Texas Volleyball will travel to Las Vegas for the inaugural Players Era Challenge, where the Longhorns are set to face Texas Christian University on Saturday, Aug. 29, and Nebraska on Sunday, Aug. 30, at T-Mobile Arena.
The matchup between Texas and Nebraska renews a notable rivalry in college volleyball. The two teams last played each other in the 2023 NCAA Championship match in Tampa, Florida, where Texas swept Nebraska to secure its second consecutive national title.
“Burnt Orange and Husker red in Vegas – the volleyball world will be watching,” said Texas head coach Jerritt Elliott. “We are beyond excited to rekindle the biggest rivalry in college volleyball as Texas and Nebraska meet on one of the biggest stages imaginable in Las Vegas. The passion, tradition, energy, and fan support behind both programs make this something truly special for the entire volleyball world. This is going to be an unforgettable atmosphere, and I encourage fans to get their tickets now because this event will sell out fast. Vegas. Texas. Nebraska. Prime time. The biggest rivalry in college volleyball.”
The Longhorns finished their 2025 season with a record of 23-3, advancing to the NCAA Regional Final for the eighteenth time in twenty seasons and finishing as runner-up at the Southeastern Conference Tournament. Nebraska ended its season with a record of 33-1 and also reached the NCAA Regional Finals.
Texas has won eleven of its last fourteen meetings against Nebraska since 2008 but trails overall with twenty-five wins compared to thirty-three by Nebraska; however, Texas leads neutral-site encounters six wins to five.
In addition to facing Nebraska, Texas will open play against TCU—the first neutral-site meeting between these teams—holding a historic advantage with twenty-five wins out of twenty-six games played against TCU and winning their last sixteen matchups overall. TCU concluded its most recent season with a record of 21-11 after advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for four straight years.
The Players Era Challenge is part of an extensive nonconference schedule for Texas that includes matches against Arizona State and Marquette at AVCA First Serve in Milwaukee; Louisville at Sprouts Farmers Market Broadway Block Party in Nashville; Southern Methodist University (SMU) as part of ACC/SEC Showdown at Net; Wisconsin at Moody Center on Sept. 13; before opening Southeastern Conference play on Friday Sept. 25 at Tennessee.
Start times, television information, and ticket details for these events will be announced later.
