Big Ten Volleyball: Purdue, Nebraska Among 4 Participants in 'Broadway Block Party'

Purdue and Nebraska will be headed to Nashville in August for a big-time volleyball event, according to a report from The Hastings Tribune. The Boilermakers and Cornhuskers are among four teams that will participate in the inaugural "Broadway Block Party," scheduled for Aug. 31 at Bridgestone Arena. The other two teams are Kentucky and Tennessee, both from the SEC.

According to the report, Purdue will play Tennessee and Nebraska will take on Kentucky. Each team is receiving $40,000 for participating in the event. The "Broadway Block Party" will be a double-header event, rather than a tournament format.

Both matches will air on ESPN.

Purdue concluded the 2024 campaign with a 27-7 mark, reaching the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive season. The Boilers went through major changes in the offseason via the transfer portal. There will be plenty of new faces wearing the black-and-gold during the 2025 campaign. Coach Dave Shondell will be entering his 23rd season at Purdue.

Nebraska is coming off a 33-3 campaign in 2024, reaching the Final Four. But there's been a major change in Lincoln, with coach John Cook retiring after 25 seasons as the leader of the Huskers. Dani Busboom Kelly — a former Nebraska player — is the new head coach after spending the previous eight years at Louisville.

Tennessee went 15-12 last year and made a postseason appearance. The Volunteers were defeated by Georgia Tech in the opening round. Kentucky finished with a 23-8 record and reached the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament.

More details regarding the event will be released at a later date.