RAPID CITY - The Missouri Valley Conference picked up another Templeton after Rapid City Central junior Caitlin Templeton signed to a national letter of intent to play volleyball for Creighton.

"I just really liked the coaching staff and the players," Templeton said of the Jesuit university located in downtown Omaha, Neb. "I just felt comfortable with everything about the school and campus."

Templeton's older brother, Adam, is a junior at Drake, another school in the MVC, where he plays basketball for the Bulldogs. He transferred to the Des Moines school after spending two seasons at the University of California-Irvine and had to sit out last season. The proximity of the two schools played something of a role in the younger Templeton's decision.

"He's just 1-1/2 hours away," Templeton said of her older brother. "That definitely helped my decision a little bit."

Templeton was named to the South Dakota Class AA all-state volleyball first team as a junior when she racked up 300 kills, 95 digs and 44 solo blocks for the Cobblers. She plans on studying criminal justice after graduation next year.

The Bluejay program was highly regarded by Templeton's junior Olympic team club coach Kylee Voorhees, and Creighton offered a scholarship to Templeton after watching her in a tournament in Denver.

"My head coach really recommended the program and coaching staff," Templeton said. "We were in Denver and they contacted my coach and I signed on Mar. 14."

Creighton head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth inherited a team that had a 3-23 record in 2002. The Jays finished the 2007 season with a 21-10 record after finishing as part of a three-way tie for second place with a 14-4 MVC record.

They were not invited to the NCAA tournament despite the MVC getting four teams - Northern Iowa, Wichita State, Missouri State and Illinois State - into the field. Volleyball didn't become a varsity sport at Creighton until 1994, and the Jays are still looking for their first NCAA tournament berth.

Templeton's parents are Kim and Lori Templeton of Rapid City.