CHICAGO (AP) — Wrigley Field will host a women's college volleyball doubleheader to highlight the Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge Week in September.
The conferences announced Monday that Nebraska will play Missouri and Penn State will meet Kentucky at the home of the Chicago Cubs on Sept. 6. Matchups between Big Ten and SEC programs will be played at home sites beginning Sept. 1.
“Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge Week culminating at Wrigley Field brings
together the highest level of women’s volleyball competition, at one of the most iconic venues in the country,” Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti said. “As women’s volleyball participation, sponsorship, attendance and viewership continue to grow, we look forward to providing this unique opportunity to showcase the exceptional competition.”
The matches will mark the first time volleyball has been played at Wrigley Field. Both outdoor matches will be broadcast live on Fox.
“Bringing the SEC and Big Ten together for a championship-caliber volleyball showcase, culminating at an iconic venue like Wrigley Field, reflects the extraordinary momentum of the sport,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said. “This initiative not only elevates volleyball on a national stage but also underscores a continued growth and investment in women’s athletics."
Penn State has won eight national championships, most recently in 2024. Nebraska has won five titles, with the most recent in 2017. Kentucky won the 2020 championship and was runner-up to Texas A&M last season.
Nebraska hosted a women's volleyball doubleheader at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Aug. 30, 2023, and attendance of 92,003 was the largest ever documented for a women's sporting event in the world.
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