The 2012 Creighton Volleyball season opens tonight (Aug. 17) with the program's annual Blue-White scrimmage. The current team will be split amongst two teams, with alum Laurel Sanford and volunteer assistant Amanda (Gates) Sjuts also expected to suit up as well.
   Admission to D.J. Sokol Arena inside the Wayne and Eileen Ryan Athletic Center is free, with first serve set for 6 pm. Unlike all other home matches in 2012, there will not be live audio, video or live stats available.
   Following tonight's exhibition, Creighton opens the regular-season next Friday in Tampa with three matches at the USF Invitational.
   Below is a preview of the Creighton team for the upcoming 2012 season:

    The Creighton volleyball team returns five starters from last year’s team that finished 17-14 and took fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference. Armed with depth at virtually every position, and another strong schedule, count on the Bluejays to surpass last year’s results and put themselves into contention for a second NCAA Tournament bid in the past three seasons.
    The journey will be a difficult one, with 10 matches against NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago, in addition to contests against BCS foes from South Florida, Wisconsin, Syracuse and Kansas on the agenda.
    Creighton spent much of last year running a 6-2 offense, the first time it has done so under Kirsten Bernthal Booth.
    With both Megan Bober and Michelle Sicner returning, Creighton’s biggest strength also lies as its biggest question mark until a decision is made on the position.
    Bober is a two-time First-Team All-MVC selection who has started all 95 matches since arriving on campus. Among the country’s most versatile players, last year she led the nation and set an MVC record with nine triple-doubles.
    Sicner was named to the MVC All-Freshman Team in 2011, and started matches at setter, right-side hitter and defensive specialist at various times.
    Creighton has four players who figure to log most of their time at the middle blocker position as the team tries to replace all-Valley selection Laurel Sanford.
    Heather Thorson started all 31 matches last year, ranking second in hitting percentage and third on the team in kills and blocks. She stands to be a front-runner to reclaim her role as a senior.
    A pair of sophomores with great size are also in the mix in the middle.
    Kelli Browning saw time in the middle and on the right-side last year. She had a strong spring to state her case for a starting role.
    Savannah Smith missed all of 2011 following shoulder surgery, but returned healthy in the spring and seeks to return to the form that saw her start 12 times as a freshman in 2010.
    True freshman Lauren Smith stands 6-foot-4, and boasts great potential if she’s able to overcome an injury that sidelined her for much of the summer. She won a state title on a loaded Pius X team in Lincoln as a senior in high school.
    As many as nine women could see time as pin hitters in 2012 as the Jays experiment to find their optimal line-up.
    Junior Natalie Hackbarth saw extensive time as a six-rotation player in 2011, finishing as one of two players on the team with at least 100 kills and 100 blocks.
    High-flying Leah McNary was named to the MVC’s All-Freshman Team in 2011 and made significant strides in the off-season thanks to 17 days of training in China.
    Sophomore Katie Neisler began last season as an outside hitter, then gradually made the move to defensive specialist. She’ll once again be given a chance to play all six rotations.
    Another sophomore, Savannah Smith, is a candidate to split time between the right-side and the middle, after redshirting in 2011. Lizzy Stivers also redshirted in 2011 and may see time as an outside hitter in her debut campaign on the floor.
    True freshman Melanie Jereb will look to make an immediate impact as a talented six-rotation player. She played on one of the nation’s top prep teams, something she’ll hope to continue at Creighton. Fellow newcomer Lauren Smith could also play on the right side when not in the middle.
    In addition, both Megan Bober or Michelle Sicner could see time as a right-side hitter when not setting.
    Brooke Boggs will be the veteran leader for a group of young women that will occupy the back row. The Jays have been one of the nations’ top defensive teams the last five years, and have the ability to do so once again in 2012.
    Boggs has appeared in 91-of-95 matches in her first three years on The Hilltop, reaching double-figures in digs on 31 occasions. She’s also been a regular on the service line as a Bluejay, with 41 aces in her career.
    Katie Neisler spent most of last season as a defensive specialist and was one of five Bluejays to average multiple digs per set last year.
    Two players who were also prep teammates at Omaha Marian High School have joined the program and will play in the back row, Kate Elman and Ashley Jansen. It will mark the 10th straight season the Jays have had at least one former Marian player on the roster.
    Elman set a state record for digs per match as a high school senior and is likely to continue the tradition of Crusaders to excel for the Jays.
    Jansen spent much of her prep career as a setter, but has played defensive specialist for her club team and gives the Jays another defensive option.
    Fellow freshman Lizzy Stivers redshirted last year and might also see time in the back row.