Wisconsin Volleyball Delivers, Nebraska and Penn State Take NFL Stage

The 2026 Big Ten volleyball season is officially underway, featuring premier non-conference showdowns right out of the gate. Before the rest of the league takes the court this weekend, the conference heavyweights set the tone in national showcase matches. Wisconsin showed poise in a top-10 split this past weekend, while Nebraska and Penn State prepare to compete in an NFL stadium on Thursday. 

Badgers Bounce Back: Wisconsin Earns Top-10 Split on Opening Weekend 

No. 6 Wisconsin showcased impressive poise at the AVCA First Serve, bouncing back from a tough opening-night loss to No. 3 Kentucky with a dominant 3-0 sweep of No. 7 Louisville. Led by sophomore setter Charlie Fuerbringer — who earned Match MVP honors with 33 assists and eight digs — a young Badgers squad displayed remarkable maturity in response to Friday's adversity. 

Wisconsin’s offense found its groove against the Cardinals, jumping from a .186 hitting percentage against Kentucky to a scorching .327 clip on Saturday. Freshman pin hitter Audrey Flanagan spearheaded the attack with 13 kills, while the Badgers racked up eight service aces (led by three from senior Grace Egan) to lock down their first victory of the season. Read the full recap  here . 

Next up, the Badgers head to Pennsylvania for the Opening Spike Classic to clash with No. 5 Stanford on Friday, August 28, and No. 4 Pittsburgh on Sunday, August 30. Securing victories against either of these top-five foes would be a massive statement, proving that Kelly Sheffield's reloaded roster is already equipped to go toe-to-toe with national title favorites. 

Up Next: No. 1 Nebraska, No. 10 Penn State Open Seasons in Cowboys' Stadium 

Massive national showdowns take center stage as No. 1 Nebraska and No. 10 Penn State face No. 17 Florida and No. 11 SMU (respectively) in the opening matches of Spikes Under the Lights at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. 

The Huskers enter the matchup seeking to establish early physical dominance, with seniors Andi Jackson, Harper Murray, and Bergen Reilly — who were all unanimously named to the  Preseason All-Big Ten Team  for the 2026 season — leading the way. As the Huskers launch their pursuit of a sixth national championship, standing in their way of a hot start is a reloaded Gators squad led by Preseason All-SEC outside hitter Jordyn Byrd and middle blocker Alec Rothe. 

Shortly after, the Nittany Lions and AVCA Player of the Year Watch List member Kennedy Martin will take the court against a ranked SMU squad led by two Preseason All-ACC selections. Penn State will need to assert itself at the net against Favor Anyanwu (middle blocker) and Suli Davis (outside hitter). But with the playmaking ability of redshirt senior setter Alexis Stucky and Martin’s power, the Blue and White will test weapons of its own in the benchmark match. 

With a boisterous crowd expected and four national powerhouses on the floor, these opening clashes carry major early-season RPI and seeding implications. If Nebraska and/or Penn State win their opening match, they’ll compete in a winner-take-all championship for a prize of $1 million.  

The Huskers serve up the action at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday before the Nittany Lions take the court at 9 p.m, followed by the Spikes Under the Lights championship match. You’ll be able to watch every point on TNT. 

More to Come on Friday 

The rest of the Big Ten volleyball slate picks up on Friday with a packed schedule of opening-weekend action across the conference, including home openers for Ohio State, Michigan State, Michigan, Illinois, and Washington. We’ll preview the next round of key matches later this week, but you can get ready with the full Big Ten volleyball schedule  here.  

Photo by Ashley Steltenpohl via  uwbadgers.com .