Nebraska volleyball to play Missouri at Wrigley Field in Big Ten/SEC challenge
Nebraska volleyball is officially playing at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Ill. during the 2026 season. They face Missouri on Sunday, Sept. 6 on the Chicago Cubs’ field. Penn State and Kentucky will also compete in the Big Ten/SEC doubleheader.
The Labor Day weekend event will be the first time volleyball is played at Wrigley Field, an iconic sports venue. The Huskers have been at the forefront of growing volleyball and women’s athletics. It is only fitting that Nebraska is a part of such a groundbreaking event.
“This is a historic moment for the Chicago Cubs, Big Ten and the SEC that has been months in the making,” Cubs President of Business Operations Crane Kenney said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to welcome these incredible schools and student-athletes to the first-ever collegiate volleyball game at Wrigley Field.”
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The doubleheader at Wrigley is on FOX, with the first match starting at 6 p.m. CT, followed by the second match soon after. Tickets go on sale for the general public on April 9.
Several Nebraska players and coaches have experience playing indoor volleyball outside. The senior class played in Memorial Stadium during Volleyball Day in Nebraska, which broke the women’s sports world attendance record with 92,003.
Huskers will also play DePaul in Chicago
While in Chicago, the Huskers will take on DePaul on Friday, Sept. 4 at Wintrust Arena. DePaul University officially announced the match on Monday, March 30. The match time, TV and ticket information will be announced later.
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Nebraska and the Blue Demons will be the first teams to play in a volleyball match in DePaul’s basketball arena. The arena has a 10,387-seat capacity.
“We are thrilled to bring a championship-caliber atmosphere to Wintrust Arena for this historic meeting with Nebraska,” DePaul head coach Marie Zidek said in a statement. “This is more than just a match – it is a showcase for our program and the Chicago volleyball community. This event is a bold realization of our joint DREAM BIG plan and reflects the trajectory of our vision for this program.”
Wrigley Field matches part of the Big Ten/SEC volleyball challenge
The Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge Week will lead up to a historic doubleheader at Wrigley Field. All 18 Big Ten teams and 16 SEC teams will face another from the opposite conference, starting on Tuesday, Sept. 1. FOX, FS1, Big Ten Network, ESPN and SEC Network will broadcast the games.
“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 in a statement. “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.”
Full Big Ten/SEC Challenge schedule
| MATCH DATE | HOME | AWAY | LOCATION |
| Tuesday, Sept. 1 | Tennessee | Illinois | Food City Center (Knoxville, Tenn.) |
| Tuesday, Sept. 1 | Missouri | Oregon | Hearnes Center (Columbia, Mo.) |
| Tuesday, Sept. 1 | Minnesota | Florida | UW Fieldhouse (Madison, Wis.) |
| Tuesday, Sept. 1 | Purdue | Texas A&M | Holloway Gymnasium (West Lafayette, Ind.) |
| Tuesday, Sept. 1 | Indiana | Georgia | Holloway Gymnasium (West Lafayette, Ind.) |
| Tuesday, Sept. 1 | Vanderbilt | Maryland | Historic Memorial Gymnasium (Nashville, Tenn.) |
| Tuesday, Sept. 1 | Arkansas | Rutgers | Historic Memorial Gymnasium (Nashville, Tenn.) |
| Tuesday, Sept. 1 | Michigan | South Carolina | Crisler Center (Ann Arbor, Mich.) |
| Tuesday, Sept. 1 | Michigan State | LSU | Crisler Center (Ann Arbor, Mich.) |
| Wednesday, Sept. 2 | Texas | USC | Gregory Gymnasium (Austin, Texas) |
| Wednesday, Sept. 2 | Kentucky | UCLA | Historic Memorial Coliseum (Lexington, Ky.) |
| Wednesday, Sept. 2 | Wisconsin | Florida | UW Fieldhouse (Madison, Wis.) |
| Wednesday, Sept. 2 | Minnesota | Auburn | UW Fieldhouse (Madison, Wis.) |
| Wednesday, Sept. 2 | Purdue | Georgia | Holloway Gymnasium (West Lafayette, Ind.) |
| Wednesday, Sept. 2 | Indiana | Texas A&M | Holloway Gymnasium (West Lafayette, Ind.) |
| Wednesday, Sept. 2 | Vanderbilt | Rutgers | Historic Memorial Gymnasium (Nashville, Tenn.) |
| Wednesday, Sept. 2 | Arkansas | Maryland | Historic Memorial Gymnasium (Nashville, Tenn.) |
| Wednesday, Sept. 2 | Michigan | LSU | Crisler Center (Ann Arbor, Mich.) |
| Wednesday, Sept. 2 | Michigan State | South Carolina | Crisler Center (Ann Arbor, Mich.) |
| Wednesday, Sept. 2 | Ole Miss | Ohio State | McCasland Field House (Norman, Okla.) |
| Thursday, Sept. 3 | Wisconsin | Auburn | UW Fieldhouse (Madison, Wis.) |
| Thursday, Sept. 3 | Mississippi State | Iowa | Newell-Grissom Building (Starkville, Miss.) |
| Thursday, Sept. 3 | Alabama | Northwestern | Newell-Grissom Building (Starkville, Miss.) |
| Thursday, Sept. 3 | Ole Miss | Washington | McCasland Field House (Norman, Okla.) |
| Thursday, Sept. 3 | Oklahoma | Ohio State | McCasland Field House (Norman, Okla.) |
| Friday, Sept. 4 | Mississippi State | Northwestern | Newell-Grissom Building (Starkville, Miss.) |
| Friday, Sept. 4 | Alabama | Iowa | Newell-Grissom Building (Starkville, Miss.) |
| Friday, Sept. 4 | Oklahoma | Washington | McCasland Field House (Norman, Okla.) |
| Sunday, Sept. 6 | Nebraska | Missouri | Wrigley Field (Chicago, Ill.) |
| Sunday, Sept. 6 | Penn State | Kentucky | Wrigley Field (Chicago, Ill.) |
