Volleyball On SI

Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge: 9 Matches, 5 Sweeps and Plenty of Drama on Day 1

Day 1 of the inaugural Big Ten/SEC Challenge featured 18 teams, five sweeps, and a gritty reverse sweep as teams battle out for unofficial conference supremacy.

Abbie Harris

Aug 27, 2026; Arlington, TX, USA; Florida Gators players huddle before their volleyball match against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images
Aug 27, 2026; Arlington, TX, USA; Florida Gators players huddle before their volleyball match against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 2026 Big Ten/SEC Challenge week began on Tuesday with all 34 teams matching up across home campuses, culminating with a doubleheader at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.

Day 1 featured nine Big Ten schools (Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Oregon, Purdue, and Rutgers) and nine SEC schools (Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt) playing in front of historic crowds, streamed across FS1, BTN, SECN, and SECN+.

At the end of the first day, the Big Ten holds a one-game lead over the SEC, 5-4

If you missed any of the matches, read below for a brief recap.

Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

The Big Ten/SEC Challenge opened with a Rutgers sweep over Arkansas (25-19, 25-20, 25-16).

The Scarlet Knights got off to a hot start, with a 10-3 run, countered by the Razorbacks’ 7-1 run of their own. The teams traded points until Rutgers’ 9-1 run closed out the first match. The Scarlet Knights never looked back from that win, leading the Razorbacks through the second and third sets thanks to strong serving from Penn State transfer Karis Willow and six kills from Imani Howell.

Standout Performances:

Imani Howell (Rutgers, MB) – 8 kills, 0 errors, .727 hitting %, 2 service aces, 11 points
Karis Willow (Rutgers, OH) – 3 service aces, 8.5 points
Layla Smith (Arkansas, MB) – 3 kills, 0 errors, .375 hitting %
Kiki Remensperger (Arkansas, S) - 24 assists, 3 service aces

Michigan State Spartans vs. LSU Tigers

Michigan State kept the Big Ten wins rolling with a sweep over LSU (25-21, 25-20, 25-19).

LSU jumped out to an 11-8 lead early in the first set, but Michigan State clawed back thanks to a series of mini-runs and won the first set 25-21. The Spartans took advantage of a series of errors in the second set.

Despite fighting off three set points, the Tigers couldn’t overcome their early mistakes.  Michigan State carried that momentum into the third set with three five-point runs (5-2, 5-0, 5-1), keeping LSU at arm’s length the entire set.

Standout Performances:

Karolina Staniszewska (MSU, OH) – 14 kills, 1 service ace, 15.5 points
Carmen Waye (MSU, MB) – 4 kills, 3 blocks, 3 service aces
Journee Robinson (LSU, OH) - 15 kills, 2 blocks, 17.5 points

No. 21 Indiana Hoosiers vs. Georgia Bulldogs

Indiana bounced back from their loss against No. Louisville with a win over Georgia, 3-1 (26-24, 25-22, 22-25, 25-17).

Indiana and Georgia traded blows throughout the first three sets. Anytime one team made a play, the other answered almost immediately.

In the first set, neither team had more than a two-point lead. In the third set, the largest lead was three. The Hoosiers finally settled in by the fourth, with Indiana’s offense finally coming alive, hitting .375 behind Jaidyn Jager and Ella Boersema’s combined nine kills.

The Bulldogs fought hard but couldn’t overcome the early deficit and surging Hoosier momentum.

Standout Performances:

Ella Boersema (Indiana, MB) – 12 kills, 0 errors, .667 hitting %
Jaidyn Jager (Indiana, OH) - 19 kills, 8 digs, 3 blocks, 21 points
Teodora Krickovic (Indiana, S) - 50 assists
Bianna Muoneke (Georgia, OH) - 22 kills, .309 hitting %, 23.5 points

(RV) Michigan Wolverines vs. South Carolina Gamecocks

South Carolina got the SEC its first win of the challenge, thanks to a reverse sweep against Michigan (19-25, 20-25, 25-18, 27-25, 17-15).

The Wolverines ended the first set with a 7-2 run and a 4-0 run thanks to Jenna Hanes and Cymarah Gordon. They carried that momentum into the second game, starting with a 5-1 run and holding off the Gamecocks thanks to a 4-0 run later in the set.

The Wolverines opened the third set strong, holding both 7-3 and 14-9 leads, but a series of 6-0 runs from South Carolina opened the door for their eventual comeback.

The fourth set again started with a 4-0 Michigan run, but South Carolina continued to respond and tied the match up. The Gamecocks built an early lead in the fifth set, but the Wolverines responded in kind, with three late-set ties.

South Carolina completed the reverse sweep thanks to a service error and a final kill from Ava Leahy.

Standout Performances:

Ava Leahy (South Carolina, MB) – 12 kills, .571 hitting %, 5 blocks
Olivia Borgman (South Carolina, OH) - 20 kills, 2 service aces, 23 points)
Jenna Hanes (Michigan, MB) - 14 kills, 0 errors, .737 hitting %
Cymarah Gordon (Michigan, OPP) - 17 kills, 4 blocks
Ece Senyapici (Michigan, MB) - 10 kills, .429 hitting %, 4 blocks)

No. 22 Tennessee Lady Vols vs Illinois Fighting Illini

Tennessee gave the SEC its second win with a dominant sweep over Illinois (25-19, 25-17, 25-11) in front of a record crowd.

The first set started close, but Tennessee used a 5-1 run late to get into the red zone first and keep Illinois at arm’s length. The Fighting Illini took an early lead in the second set, but the Lady Vols fought back and closed the set with a 6-0 run.

Tennessee dominated the third set, thanks to a series of 10-3 and 6-1 runs that Illinois had no answer for.

Standout Performances

Maggie Dostic (Tennessee, OH) – 11 kills, 0 errors, .688 hitting %
Kennedi Rogers (Tennessee, OH) – 14 kills, .355 hitting %, 1 service ace, 15.5 points
Paityn Chapman (Illinois, OPP) – 9 kills, 9 points
Vivian Campbell (Illinois, DS) – 2 service aces

Vanderbilt Commodores vs Maryland Terrapins

The SEC tied up the challenge with a Vanderbilt sweep over Maryland (25-18, 25-15, 25-19).

The Commodores had multiple runs through the first set, including a 4-0 run early, an 8-2 run midway through, and a 5-2 run to close the set, complete with back-to-back aces from Carly Hendrickson.

Vanderbilt continued to play in rhythm in the second and third sets, with multiple 7-2 runs in the second and a series of 5-1 and 5-2 runs in the third to earn their third consecutive sweep and hand the Terrapins their first loss of the season.

Standout Performances:

Reese Animashaun (Vanderbilt, OH) – 10 kills, 3 blocks, 2 service aces
Rachel Ogunleye (Vanderbilt, OH) – 10 kills, .471 hitting %, 2 blocks
Samantha Wunsch (Vanderbilt, OPP) – 10 kills, .474 hitting %, 1 service ace
Sydney Bryant (Maryland, OH) – 9 kills, .244 hitting %, 1 block
Duru Gökçen (Maryland, MB) – 6 kills, .444 hitting %, 5 blocks

No. 14 Purdue Boilermakers vs No. 12 Texas A&M Aggies

With Purdue’s sweep over defending National Champion Texas A&M (27-25, 25-23, 25-20), the Big Ten retook the lead in the challenge and head coach Dave Shondell became the winningest coach in Purdue athletics.

Both teams slugged it out in all three matches, often going point for point with few large runs to give any team a chance to feel comfortable.

The Boilermakers found their points when they needed to, creating small advantages late in each set.

Standout Performances

Addy Tindall (Purdue, OH) – 16 kills, 1 error, .536% hitting, 3 blocks
Kate Hansen (Purdue, MB) – 7 kills, .636 hitting %, 6 blocks
Taryn Morris (Texas A&M, OH) – 12 kills, .450 hitting %
Gabi Rodriguez (Texas A&M, L) – 13 digs, 1 service ace

Missouri Tigers vs. No. 25 Oregon Ducks

The Big Ten earned another win when Oregon bested Missouri 3-1 (16-25, 25-16, 25-20, 25-19).

The teams traded points early in the first set before the Tigers went on a 5-0 run, thanks to back-to-back aces from Nina Mandovic, giving them a lead they would maintain for the rest of the set.

The second set was like the first, but this time the Ducks went on a 6-0 run to take the lead and never look back. In the third set, once Oregon reached the “red zone,” they went on a 5-2 run to gain the final advantage over Missouri.

The Ducks brought that momentum into the fourth set, going up early, only to be matched by the Tigers until Oregon’s final 3-0 run ended the set and the match.

Standout Performances

Valentina Vaulet (Oregon, OH) – 16 kills, .323 hitting %, 2 service aces
Laura Eichert (Oregon, OH) – 15 kills, .462 hitting %, 3 blocks, 13 digs
Eva Smith (Missouri, MB) – 6 kills, 0 errors, .600 hitting %, 5 blocks
Lauren Larkin (Missouri, MB) – 14 kills, .522% hitting, 4 blocks

No. 11 Minnesota Golden Gophers vs No. 17 Florida Gators

Florida’s gritty 3-1 (27-25, 24-26, 25-23, 25-21) win over Minnesota capped off the first day of the Big Ten/SEC Challenge and brought the SEC within one.

The Gators took an early lead in the first, but the Golden Gophers kept right with them, retaking the lead at the end until a pair of service aces pushed Florida back ahead. Minnesota had an early 5-1 lead, but Florida responded with a 4-0 run of their own.

The teams battled back and forth, getting extra points once again, this time with Minnesota coming out on top. Two runs, a 4-0 run early and a 5-1 run late, gave the Gators the advantage in the third set. That momentum carried into the fourth, with Florida getting an early 5-2 lead and extending it to 12-8. The Gophers stormed back to take their first lead late.

Florida’s Kamyrn Chaney took over and had a 7-0 run of her own to claim the fourth and final set.

Standout Performances

Selena Leban (Florida, OH) – 20 kills, .326 hitting %, 4 service aces, 2 blocks, 8 digs
Kamryn Chaney (Florida, OH) – 14 kills, 2 blocks
McKenna Wucherer (Minnesota, OH) – 21 kills, .388 hitting %, 3 blocks, 10 digs, 2 service aces
Stella Swenson (Minnesota, S) – 2 kills, 0 errors, 41 assists, 10 digs, 4 blocks

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Abbie Harris
ABBIE HARRIS

Abbie Harris has been talking about women's sports to anyone who would listen, and sometimes to those who wouldn't, for as long as she can remember. She has been the host of a weekly Nebraska women's sports podcast for over a year, primarily covering volleyball, women's basketball, and softball. Harris holds three degrees, including a Ph.D. from Saint Louis.

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