Maryland Volleyball Set to Compete in Inaugural Big Ten/SEC Challenge Week

ROSEMONT, IL – The Big Ten Conference and Southeastern Conference (SEC) have introduced a partnership for Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge Week, starting in 2026. Highlighted by a doubleheader at iconic Wrigley Field, this initiative brings collectively the nation’s premier conferences in competitors that displays the expansion and nationwide momentum of girls’s school volleyball. 
 
All 18 Big Ten faculties and all 16 SEC establishments will match up starting Tuesday, September 1, culminating with a historic out of doors doubleheader at Wrigley Field on Sunday, September 6. 

“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,” stated Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti. “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 Wrigley Field occasion will function three nationwide champions with Nebraska taking up Missouri and Penn State battling Kentucky. The matches will mark the primary time volleyball has been performed at Wrigley Field, creating a singular expertise for groups and followers alike and including a brand new chapter to one of the recognizable venues in sports activities. 

“This is a historic moment for the Chicago Cubs, Big Ten and the SEC that has been months in the making,” stated Cubs President of Business Operations Crane Kenney. “We’re thrilled to welcome these incredible schools and student-athletes to the first-ever collegiate volleyball game at Wrigley Field.”

 

Both out of doors matches will likely be broadcast reside on FOX, with the primary match scheduled for six p.m. CT adopted by an 8 p.m. CT begin time for the second match.

 

Challenge week showcases elite competitors whereas elevating girls’s sports activities on the nationwide stage. Various campus websites will function hosts to 2 Big Ten groups and two SEC groups, whereas Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas will host standalone house matches in opposition to Big Ten foes on Tuesday and Wednesday. Linear protection will likely be out there throughout FOX, FS1, Big Ten Network, ESPN and SEC Network, with extra protection streamed on B1G+ and SECN+. 

 

“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,” stated SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “This initiative not only elevates volleyball on a national stage but also underscores a continued growth and investment in women’s athletics. We are proud to be part of an event that celebrates the competitive excellence of these student-athletes while helping shape an even more prominent future for women’s athletics.”

 

Tickets will likely be out there to buy beginning Thursday, April 9. For extra info on the 2 matches at Wrigley Field, go to www.cubs.com/bigtenvolleyball.

 

The full Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge Week schedule could be discovered under.