Moisture and humidity forced the historic women’s college volleyball match between No. 1 Nebraska and Missouri at Wrigley Field to be suspended Sunday night in the first set, with the Huskers leading 11-7. Officials confirmed the match cannot be rescheduled at the iconic Chicago ballpark.
Historic Wrigley Field Debut Hindered by Excessive Court Moisture
College volleyball reached an unprecedented venue as the Big Ten and SEC concluded their inaugural Volleyball Challenge Week with a historic doubleheader at Wrigley Field. The iconic ballpark looked different as volleyball made its Wrigley Field debut, featuring four schools with storied volleyball traditions led by top-ranked Nebraska. Fans from across the country traveled to Chicago to witness the historic doubleheader featuring Penn State and Kentucky, followed by Nebraska and Missouri. The day started with a completely different tone with sun blared down on Wrigleyville as Nebraska fans packed bars and restaurants well before noon, creating a sea of red that filled the stands. A sellout crowd of 43,067 — more than the attendance during the World Series — kept the vibes high in Wrigley Field.
Following an opening match where No. 3 Kentucky beat Penn State in a four-set Wildcat victory, the night’s marquee finale paired top-ranked Nebraska against Missouri. Missouri supporters embraced the challenge of competing with Nebraska’s large fan presence, noting it was kind of David vs. Goliath because they were outnumbered by a sea of red behind them, though everybody had been kind in a great atmosphere. However, weather conditions in Chicago quickly turned the outdoor showcase into a safety hazard. The Taraflex court built in the outfield of the Chicago Cubs’ iconic ballpark was unable to handle conditions and previous match activity. Slipping hazards emerged early, with players slipping and sliding in the first set of the nationally televised match.
Multiple Delays and Impromptu Fan Entertainment on the Field
As moisture accumulated on the temporary flooring, the initial stoppage prompted a frantic effort from players and stadium workers. Just three points into the opening set, everybody stopped, grabbed a towel and started to towel off the court. In the fourth set of the opening match, both Nittany Lions and Wildcats had begun to slip, and stadium officials started to mop the Taraflex court. While coming off the court after Kentucky’s win, coaches and players warned Nebraska and Missouri of the slick conditions as they went out for warmups.
Play resumed briefly, but conditions deteriorated again as the match was delayed twice and finally suspended because of excessive moisture on the court with Nebraska leading 11-7 in set one. Manaia Ogbechie and Andi Jackson each had two kills when the match was stopped again. During the second stoppage, players from both teams started a dance battle, then left the court and went back to the locker rooms. An announcement regarding a 15-minute break
was made to the 40,000-plus — more than the attendance during the World Series — while stadium workers continued to towel off the court in an attempt to start the match again, but play never resumed.
Player Safety Concerns Prompt Official Suspension
Anything that put her players at risk was scrapped. Busboom Kelly said she often asked her players if “they were good” to keep playing, and each time they gave a thumbs up.
“It was on its way to being a very, very epic moment for our sport. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate.”
Dani Busboom Kelly, Nebraska coach
You don’t want to see any injury and put any athlete at a risk for injury,” she added, stating that they kept looking at each other every time somebody would slip and realizing it probably was not going to work. Busboom Kelly also displayed her gratitude for the event setup and the energy brought by the mostly Nebraska-supporting Wrigley Field crowd, before stating flatly: This was amazing. I do not think outdoor is what we should be doing.
Unresolved Scheduling and Final Match Status
Players returned to the court and NU’s four seniors — Reilly, Harper Murray, Andi Jackson and Laney Choboy — addressed the Sea of Red inside Wrigley Field just after the suspension was announced at 10:35. The Big Ten released a statement shortly after confirming the suspension of the contest early in front of a sold-out crowd.
“Due to weather conditions affecting the court surface, Sunday’s volleyball match between Nebraska and Missouri has been suspended,” the release said. “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.”
The Big Ten
A decision on match continuation at the point of suspension will be announced at a later date.
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