Last season, the Creighton volleyball program had just about everything a team could dream of. They crushed the regular season with an 18-0 record, claimed the Big East title, and stormed into the NCAA championship. Riding high on some jaw-dropping performances, the Bluejays made it all the way to the Elite Eight. By then, Kirsten Bernthal Booth’s squad had stacked up 32 wins for the season—25 of them in a row! Could it get any better?

Well, yes and no. The coach celebrated the epic run, but the Elite Eight loss hit her hard. Her dream of leading Creighton volleyball to a national title crumbled. But here’s the twist: that wasn’t her only unfulfilled wish. Turns out, there was another one that took a similar nosedive recently. Curious?

Penn State slammed the door on Creighton’s title hopes in the Elite Eight, and the emotional blow was real. Booth needed time to process it all because the NCAA crown has been a long-standing dream of hers. Luckily, that’s a dream she can still chase next season. But her other wish? That one’s officially off the table—it involved working with the legendary Ray Bechard. Yep, Booth had always wanted to team up with the now-former Kansas volleyball coach. But that ship has sailed because Bechard, the winningest coach in Kansas volleyball history, announced his retirement on December 27. The news dropped on Kansas volleyball’s social media, and just hours later, Booth shared a heartfelt note about her unrealized dream.

“My career goal when I was 22 was to work for Coach Bechard. I never got that opportunity, but was fortunate our relationship grew from mentee to friend. One of the best in the business—on and off the court.” For 21 seasons, Booth has been shaping stars at Creighton, while Bechard spent 27 building a powerhouse at Kansas. Their paths crossed often, giving Booth plenty of moments to learn from the volleyball giant she admired so much.

In her post, the Creighton volleyball coach cherished those moments. She tried to find consolation after missing out on the opportunity of working with Bechard. Furthermore, she adorned Ray Bechard’s tenure with adjectives such as ‘incredible’ and ‘impactful.’ But what was so special in Bechard’s coaching that made Kirsten his fan? 

Ray Bechard’s invincible mindset, maybe! Apart from being the winningest coach in Kansas volleyball’s history, he has some more gems. Like? Bechard not only made an unforgettable impression at Kansas, but he also established himself as one of the top coaches in Big 12 history. He concluded his career with 238 Big 12 victories (second all-time among the coaches). He left the league after coaching more Big 12 games than any other coach in conference history. And there comes another list of achievements!

Bechard’s success at Kansas was no fluke—it was built on a jaw-dropping run at Barton, where he won 92% of his matches. Along the way, he snagged 13 conference championships and made 10 trips to the NJCAA Final Four. A résumé like that doesn’t pop up every day, and it’s no wonder Kirsten Bernthal Booth admired him so much. But here’s the thing: this isn’t the first time Booth has sung Bechard’s praises. Over the years, she’s spoken highly of him on multiple occasions.

Creighton volleyball coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth still considers herself a mentee of Ray Bechard

In the long past, both Kirsten Bernthal Booth and Ray Bechard met each other several times on the court. However, the results of the games didn’t affect the respect they have for each other. One such moment came in 2016 in the NCAA Volleyball Championship. In the Regionals, Creighton volleyball and the Jayhawks locked horns with each other. The evenly set game gave several clutch moments. Meanwhile, the fans enjoyed every bit of it. But the result didn’t support Kansas volleyball. 

The Jayhawks, in fact, faced a 3-2 defeat. The loss pushed them away from a bid to make it to the NCAA volleyball championship final four. Yet the outcome failed to flip Ray Bechard’s idea about Kirsten Bernthal Booth. In the post-game press conference, the coach said, “Coach (Kirsten) Bernthal Booth has done an outstanding job there. They’re a team I think will represent our pod of teams very well.” And what about Kirsten’s take on the match? The Omaha native started her statement by mentioning Ray Bechard. She eventually said, “That was the best match I’ve ever been a part of. I first want to start with Kansas. Ray (Bechard) has been a mentor to me and (is) someone that is a good friend.” This fandom didn’t face any shortage when Creighton lost to Kansas volleyball. 

Back in 2013, the Creighton volleyball program had its eyes set on a Sweet 16 breakthrough. Instead, they faced a tough reality check, suffering a heavy defeat at the hands of the Kansas Jayhawks. But for Kansas, it was a historic moment—Bechard’s squad clinched their ticket to the NCAA Volleyball Sweet 16 for the first time.

Rather than letting frustration get the better of her, Creighton coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth took the high road. Her opening remarks in the post-game conference? Pure class: “Well, first off I want to congratulate Kansas on their first trip to the Sweet 16. I have great respect for Coach (Ray) Bechard.”

Fast forward more than a decade, and Booth’s admiration for Bechard hasn’t wavered. That heartfelt respect is as strong as ever, and his recent retirement has only brought it back into the spotlight. Some bonds in the volleyball world truly stand the test of time.