College volleyball teams are always looking for new ways to push their teams and give their fans exciting matchups to look forward to and 2026 is no exception, especially when it comes to out-of-the-box venues.
Nebraska started the trend in 2023 when the Cornhuskers sold out their football stadium, and every year has seen newer and more exciting opportunities for non-conference matches.
Below is a rundown of some of the most prominent non-volleyball venues hosting matches this season.
Louisville versus Wisconsin volleyball match at the AVCA First Serve Showcase at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Location: Louisville, Ky.Capacity: 22,090
The No 7 Louisville Cardinals will take on multiple opponents at their basketball arena this year, including a non-conference matchup on Sept. 9 against the Missouri Tigers for the ACC-SEC Showdown at the Net.
Louisville will also host conference matchups against Georgia Tech on Nov. 1 and No. 11 SMU on Nov. 28.
The KFC Yum! Center was the site of the National Semifinals and Championships matches and the AVCA First Serve Showcase in 2024.
Location: West Lafayette, Ind.Capacity: 14,876
The No. 9 Purdue Boilermakers will once again open their basketball arena for volleyball matches this year. They will host two matches for the Big Ten-SEC Challenge, including against the reigning National Champions, No. 8 Texas A&M Aggies on Sept. 1 and the Georgia Bulldogs on Sept. 2.
The No. 16 Indiana Hoosiers will also take on the Aggies and Bulldogs at Mackey Arena.
Location: Austin, TexasCapacity: 10,763
The No. 2 Texas Longhorns will clash with the No. 3 Wisconsin Badgers this year on Sept. 13 at Texas' larger basketball arena, expanding capacity for the game from approximately 4,000 at Gregory Gym, their home volleyball venue, to over 10,000.
The Penn State basketball cheerleaders engage the crowd during the Palestra game against Illinois on Jan. 3, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Location: Philadelphia, Pa.Capacity: 8,725
As part of its 100th anniversary celebration, the Palestra will see the No. 10 Penn State Nittany Lions take on the No. 5 Stanford Cardinal. Nicknamed "The Cathedral of College Basketball," it has hosted more games and NCAA tournaments than any other facility.
Location: Lincoln, Neb.Capacity: 15,500
The No. 1 Nebraska Cornhuskers welcome in-state rivals, No. 13 Creighton Bluejays, to Pinnacle Bank Arena on Sept.16.
PBA was one of the sites for the AVCA First Serve event in 2025.
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa.Capacity: 12,508
No. 4 Pittsburgh will host The Opening Spike Classic for the second year at its basketball arena. The two-day event will host four matchups on Aug. 28 and 30, including No. 15 Kansas, No. 3 Wisconsin, and No. 5 Stanford.
Wisconsin hits a shot past Marquette at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
Location: Milwaukee, Wis.Capacity: 17,385
The AVCA First Serve Showcase opens the season on Aug. 21 at the home of the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks.
Teams playing in this year's showcase include No. 12 Arizona State, No. 3 Kentucky, No. 7 Louisville, Marquette, No. 4 Pitt, No. 11 SMU, No. 2 Texas, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 6 Wisconsin, and Xavier.
Fiserv Forum has previously hosted the 2024 State Farm Volleyball Showcase and an in-state matchup between Marquette and Wisconsin in 2025.
Location: Sioux Falls, S.D.Capacity: 3,250
The Sanford Pentagon will host two tournaments this season before the NBA's G League Sioux Falls Skyforce take the court. The State Farm Showcase will feature No. 13 Creighton, No. 9 Purdue, No. 14 Minnesota, No. 12 Arizona State, and No. 20 USC August 28-30.
The South Dakota Lottery Volleyball Classic on September 18-19 will feature South Dakota, South Dakota State, Minnesota, and Washington.
The Sanford Pentagon has been a host site for the AVCA First Serve in 2025 and the NCAA DII Championships in 2024 and 2025.
AT&T Stadium on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Location: Dallas, TexasCapacity: 80,000
For the first time in history, college volleyball will be played in an NFL stadium.
The inaugural Spikes Under the Lights Showcase on Aug. 27 will feature No. 1 Nebraska, No. 17 Florida, No. 10 Penn State, and No. 11 SMU for the opportunity to win $1 million in prize money in the home of the Dallas Cowboys.
Location: Las Vegas, Nev.Capacity: 17,500
Just a couple of days later, more history will be made as the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas hosts its first volleyball match in the inaugural Players Era Showcase on August 29-30.
The home of the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights will see No. 2 Texas, No 18 TCU, No. 1 Nebraska, and UNLV compete, including a showdown between the Huskers and Longhorns on Aug. 30.
Location: Nashville, Tenn.Capacity: 17,159
The Broadway Block Party returns for its second year at the home of the NHL's Nashville Predators on Sept. 6.
This double-header battle features No. 7 Louisville, No. 2 Texas, No. 22 Tennessee, and No. 16 Indiana.
General view of a the Wrigley Field signs before the game at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Location: Chicago, Ill.Capacity: 41,649
The headline venue of the Big Ten-SEC Challenge is at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Sept. 6.
No. 1 Nebraska will play Missouri before No. 10 Penn State takes on No. 3 Kentucky at the home of the 2016 World Series Champions, the Chicago Cubs.
This is the first time volleyball will be played in an MLB stadium.
Location: Kissimmee, Fla.Capacity: 5,000
No. 4 Pittsburgh, No. 22 Tennessee, No. 8 Texas A&M, and No. 5 Stanford are set to headline the 2026 Showcase at the Net at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex's State Farm Field House on Sept. 9.
This is the first year NCAA volleyball will be played in the ESPNWWOS complex.
Location: Nassau, BahamasCapacity: 3,000
The first-ever Paradise Invitational at Baha Mar Resort on Sept.11-13 will feature No. 3 Kentucky, No. 9 Purdue, Houston, and No. 11 SMU.
Baha Mar has hosted NCAA men's basketball tournaments since 2021, but this will be the first time they've held volleyball.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/volleyball as College Volleyball Is Taking Over Nontraditional Venues in 2026 .
