Bluejay Invitational
SMU (2-3, 0-0 AAC) at 19 Creighton (6-1, 0-0 Big East)
Omaha, Nebraska | D.J. Sokol Arena  
Friday, September 10, 2021 – 12:30 p.m.
TV: FloSports
Live Stats
 
SMU (2-3, 0-0 AAC) vs. Illinois (3-2, 0-0 Big Ten)
Omaha, Nebraska | D.J. Sokol Arena  
Friday, September 10, 2021 – 7:00 p.m.
TV: FloSports
Live Stats

SMU (2-3, 0-0 AAC) vs. Omaha (2-3, 0-0 Summit League)
Omaha, Nebraska | D.J. Sokol Arena  
Saturday, September 11, 2021 – 12:30 p.m.
TV: FloSports
Live Stats
SMU NOTES (PDF)
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PREVIEW
SMU will travel to Omaha, Nebraska for the Bluejay Invitational September 10-11. The Mustangs will take on the host school, Creighton on Friday at 12:30 p.m. followed by a prime-time matchup with Illinois at 7:00 p.m. SMU will then look to take on Nebraska-Omaha on Saturday beginning at 12:30 p.m. All matches will be streamed on FloSports. 

SMU NOTES
SMU is coming off a 0-2 road trip at the Rice Invitational last weekend. The Mustangs faced some tough competition when they squared off with (T-13) Oregon, falling in straight sets (25-14, 25-17, 25-23). The following day SMU took on the host school and gave (RV) Rice all they could handle, but ended up dropping the match in four sets (25-27, 25-17, 25-22, 25-22). Omaha native, Lily Heim will return home for her first matches as a Mustang in Nebraska. Heim, a senior setter for SMU was named American Athletic Conference Setter of the Year in 2019 and has been a great leader in the Mustangs' attack.

The Mustangs were picked to finish third in the American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll.

Hannah Jacobs was named to the American Athletic Conference Week 1 Honor Roll after posting the second-most points per set (4.35) in the conference during a 2-1 SMU weekend; hit .611 with 13 kills in a sweep of Pacific (Aug. 27) and added 11 kills on .400 hitting later in the day against Stephen F. Austin (Aug. 27). Jacobs and Lily Heim were named to the All-Tournament team after a stellar opening weekend.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Creighton (0-1)
Creighton is 1-0 all-time against SMU, sweeping the Mustangs (27-25, 26-24, 25-21) on Sept. 1, 2018 in the SMU DoubleTree Classic.

Illinois (0-0)
This is the first meeting between the Illini and the Mustangs.

Omaha (0-0)
The Mustangs and the Mavericks will meet for the first time.

A LOOK AT THE OPPONENTS
(19) Creighton
Creighton is off to a 6-1 start after 3-0 sweeps of Kansas City, Saint Louis, Missouri, No. 3 Kentucky and Northern Iowa in addition to a 3-2 win vs. USC. Outside hitter Norah Sis (3.65 kills per set., 2.55 digs per set., .283%) leads Creighton in kills. Leading the Bluejay returnees are Preseason All-BIG EAST selections Jaela Zimmerman (3.50 kills per set., 2.85 digs per set.) and Naomi Hickman (1.85 kills per set., 1.10 blocks per set., .346%), while Keeley Davis (2.45 digs per set.) was also an All-BIG EAST choice each of the past two seasons. Creighton averages 14.85 kills, 1.30 aces, 16.10 digs and 2.28 blocks per set while hitting .288 as a team. The Bluejays fell to No. 3 Nebraska in Omaha on Wednesday in three sets. 

Illinois
The Illini opened the season with wins over UCSB (3-2), Milwaukee (3-0) and Valparaiso (3-0) before suffering losses to No. 11 Washington (3-1) and Colorado (3-2) last weekend. Taylor Kuper (3.75 digs per set) leads the team in digs and Kyla Swanson owns a team-best 19 blocks. The Illini average 13.05 kills, 2.60 aces, 13.45 digs and 2.30 blocks per set while hitting .170.

Omaha
Nebraska-Omaha is 2-3 this fall, including wins vs. Drake and Georgia. The Mavericks had a 2-1 lead at then-No. 4 Nebraska before falling in five sets. Sadie Limback (3.30 kills per set.) leads UNO in kills and has hit .303 on the season, while Rachel Fairbanks adds some power with 2.90 kills per set. Lakyn Graves (1.30 blocks per set.) is a force at the net and Claire Mountjoy (5.10 digs per set.) has been the libero for Omaha. Sami Clarkson (10.45 assists per set.) sets a team that hits .171 and averages 11.80 kills, 14.80 digs, 2.33 blocks and 1.20 aces per set.
 
BOLD: Big Opportunities Live in Dallas
As part of its goal of Shaping Champions and preparing students for life, SMU Athletics proudly announces the addition of its BOLD (Big Opportunities Live in Dallas) Program to its suite of student-athlete development tools, with the goal of helping student-athletes navigate and capitalize on new Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) legislation. BOLD will provide SMU student-athletes with the means to navigate the evolving NIL landscape. The BOLD program will incorporate INFLCR, a comprehensive NIL education and compliance solution, and campus resources from the Cox School of Business, the Dedman School of Law, and the Meadows School of the Arts.

ANOTHER MILESTONE
With the victory over Tulane on March 5, 2021, Head Coach Lisa Seifert moved up the rankings and is now second all-time - across all sports - in wins at SMU.
1. Rhonda Rompola (Women's Basketball) 439
2 Lisa Seifert (Volleyball) 425
3. Carl Neufeld (Men's Tennis) 420

26TH SEASON
SMU is in its 26th season of NCAA competition. The SMU volleyball program was started in 1995 by current head coach Lisa Seifert. The Mustangs went 7-24 in 1996, its inaugural season. In 1999, SMU celebrated its first winning season with a 20-13 record. The Mustangs have played in the Western Athletic Conference, Conference USA and the American Athletic Conference.
Of the 11 current members, SMU is the only program without a losing record in league matches during at least one season. The Mustangs and UCF are the only two programs with multiple conference titles. (SMU-2015, 2016; UCF-2014, 2018, 2019, 2020).

FILLING THE TROPHY CASE
Over the past seven seasons, SMU has added four team trophies to the case, along with seven individual top league awards. SMU won The American championship in 2015 and 2016, and the west division crown in 2019. Avery Acker was named Setter of the Year in 2013. She added Player of the Year and another Setter of the Year in 2015. Kendall Patterson was Freshman of the Year in 2016, when Morgan Heise earned her second Libero of the Year honor. Lily Heim was named Setter of the Year in 2019.

UP NEXT
SMU will host Oklahoma on Thursday, September 16 inside Moody Coliseum at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.