Volleyball On SI

UPDATED: Why Was Nebraska vs. Mizzou Volleyball Suspended at Wrigley Field?

While humidity and court conditions caused delays, Wrigley Field became a giant singalong as Nebraska and Mizzou players battled it out in impromptu dance-offs.

Abbie Harris

Sep 6, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; A general wide view during the third set in a match between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Penn State Nittany Lions at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
Sep 6, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; A general wide view during the third set in a match between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Penn State Nittany Lions at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Disaster struck Wrigley Field just after 10:30 p.m. CT Sunday night when Big Ten officials decided the conditions on the court were too dangerous to continue play.

The Nebraska-Missouri volleyball match was suspended and rescheduling at the historic Major League Baseball stadium is not possible.

“This obviously did not go as anybody wanted it to or planned, but up until the minute it was called, it was an incredibly first-class event," Nebraska head coach Dani Busboom Kelly said. "The Big Ten and the Cubs organization just made this super special from the first moment we walked into Wrigley Field. [We’re] just really thankful for everybody who went out on a limb and invested a lot of money and time and manpower to do something pretty special for our sport.”

Playing an indoor sport outside comes with its own unique set of challenges, from the sun moving across the sky during play to wind and concerns about rain on the floor.

Yes, the floor.

When Nebraska and Missouri took the floor in the second match at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Nebraska's opposite, Virginia Adriano, slipped. On the second, setter Bergen Reilly and libero Olivia Mauch slipped. On the third, Missouri’s Ainoah Cruz slipped under the net.

That was enough for Nebraska head coach Dani Busboom-Kelly and Missouri coach Dawn Sullivan to step in.

"“[We noticed the conditions] in warmups, it started feeling a little more slick and once we started playing it was getting really slick…it’s just not worth the health of our athletes," Sullivan said.

The mops weren’t working, so they used alcohol-soaked towels, ripped the decals off the floor and used leaf blowers. Whatever it took to get the match that the majority of the 43,067 people in attendance wanted to see.

After a 17-minute delay, the court was ready.

Officials declared the last point a replay and volleyball was on. Nebraska rattled off a few runs, Missouri answered with one of their own. And then the game was paused. Again.

This time for another 15 minutes. The players did their best to keep fan morale high as the delay continued. They sang along with the crowd. Had a dance battle. Danced the cupid shuffle.

Then both teams walked off the court to thunderous applause for a fifteen-minute court-cleaning delay.

In the first match of the Wrigley Field double-header, Penn State’s All-American opposite hitter, Kennedy Martin, slipped a little, causing her to miss a hit. She asked the ref for a replay but was denied.

As the match progressed, more pauses were taken so the crew could mop condensation on the floor, but generally, the game played on as usual as could be expected.

As for Nebraska and Mizzou? The match was suspended and the two coaches are figuring out when and where to resume this season.

Social media was rife with reactions

“Let’s take this over to the United Center!” Wisconsin head coach, Kelly Sheffield tweeted.

He added, “Really cool environment but scary conditions for the players. Don’t run slides!!!”

“Is there volleyball happening? Not right at this moment. Are the vibes high anyway? Yes.” Tweeted journalist Amie Just.

“I can’t believe we pulled volleyball day off,” Izzy Pineda, associate direct of creative and emerging media at Nebraska tweeted. That match, in front of a record-breaking 93,002 fans was at Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium and likely protected from these conditions because Lincoln Nebraska isn’t right next to a Great Lake.

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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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