The Big Ten-SEC Volleyball Challenge at Wrigley Field in Chicago came to an abrupt end on Sunday night after excessive moisture on the court created an unsafe environment to continue play.
According to The Athletic, the University of Nebraska women’s volleyball team was on a tear and set to compete against the University of Missouri, but the weather in Chicago became their true opponent. It was 72 degrees with humidity rising above 80%. As the moisture levels intensified, several players slipped on the damp court, and the match was paused after 15 minutes. Players from both teams used towels to dry the floor themselves.
The court was built in the outfield of Wrigley Field, an outdoor environment for a typically indoor game, and more than 40,000 fans had packed the stands. But, after a significant delay, the Big Ten made the decision to suspend the match and end the entire event early.
“Due to weather conditions affecting the court surface, Sunday's volleyball match between Nebraska and Missouri has been suspended," the Big Ten said in a statement. "Despite best efforts and in collaboration with all parties, rescheduling at Wrigley Field is not possible. A decision on match continuation at the point of suspension will be announced at a later date."
Several solutions were attempted before deciding to call off the match, including removing the decals from the court to make it less slick.
Despite the disrupted play, Yahoo Sports reported that the athletes remained in good spirits, even dancing the ‘Cupid Shuffle’ as they scooted towels across the court.
“This was amazing,” Nebraska coach Dani Busboom Kelly said. “I applaud the effort. But there’s a reason our sport’s indoors.”
The Big Ten-SEC Volleyball Challenge was first dreamed up in 2025, following the success of the hockey event with a similar format, the Frozen Confines. And, an outdoor volleyball match held in a different sport’s stadium was not unfamiliar to Nebraska, who previously held a match in the school’s football stadium for 92,003 fans.
It has not yet been announced if a make-up match will be scheduled for Nebraska and Missouri.
