Shondell’s Record-Breaking Win, Indiana and Wisconsin Knock Off National Champ in Allstate Big Ten/SEC Challenge Week

The 2026 Allstate Big Ten/SEC Challenge Week is well underway, with conference heavyweights going head-to-head across the country. With five matches remaining, the Big Ten holds a 15-10 advantage. Take a look at how we got here and what’s up next. 

Purdue Sweeps Defending Champions in West Lafayette 

No. 14 Purdue kicked off its 2026 Allstate Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge Week with a sweep of defending champion No. 12 Texas A&M at Mackey Arena on Tuesday. With the win, Dave Shondell became  Purdue's all-time winningest head coach , passing men’s basketball icon Gene Keady. Since taking over in 2003, he has guided the Boilermakers to at least one top-25 victory in every single season. 

The Boilermakers got their first win of the season in straight sets (27-25, 25-23, 25-20), with outside hitters Addy Tindall and Lameen Mambu combining for 28 kills and three attack errors on 58 attacks. As a team, Purdue hit at a .388 clip while holding the Aggies’ AVCA Player of the Year Watch List honorees each under a .215 hitting %. Read the complete recap  here.  

Purdue  hung on to top Georgia  the next night and beat both of its SEC opponents for the week.  

Indiana Defeats Texas A&M in Thriller 

A day after Purdue swept the Aggies, the No. 21-ranked Hoosiers earned a statement victory of their own at Mackey, defeating Texas A&M in five sets (26-24, 26-28, 25-23, 17-25, 15-9). Third-year hitter Ella Boersema had a career-high 21 kills while hitting nearly .500 on the night. Jaidyn Jager registered 17 kills and Teodora Krickovic added seven in a complete team effort. 

Indiana will now head to Nashville to face No. 22 Tennessee as it looks to finish the week 3-0 against SEC teams. Read the complete recap  here.  

Wisconsin Claims First Home Win of the Season in Five-Set Battle vs. Florida 

In their first regular season game at UW Field House, the fifth-ranked Badgers beat No. 17 Florida in five sets (25-21, 20-25, 25-19, 24-26, 15-13) in front of a sold-out crowd. Freshman Audrey Flanagan continued the strong start to her career, leading Wisconsin with 18 kills. Junior Charlie Fuerbringer posted a double-double with a season-high 55 assists and 15 digs. 

In the final set, Wisconsin took control at the end, pulling away to seal the 15-13 win over the Gators. Read the complete recap  here.  The Badgers also swept Auburn Thursday night to finish challenge week 2-0. 

2026 Allstate Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge Week Concludes at Wrigley Field 

The challenge finishes up at one of America’s most famous stadiums, the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field, with an iconic double-header. 

First, No. 13 Penn State battles No. 3 Kentucky in the opening match. The Nittany Lions are riding a three-game winning streak into Chicago, two of those being sweeps over UConn and Hofstra. They will now face a Kentucky squad that has won three straight games via 3-0 sweeps, giving Penn State its biggest test of the young season so far.  

To close out the week, No. 1 Nebraska takes on Missouri. The Huskers (3-0) have yet to lose a set this season, including a ranked sweep over No. 2 Texas and 2-0 sweeps of No. 11 SMU and No. 17 Florida at the Spikes Under the Lights exhibition. With senior Bergen Reilly — who was named the  Big Ten Setter of the Week  — leading the way, Nebraska looks to add another impressive win to its resume at the Friendly Confines. 

Check out the full volleyball schedule  for all the dates, times, and broadcast information. 

Photo from  purduesports.com