Volleyball Community Sends Heartfelt Farewell As Creighton Bluejays Coach Joins John Cook and Others

With 502 wins under her belt as the Creighton head volleyball coach, Kirsten Bernthal Booth can rest assured that she took the Bluejays to unprecedented heights. With over two decades as the boss of the program, Booth brought Creighton 12 regular-season championships and 11 conference tournament titles. Naturally, when she announced her decision to step down from her job role last week, it was a shocker for the community. However, fans have nothing but love to share for Booth’s next chapter in life.

The ex-Creighton HC’s decision comes only months after the legendary John Cook left his position as the Nebraska Huskers’ head coach after a quarter of a century. With that, it’s safe to say that the country’s collegiate volleyball now looks at a new era, with new coaches stepping up to fill the void. However, right now, fans only seem to look back at the good times they had together.

Creighton volleyball’s baton gets passed on to Booth’s colleague

On April 6, the official Creighton Volleyball social media account took to X to reveal the name of the person who would be replacing Kirsten Booth as the Bluejays’ top man. “Brian Rosen Promoted to Replace Kirsten Bernthal Booth After 22 Remarkable Years,” noted the X post, nodding its hat at the departing coach one more time.

Under Booth’s guidance, Creighton reached 13 of the last 14 NCAA tournaments, while also appearing in AVCA’s Top 25 poll in the last 12 years straight. Being hired when the Bluejays were limping on a 3-23 record in 2003, Booth became the architect of one of the greatest rebuilds in the sport’s history. And yet, she leaves knowing that the legacy will be carried forward by her successor.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to see Brian take over as the head coach of Creighton volleyball. He’s an exceptional coach, recruiter, and mentor who is deeply committed to the growth and success of our student-athletes, both on and off the court,” Kirsten said about why Rosen is the perfect person to take over the mantle as Creighton’s new volleyball coach. While it remains to be seen if Brian has what it takes to maintain the incredible momentum the Bluejays have gathered over the past two decades, fans right now are here to ensure that Booth is sent off with the adulation she deserves.

The community sends Booth away with a standing ovation

Booth’s wisdom helped Creighton join the BIG EAST conference in 2013. Since then, her squad has dominated the conference, with 10 back-to-back regular-season titles. In the 2024 campaign, Creighton finished the NCAA Championships by reaching the Elite Eight for the second time in program history. All these towering achievements indeed make her a revered volleyball coach, and one fan justifiably hailed Booth with the comment, “She did as great a job as anyone ever could…… onward and upward for her.”

“Congratulations on a truly amazing Run!” lauded another Bluejays fan, probably remembering how Booth’s incredible leadership brought her three National Coach of the Year awards along with several AVCA Regional Coach of the Year honors. “She is a really respected coach. She had Creighton right in the mix of things. Best wishes to her and her future,” yet another fan congratulated Kirsten for her incredible run.

However, Booth’s retirement comes only months after the iconic John Cook left Nebraska, and parallels between the achievements of these two decorated volleyball coaches couldn’t be blocked. Coach Cook won the NCAA D1 title four times during his tenure with the Huskers. While Booth’s accolades aren’t quite on the same level, one should also remember how she had to rebuild the entire program after inheriting it at its lowest. In a way, her journey is similar to that of former UF head coach Mary Wise, who called it a day after 34 years at the helm of the Gators program. She took over the program when it was coming off a 15-16 season, and left it as the coach with the fourth most wins in D1 history, and as the winningest female coach in the division.

“KBB and John Cook leaving in the same year. Wow,” one Creighton loyalist couldn’t stop noting their astonishment about how the USA’s collegiate volleyball scene has suddenly turned on its head. On the other hand, it looked like even Huskers fans were taken aback by the suddenness of Booth’s decision to leave: “Hard to say that as a husker fan but i seriously respect what she has done for Creighton and how far she’s taken their program.”

Are you also a fan of Kirsten Booth and what she meant for Creighton’s volleyball program? Tell us how you think Rosen can make the most of the moment in a comment!