four team following their performances against Pitt and Penn State.
? The win over No. 1 Pittsburgh was the program's highest-ever ranked opponent win. The Cards' previous record was the win over No. 2 Texas in 2019 to advance to the Austin Regional Final.
? Both of Louisville's NCAA Finals appearances have come after wins over Pitt. In 2022, the Cards advanced following a five-set victory.
? Libero Elena Scott was named a First Team All-American by the AVCA on Dec. 18. Outside hitter Anna DeBeer was added on the Second Team, while outside hitter Charitie Luper and middle blocker Cara Cresse received honorable mentions.
? Anna DeBeer was named Most Outstanding Player of the Louisville Regional following wins over No. 4 seed Purdue and No. 2 seed Stanford. Charitie Luper and Elena Scott also received honors for their performances, with both players being named to the All-Region Team.
? Five Cardinals racked up AVCA All-Region Honors. Cara Cresse, Anna DeBeer, Charitie Luper, and Elena Scott were named to the All-Region Team, Reese Robins was All-Region Honorable Mention, and Nayelis Cabello was selected as Region Freshman of the Year.
? Setter Nayelis Cabello was named the 2024 ACC Freshman of the Year and libero Elena Scott was selected as ACC Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive year.
? Scott, Anna DeBeer, and Charitie Luper were named as First Team All-ACC players for the second consecutive year. Cara Cresse was again selected to the Second Team All-ACC.
? On Nov. 25, Anna DeBeer, Elena Scott, and Charitie Luper were all drafted during the 2024 Pro Volleyball Federation Draft. Going to the Indy Ignite, DeBeer was selected as
the second pick in the first round, while Scott was the first pick in the second round. Luper was the eighth pick in the third round to the Vegas Thrill.
? Setter Nayelis Cabello was named ACC Freshman of the Week six times in 2024. Cabello had the most ACC weekly honors of any player in any category last year.
? On Nov. 15, Anna DeBeer became the fourth player in Louisville history to join the career double-double club after recording her 1,000th dig against Duke. DeBeer finished her career with 1,493 kills and 1,082 digs.
? On Nov. 13, libero Elena Scott was named a semifinalist for the AVCA Division I Player of the Year Award presented by Nike Volleyball.
? In 2024, Louisville was named to the Top 16 by the NCAA Selection Committee. The Cards were picked 4th.
? Charitie Luper became the 26th Cardinal to join the 1,000 kill club. She finished her career with 1,208 career kills, 725 of which came at Louisville.
? UofL played 11 opponents in the Top 25 in 2024 and are 8-5 in those matches.
Quick Peek at Creighton
? Head coach Brian Rosen is in his first season leading the Bluejays. He brought with him a 45-17 record from Division II Nova Southeastern and is 3-3 with Creighton this season and was the 2024 AVCA Assistant Coach of the Year.
? Senior outside hitter Ava Martin has 85 digs in 2025, including 17 against Kansas and 24 against UC Santa Barbara. Martin was named to the AVCA Player of the Year Award Watchlist at the beginning of the season.
? Sixth-year senior middle blocker Kiara Reinhardt has 19 blocks on the year and 51 kills. Reinhardt knocked down 11 kills against Kansas and 15 against San Diego.
? Junior libero Saige Damrow already has 93 digs in 2025 and has served six aces. Transfer middle blocker Eloise Brandewie has stuffed 25 blocks and added 34 kills to the Bluejay offense.
? Creighton went 32-3 in 2024, making an Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual-champion Penn State in five sets.
Quick Peek at Northern Iowa
? UNI is led by head coach Bobbi Petersen, who is in her 26th year with the Panthers. She owns a career record of 612-220.
? Northern Iowa is 15th nationally in team attacks per set (38.00), 18th in assists per set (13.15), 25th in kills per set (14.10) and 30th in digs per set (15.95).
? Outside hitters Lily Dykstra and Cassidy Hartman return to the UNI offense from 2024, with both players posting 77 kills so far in 2025. Hartman added a double-double in the Panthers' match against Iowa State on Sept. 9, knocking down 23 kills and digging 11 balls.
? Libero Jadyn Petersen is seventh in the Missouri Valley Conference in digs per set, with 3.90, and 11th in total digs, with 78.
? Northern Iowa went 26-8 last season, winning its third consecutive MVC title and 20th conference title overall. UNI made an NCAA Tournament appearance, beating Illinois 3-
1 before falling to Louisville 3-2 in the second round. The match against UofL featured a 22-20 fifth set score, the highest fifth set score in Louisville history.
Quick Peek at Rice
? Genny Volpe is in her 22nd season at the helm of the Rice program. With the Owls, Volpe has a 415-220 record.
? Senior outside hitter Taylor Preston is fourth in the country in attacks per set with 12.50. Preston has 70 kills on the year as well as 43 digs and five aces.
? Senior defensive specialist Darby Harris is nearing her 1,000th career digs, owning 999 through her four seasons with Rice.
? Junior middle blocker Arissa Smith has 17 blocks in 2025 to go along with 28 kills and 11 digs.
? The Owls posted a 19-8 record in 2024, with an American Athletic Conference volleyball championship semifinals appearance.
