Creighton Prep opens new tennis complex, wins 35th Nebraska state championship

Creighton Preparatory School has a long history of winning boys’ tennis teams, including 35 state titles after winning the 2026 Nebraska School Activities Association Class A state championship for the first time since 2016.

However, the Junior Jays never have had on-campus tennis courts — until now.

A $2 million project resulted in a new tennis complex complete with six state-of-the-art lit courts. Donations from the community as well as $190,000 in USTA Tennis Venue Services grant funding made the project become a reality.

“I’m most excited about being able to walk out of class and into a practice or match,” said Alex Liu, a tennis player who earned a second-place finish at state in No. 1 singles. “For my first three years at Prep, my team and I had to travel all over the city to practice, and those locations weren’t always available.

“I’m also excited for my friends to finally see me play more often since many of them rarely came to matches because of the distance.”

USTA National contributed $180,000 in Tennis Venue Services funding while USTA Missouri Valley chipped in $10,000. A check presentation was held Oct. 20 to celebrate the grant funding.

The post-tension concrete tennis courts are complete with blended playing lines to accommodate different levels of play. In addition to varsity tennis, the courts will also be used for intramurals, summer tennis camps, youth programming and more.

Jerry Kowal, Creighton Prep boys’ tennis coach, is looking forward to hosting competitors at the new complex in Omaha.

“This facility means our players will compete in front of more fans cheering them on, build stronger connections within the Prep community and inspire young athletes to discover a love for the game,” Kowal said.

In addition to the Class A team title, Creighton Prep’s Tucker Clausen and Grant Dombrowski won state at No. 2 doubles. Blake Gocken and Matt McGill finished second in the No. 1 doubles division.

Learn more about USTA Tennis Venue Services by clicking here.