Xavier Opens BIG EAST Play at Home this Weekend

Friday, September 24

Cincinnati, Ohio

6 p.m.

Xavier University

Providence

Xavier Opens BIG EAST Play at Home this Weekend

09.23.21 | Volleyball

Xavier to host Providence and No. 16 Creighton

By: Mark Leopold, Xavier Athletics Communications

CINCINNATI, OH - Xavier is set to open up conference action by welcoming Providence to Cintas Center on Friday at 6:00 pm ET, followed by No. 16 Creighton at 5:00 pm ET on Saturday.

Xavier is 5-5 to start the season, while Providence and Creighton are each 12-1. The Musketeers have beaten the Friars in 12 of 13 all-time meetings, but have yet to knock off the Blue Jays in their program's history.

XAVIER SCHEDULE

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (5-5) vs PROVIDENCE FRIARS (12-1)
Match Info - Friday, September 24 - 6:00 p.m. ET - Cintas Center
Live Stats - http://bit.ly/2BQZu3r
Watch Live ($) - https://bit.ly/3u4RIui

XAVIER MUSKETEERS (4-4) vs No. 16 CREIGHTON BLUE JAYS (12-1)
Match Info - Saturday, September 25 - 5:00 p.m. ET - Cintas Center
Live Stats - http://bit.ly/2BQZu3r
Watch Live ($) - https://bit.ly/3o1rOqz

ABOUT PROVIDENCE

2021 (Fall) Record: 12-1
2021 (Spring) Record: 7-3 (5-3 BIG EAST)
Series History: Xavier leads 12-1
Last Meeting: Xavier 3, Providence 1 (November 17, 2019 - Cincinnati, OH)

NOTABLES
• When the Friars meet Xavier on Friday, it will be the 14th meeting between the two programs. Xavier has won 12 of 13 matchups, with the only loss coming on the road in 2017.
• Providence is off to a hot start in fall of 2021, going 12-1 with the only blemish coming on the road against the Army Black Knights.
• Coming off a 7-3 season last Spring, Providence was chosen to finish 8th in the BIG EAST preseason coaches' poll, and Setter Allison Barber was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST team.
•They are coached by Margot Royer-Johnson, who is in her 20th season as head of the program.

ABOUT NO. 16 CREIGHTON

2021 (Fall) Record: 12-1
2021 (Spring) Record: 12-4 (7-1 BIG EAST)
Series History: Creighton leads 19-0
Last Meeting: Xavier 0, Creighton 3 (March 28, 2021 - Omaha, Neb)

NOTABLES
• In what will be their 20th meeting, Xavier looks to earn their first win against Creighton. They have come close a few times, most recently taking the Blue Jays to five sets in 2020 and 2018.
• Creighton is off to a 12-1 start this season, picking up notable wins against then-No. 3 Kentucky, Missouri, USC, and Illinois. Their only loss came on the road against No. 3 Nebraska.
• Creighton was chosen as the Preseason favorite to win the BIG EAST by the conference coaches, garnering eight first place votes. Senior middle blocker Naomi Hickman and senior outside hitter Jaela Zimmerman were named to the Preseason ALL-BIG EAST team, too.
• Kirsten Bernthal Booth is in her 19th season as Creighton head coach, and has one of the best records in BIG EAST history. Booth has reached 10 of the last 11 NCAA Tournaments, including a 2016 run to the Elite Eight, Sweet Sixteen trips in 2015 and 2016 and seven-straight outright BIG EAST regular-season titles.

PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST HONORS

• Junior Carrigan O'Reilly was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team on Aug. 8.

• O'Reilly ranked second in the BIG EAST in assists per set (10.69) last season, while ranking 30th in the NCAA. The All-BIG EAST performer recorded 631 total assists to rank 73rd in the NCAA. She added 69 kills, seven aces, 146 digs and 29 blocks.

• The Westerville, Ohio, native also earned AVCA All-East Region Honorable Mention Team honors.

SCHEDULE NOTES

• Xavier has played 10 of 11 non-conference matches and competed in three tournaments. The Musketeers opened the season at the Charlotte Tournament on Aug. 27-28, taking on South Carolina State, Charlotte and Colorado. Then Xavier traveled to the Loyola Tournament on Sept. 3-4, taking on SIUE, Eastern Kentucky and Loyola. After facing Lipscomb and Louisville, the Musketeers went up against in-state foes Cincinnati and Miami before they face Dayton later this year.

• The Musketeers hosted the Xavier Tournament on Sept. 10-11. Three of the four teams competing in the tournament participated in the NCAA Tournament last spring: Louisville, Purdue and Lipscomb. Purdue finished the year ranked No. 7 in the AVCA Top-25 Poll, while Louisville ranked 11th.

• Xavier took on crosstown rival Cincinnati on Sept. 16 at Fifth Third Arena. The two teams split the two-match series last year with the road team winning each match.

• The Musketeers take on teams from 10 different conferences during non-conference action (ACC, MEAC, C-USA, Pac-12, OVC, A-SUN, MVC, MAC, AAC, A-10). Xavier will face two new opponents for the first time in program history in SIUE and Loyola.

• Xavier opens its 18-match BIG EAST schedule on Friday, Sept. 24 vs Providence. The Musketeers play four of their first six BIG EAST matches at Cintas Center.

• Xavier closes its BIG EAST schedule with back-to-back road matches at UConn (Nov. 19) and Butler (Nov. 21).

ABOUT THE MUSKETEERS

• The Musketeers posted a 7-7 (3-3 BIG EAST) record during the COVID-19 shortened spring 2021 season. Xavier had wins over rival Cincinnati, Big 12 member Kansas and AVCA Top-50 team UIC.

• Xavier returns AVCA All-East Region Team member, Carrigan O'Reilly. The junior setter picked up honorable mention team honors, becoming the first Musketeer to earn the honors since Sofia Peterson and Abbey Bessler in 2016.

• O'Reilly also earned All-BIG EAST honors. She averaged 10.71 assists per set, ranking second in the BIG EAST and 28th in the NCAA. She added 69 kills, 29 blocks, 146 digs and seven aces. The Westerville, Ohio, native had seven double-doubles and one triple-double.

• The Musketeers also return All-BIG EAST honoree and BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, Delaney Hogan. She was the first Musketeer to earn "Freshman of the Year" honors since Aubree Smith picked up the accolades in 2011 (Atlantic-10 Conference). She was also the first Xavier player to earn a major award from the BIG EAST since Abbey Bessler in 2015 (BIG EAST Player of the Year).

• Hogan led the BIG EAST in hitting percentage this season (.356), while ranking 100th in the NCAA. The middle blocker also led the Musketeers in total kills (131) and total blocks (45) this season. She averaged 2.38 k/s and 0.82 b/s and had 10 or more kills in eight matches.

• Xavier only graduated one player in Lauren Hanlon. All told, the Musketeers return 13 letterwinners and welcome four newcomers to the roster.

PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST HONOREES

Preseason BIG EAST Volleyball Player of the Year
Efrosini Alexakou, St. John's, Sr., OH

Preseason All-BIG EAST
(listed alphabetically by institution, then last name)

Melody Davidson, Butler, R-Sr., MB
Caylee Parker, Connecticut, Sr., OH
Naomi Hickman, Creighton, Sr., MB
Jaela Zimmerman, Creighton, Sr., OH^
Savannah Rennie, Marquette, Gr., MB^
Taylor Wolf, Marquette, Gr., RS/S^
Allison Barber, Providence, Gr., S
Efrosini Alexakou, St. John's, Sr., OH^
Rachele Rastelli, St. John's, Sr., RS
Tsvetelina Ilieva, Seton Hall, So. OH
Averi Salvador, Villanova, Gr., L/DS
Carrigan O'Reilly, Xavier, Jr., S/RS

^ denotes unanimous selection

PRESEASON COACHES' POLL

1.	Creighton (8)	97 pts.
2.	Marquette (3)	93
3.	St. John's	83
4.	Xavier	68
5.	Villanova	56
t-6.	UConn	48
t-6.	DePaul	48
8.	Providence	44
9.	Butler	31
10.	Seton Hall	27
11.	Georgetown	10