Inaugural Big 10/SEC Challenge on Deck for No. 17 Florida

Tuesday, September 1

Madison, WI

9 PM

Florida Gators

Minnesota

Florida volleyball in white jerseys celebrates

This week features the first regular season ranked matches of the year for UF. // Photo by Hannah White | UAA Communications

Inaugural Big 10/SEC Challenge on Deck for No. 17 Florida

Monday, August 31, 2026 | Volleyball

The Gators will matchup with Minnesota and Wisconsin in the first year of the event.

By: Andrew Hile

#17 Florida vs. Minnesota/Wisconsin
Date/Time	Tuesday, Sept. 1 \| 9 p.m. ET // Wednesday, Sept. 2 \| 8 p.m. ET
Location	Madison, Wis. \| UW Field House
Match Notes	Florida Notes \| Minnesota Notes
Watch	Big Ten Network (Tuesday) \| Fox Sports 1 (Wednesday)
Live Stats	Minnesota \| Wisconsin

Madison, Wis. – No. 17 Florida volleyball is set to kick off a four-match road swing on Tuesday, when they travel to Madison, Wis., for a pair of matches as a part of the inaugural Big 10/SEC Challenge.

The Gators will matchup with No. 11 Minnesota on Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 9 p.m. ET before meeting No. 5 Wisconsin on Wednesday, Sept. 2, at 8 p.m. ET. Both matches will take place at UW Field House and get the national spotlight, as Tuesday's match will be broadcast on Big Ten Network, with Wednesday's appearing on Fox Sports 1.

The week-long Big 10-SEC challenge will feature all 34 teams between the conferences, with a historic doubleheader at Wrigley Field to cap the event. Ten institutions have been chosen to serve as hosts during the challenge including: Oklahoma, Tennessee, Missouri, Purdue, Vanderbilt, Michigan, Kentucky, Texas, Wisconsin and Mississippi State.

Series History with Minnesota
Minnesota leads, 6-3.
3 sets: 2-1 | 4 sets: 1-3 | 5 sets: 0-2
Home: 3-2 | Neutral: 0-1 | Away: 0-3
Last: 2023 - W, 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-22), Home

Series History with Wisconsin
Florida leads, 6-3.
3 sets: 2-0 | 4 sets: 1-1 | 5 sets: 3-2
Home: 1-1 | Neutral: 2-1 | Away: 3-1
Last: 2025 - L, 1-3 (25-19, 22-25, 20-25, 34-36), Away

Florida Notables

Junior setter Taylor Parks sits just six assists away from becoming the 18th Gator to record 1,000 assists during her career.
Florida won their seventh-straight home opener when they defeated Stony Brook, 3-0, on Aug. 30.
Against Stony Brook, Selena Leban led the offense with 9 kills, while Taylor Parks ended with 26 assists, seven digs and a career-best five service aces.
Defensively against the Seawolves, Florida recorded 12.5 blocks, with Brooklyn Briscoe posting a solo block and four block assists. Lily Hayes led the Orange & Blue with 12 digs.
Florida will log over 4,500 miles of travel over the next week, traveling to Madison, Wis., Waco, Texas and Denton, Texas.
The Gators made history when they competed at Spikes Under the Lights on Aug. 27, becoming part of the first collegiate or professional match to take place in an NFL stadium and first match to air on TNT.
Florida was picked to finish fourth in the SEC Preseason Poll, behind favorite Kentucky, Texas and Texas A&M. Jordyn Byrd and Alec Rothe were both named to the Preseason All-SEC Team.

Minnesota Notables

Minnesota enters Tuesday's contest with a 1-1 record, posting a 3-0 victory over No. 13 Creighton on Aug. 29.
In this week's AVCA/TARAFLEX Top 25 poll, Minnesota improved three spots to No. 11.
The Gophers are led by McKenna Wucherer on offense, who averages 4.67 kills per set, while Jordan Taylor and Elena Hoecke have already knotched six blocks. Hoecke tallies 1.20 blocks per set.
Sophomore Carly Gilk was named to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team. This season, Gilk is averaging 2.0 kills per set, 0.5 aces per set, 0.5 blocks per set and 2.75 points per set.
The Gophers were picked to finish fifth in the Big 10 Preseason Poll.

Wisconsin Notables

Wisconsin enters Wednesday's matchup with a 1-3 record, holding a victory over No. 7 Louisville in straight sets, 3-0.
The Badgers sit at No. 5 in the Aug. 31 TARAFLEX/AVCA Top 25 poll.
Audrey Flanagan's 44 kills pace the Badgers, to go along with seven aces, while Lynney Tarrow boasts 10 blocks on the year. Five Badgers have already recorded 30+ digs on the year, led by 45 from Anna Bardaro.
Charlie Fuerbringer and Jaela Auguste were named to the Preseason All-Big 10 Team. Fuerbringer is averaging 10.85 assists per set and 2.69 digs per set.
As a team, the Badgers were picked to finish second in the Big 10 Preseason Poll.