Big Ten Weekly Volleyball Central - Aug. 27 - Sept. 2

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• A record-setting 83 Big Ten volleyball matches will be televised nationally on Big Ten Network, FOX, NBC, FS1 and Peacock for the 2024 season. NBC will carry three nationally televised matches, the first time the network will air collegiate volleyball in its history. Big Ten Volleyball coverage is up nearly 30% from the previous record of 64 TV matches in 2023. 
• Seven Big Ten volleyball programs were among the AVCA/TARAFLEX Preseason Top 25, announced on Aug. 19: 2-Nebraska; 3-Wisconsin; 7-Penn State; 8-Purdue; 10-Oregon; 18-Minnesota; 21-USC. Four additional teams (Ohio State, UCLA, Indiana, Washington) received votes in the preseason poll. The Big Ten had the most teams among the nation’s top-25 (7), followed by the SEC (6), ACC (5), Big 12 (4), Big East (2) and Atlantic 10 (1).
• Four of the nation’s top-10 collegiate volleyball teams will open the 2024 season at the AVCA First Serve Showcase on Aug. 27 at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. No. 2 Nebraska and No. 9 Kentucky will play the first match of the Division I season at 7 p.m. ET, followed by No. 3 Wisconsin and No. 6 Louisville. Both matches will air live on ESPN2. 
• Wisconsin and Minnesota are set to participate at the inaugural Intersport Volleyball Showcase at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis., on Sept. 1-2. In a rematch of the 2023 National Semifinal, Wisconsin meets No. 1 Texas to open the showcase on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET, followed by No. 18 Minnesota vs. No. 5 Stanford at 3 p.m. ET. On Monday, Wisconsin will play Stanford at 5 p.m. ET, with Minnesota battling the reigning national champions  at 7:30 p.m. ET. National coverage of all four matches is available on FOX and FS1. 
• The 14 remaining Big Ten schools will all begin their 2024 campaigns on Friday, August 30, highlighted by an Elite Eight rematch between No. 4 Pittsburgh and No. 10 Oregon on the Big Ten Network at 10:30 p.m. ET. 
• The Big Ten increased its volleyball national championship footprint, adding Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington in August of 2024. The four schools have combined for eight national titles to go along with Nebraska, Penn State and Wisconsin who own a combined 13 NCAA Championships. 
• The Big Ten had eight schools in the top 25 in average volleyball attendance in 2023, with the conference leading the nation in reported attendance for the 16th consecutive season with 831,742. 
• Ten 2023 AVCA All-Americans from all 18 Big Ten schools return for the 2024 season, including AVCA National Player of the Year, Sarah Franklin of Wisconsin. Also returning for the Badgers are All-Americans Anna Smrek and Carter Booth. Nebraska returns four All-Americans from 2023, Merritt Beason, Lexi Rodriguez (Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year), Bergen Reilly (Big Ten Setter of the Year) and Harper Murray (Big Ten Freshman of the Year). Penn State returns outside hitter, Jess Mruzik and Purdue returns Eva Hudson and Chloe Chicoine. 
• Nebraska is the reigning Big Ten Champion, capping a historic season with an NCAA Finals appearance vs. Texas. Nebraska ended its season 33-2, its best finish since 2006. Wisconsin advanced to the Final Four for the 6th time in program history, finishing the season with a 30-4 overall record. In addition to the Cornhuskers and Badgers, the Big Ten sent Purdue, Penn State and Minnesota to the NCAA Tournament. Oregon and USC advanced to the  2023 postseason, with Oregon reaching the Elite Eight. The Big Ten has now had at least 2 teams in the Final Four 9 times in the previous 12 NCAA Tournaments.