UK volleyball heads to Wrigley Field Sunday for Big 10/SEC challenge

For the first time in ballpark history, volleyball will be played inside the Friendly Confines when this year's Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge Week comes to Wrigley Field for two matches this Sunday. 

The historic doubleheader features Penn State vs. Kentucky at 6 p.m., followed by Nebraska vs. Missouri at 8 p.m. The event will broadcast on Fox.

Both matches will be played on an elevated court over second base.

As host conference, the Big Ten has developed contingency plans and safety precautions to ensure the wellbeing of all four teams involved. 

That includes reserving Wintrust Arena, home of the WNBA's Chicago Sky, for Monday, Sept. 7 if weather does not permit outdoor play. 

In case of heat, required hydration and rest breaks were also determined. However, this Sunday's forecast in Chicago is for sunshine and 76 degrees.

The history of NCAA indoor volleyball matches played in large outdoor or non-traditional open-air venues is a recent phenomenon.

In 2023, the University of Nebraska hosted an outdoor regular-season event called "Volleyball Day in Nebraska" at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. A staggering crowd of 92,003 fans packed the football stadium, breaking the all-time world record for attendance at a women's sporting event.

In 2025, Vanderbilt University broke the traditional indoor mold by constructing an outdoor court on Wyatt Lawn in the middle of campus for a match against Belmont.


(AP file photo)