Mila Vlahovic joined the Creighton volleyball team this past summer, and she said the team’s positive culture is a big reason why.
The freshman outside hitter hails from Ghent, Belgium, where she began playing volleyball when she was 5 or 6 years old.
“Coming to Creighton and knowing that all the girls say ‘good job’ to you after things and make positive comments is different,” Vlahovic told Hurrdat Sports. “For example, when (head coach) Brian (Rosen) sometimes asks you to ask your partner who you worked with on the court what their goal is for now and things like that, it’s very different. We do positive things in Belgium and Serbia as well, but it’s a lot more focused here.”
The freshman grew up focusing on volleyball after trying other sports. She joined Creighton in June after her agent connected her to the team.
“Their volleyball is really good,” Vlahovic said. “They’re really, really good, and also the conversations I had with Brian and the advisors for school, for example, they were also very welcoming; you really felt that they wanted you and they saw you here at Creighton. That’s how I saw myself more and more, living here on campus and training with the girls.”
Once Vlahovic got connected to the team, the process took off from there.
“I feel like the recruiting process prepares you more for what America’s going to be like than I thought,” Vlahovic said. “People are very nice, sometimes too nice, but it always felt very nice, and they see you as the best player in the world almost. And then with Brian, I feel like he really cared about also making me a better player throughout the season.”
The Bluejays began training on July 31. Vlahovic said she’s learned a lot from Rosen already.
“I think from Brian, the thing I’ve learned the most is not getting too caught up in your feelings,” Vlahovic said. “I’m a very empathetic and emotional person, so that’s mainly the hardest thing for me now.”
Vlahovic is working to overcome that with the help of Rosen and his assistants.
“They’re very openminded and listen,” Vlahovic said. “If you want to talk to someone in private, that’s also possible. It’s a very good combination of keeping things you want to keep apart apart, and then the things you want to say, you can say.”
Since joining the Jays, Vlahovic said she believes she can develop in multiple areas, but one place she’s grown in is her ability to be herself.
“In the beginning, I was not afraid to be myself, but doubting a little bit,” Vlahovic said. “Now, I’m just truly the Mila who I am, and not caring too much about what people think.”
As for the type of player Vlahovic is, she’s one that brings a lot of experience.
Prior to arriving at Creighton, the outside hitter spent the last two years playing with Radnicki Beograd in the Superliga, the top women’s division in Serbia. She also played for multiple clubs in Belgium the past six years.
Vlahovic also played for Belgium’s national team at the U19 World Championships in 2025. She averaged 11.89 kills and 1.79 aces across nine matches in Croatia and Serbia. She finished the tournament second in aces, fourth in points and ninth in kills against all competition.
“I think it definitely prepared me on some level of being ready volleyball-wise, but on how different the culture is and things like that, it did not prepare me,” Vlahovic said. “It’s very different than the international team, but it was fun, the national team was fun. I don’t want to make it sound like it was not a good experience, it was just a different culture for sure.”
Vlahovic is ready to have fun with the Bluejays this fall.
Last season, Creighton went 28-6 and reached the Elite Eight for the second straight season.
This year, the preseason No. 13 Bluejays are challenging themselves again with another difficult nonconference schedule. This includes No. 1 Nebraska, ninth-ranked Purdue, No. 14 Minnesota and No. 20 USC.
“I can’t wait to be on the court and play against those teams, because you see it always on TikTok and media, but I want to know how it feels in real life,” Vlahovic said. “I want to experience the adrenaline and the whole day leading up to it. So I truly can’t wait. I’m on my tippy toes ready to go.”
The Bluejays will continue to prepare for the upcoming season with Vlahovic ready for her first match with Creighton.
“I’m looking forward to having a great team vibe and winning games,” Vlahovic said.
As for the team’s goals, they want to make the Final Four, but Vlahovic has bigger aspirations.
“I want to win the whole thing,” Vlahovic said. “I said this from the day I knew I was coming to Creighton, I want to win the whole thing together. Everything that is possible to win, I want to win it. We want to win it.”
Creighton opens its season with an exhibition against South Dakota at D.J. Sokol Arena on Sunday. First serve is set for 1 p.m. CT.
