Bruce Rasmussen to be inducted into Creighton's Athletics Hall of Fame

It's hard to imagine where Creighton would be without Bruce Rasmussen. And it was hard to imagine the school's Athletics Hall of Fame without him.

That will soon change as the university announced Wednesday that Rasmussen is among this year's newest group to join the hall. 

The 56th class features Rasmussen, soccer players Ethan Finlay and Marcy (Gans) Parker, baseball player Ryan Gripp and volleyball player Jaali Winters. It is the largest induction class in school history, and pushes the total number of inductees to 103.

Rasmussen retired as A.D. in 2021 after coming to the school in 1980 as women’s basketball coach.

In 27 years as athletic director beginning in 1994, the Jays won 86 regular-season and conference tournament titles and made 90 postseason appearances while also moving to the Big East in 2013. He helped oversee the construction of five new facilities. Rasmussen is already a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Hall of Fame and hired many of the winningest coaches in program history.

Finlay led the Missouri Valley Conference in game-winning goals each of his four seasons (2008-2011). His final collegiate score came in overtime against South Florida, helping the Jays return to the College Cup for the first time since 2002.

The two-time Valley player of the year ranks fifth in program history in goals (43) and sixth in points (103). He was also a finalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy in 2011 before his 13 seasons in the MLS.

Parker, meanwhile, is the women's soccer program's record holder in goals (38) and points (91). In her career from 2005 to 2008, she was a first-team Valley selection twice and a third-teamer her other two seasons — making her one of five players in program history to earn all-conference honors four times.

Gripp (1997 to 1999) was a first-team All-American his final season after batting .395 with program records of 24 homers and an .807 slugging percentage. The third-round draft pick of the Chicago Cubs is also the program leader in career home runs and remains top five in slugging percentage and RBIs.

Winters concluded her career in 2018 and was part of CU's first Sweet 16 and Elite Eight teams. The Jays won regular-season and league tournament titles all four years with Winters.

One of Creighton's five four-time first-team all-conference picks — regardless of sport — Winters was also a three-time AVCA All-American and the Big East player of the year in 2018. She graduated with 96 program records — 71 still stand, including career kills (1,843), single-season kills (546) and single-season points (595.5).

She now plays professionally for LOVB Nebraska.

The induction ceremony will be Oct. 16 at Sokol Arena. Tickets can be purchased on Creighton's website.