WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
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Big Ten CommunicationsPublished: 9/1/2026, Last updated: 9/1/2026
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Big Ten Weekly Volleyball Central - Sept. 1-7

Big Ten Volleyball    |   Big Ten Standings   |   Big Ten Composite Schedule

Big Ten Statistics  |   NCAA Statistics   |  Allstate Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge Week | Big Ten Weekly Release - Sept. 1


  • Eight Big Ten volleyball programs were among this week’s AVCA/TARAFLEX Top 25: #1 Nebraska, #5 Wisconsin, #11 Minnesota, #13 Penn State, #14 Purdue, #15 USC, #21 Indiana and #25 Oregon. Michigan and UCLA received votes in the poll.  
  • The 2026 Allstate Big Ten/SEC Challenge Week begins on Tuesday, September 1. All 18 Big Ten schools and all 16 SEC institutions will match up across various campuses throughout the week, culminating with a historic outdoor doubleheader at Wrigley Field on Sunday, September 6. The Wrigley Field event will feature three national champions with Nebraska vs. Missouri and Penn State vs. Kentucky. The matches will mark the first time volleyball has been played at Wrigley Field, creating a unique experience for teams and fans alike and adding a new chapter to one of the most recognizable venues in sports. Challenge week showcases elite competition while elevating women’s sports on the national stage. Multiple campus sites will serve as hosts to two Big Ten teams and two SEC teams, while Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas will host standalone home matches against Big Ten foes on Tuesday and Wednesday. Linear coverage will be available across FOX, FS1, Big Ten Network, ESPN and SEC Network, with additional coverage streamed on B1G+ and SECN+.
  • Iowa head coach Jim Barnes reached the 500-career-win milestone. Barnes is one of 28 active Division I head coaches to reach 500 career wins. Barnes led the Hawkeyes to a 3-0 opening weekend at the Black Knight Invitational.
  • Nebraska was ranked No. 1 in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll released on Aug. 31. It marks Nebraska’s 125th week all-time at No. 1 in the AVCA Coaches Poll, the most of any program in the nation. The Huskers began the 2026 campaign with sweeps of UNLV and then-No. 2 Texas at the Players Era Showcase in Las Vegas. Bergen Reilly was named the Most Valuable Player at the showcase. 
  • Penn State went 3-0 at the Penn State Invitational with wins over UConn, High Point and Hofstra. Kennedy Martin was named MVP of the Invitational. 
  • With the first win of the 2026 season, Purdue head coach Dave Shondell will become the outright all-time winningest head coach in Purdue Athletics history, surpassing men’s basketball legend Gene Keady’s 512 wins. The No. 14-ranked Boilermakers host No. 12 Texas A&M inside Mackey Arena on Tuesday on FS1. 
  • Washington won the Husky Invitational to start the year 3-0 with wins against UC Irvine, San Diego State and IU Indy. Big Ten Freshman of the Week Kylie Kleckner was named MVP of the tournament. 
  • The Big Ten Conference will usher in a new era of collegiate volleyball this fall with the launch of its inaugural tournament November 20-25, 2026, at Fishers Event Center in Fishers, Ind. The top 15 teams in the regular-season standings will qualify for the tournament, bringing the nation’s premier volleyball programs together in one venue for the first time. Three matches will be played in the opening round of the tournament, followed by four second-round matches. The competition will then progress through the quarterfinals and semifinals, culminating with the championship match slated for November 25 on FOX. One off day will be built into the tournament schedule. The Big Ten regular-season schedule will decrease from 20 to 17 matches, in a single, round-robin format to account for the tournament.