Kentucky volleyball will play at a historic MLB venue in SEC/Big Ten event

Kentucky volleyball is headed to one of baseball’s most venerable venues.

The national runner-up Cats will face Penn State at Wrigley Field on Sept. 6, part of the inaugural SEC/Big Ten Volleyball Challenge.

UK and Penn State will join Nebraska and Missouri in playing at Wrigley Field, the historic home of baseball’s Chicago Cubs. It will be the first time Wrigley has hosted volleyball. The Cats and Nittany Lions will play at either 7 p.m. or 9 p.m. ET.

“Bringing the SEC and Big Ten together for a championship-caliber volleyball showcase, culminating at an iconic venue like Wrigley Field, reflects the extraordinary momentum of the sport,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in a news release. “This initiative not only elevates volleyball on a national stage but also underscores a continued growth and investment in women’s athletics. We are proud to be part of an event that celebrates the competitive excellence of these student-athletes while helping shape an even more prominent future for women’s athletics.”

The Wrigley match is one of two for UK in the SEC/Big Ten event, which will feature all 18 Big Ten and all 16 SEC teams. The Cats also will host UCLA at Memorial Coliseum on Sept. 2.

Kentucky won 3-0 at Penn State last season and beat UCLA 3-1 at Memorial in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

UK is coming off a 30-3 season that ended with a 3-0 loss to Texas A&M in the NCAA championship game. The Cats went 15-0 in the SEC in the regular season, clinching the program’s ninth consecutive regular season conference championship.