Penn State announced on May 5 that its women’s volleyball team will participate in Spikes Under the Lights, a new showcase event scheduled for August 27 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Nittany Lions will join Florida, Nebraska, and Southern Methodist University for what organizers describe as a first-of-its-kind competition.
The event is notable for featuring a $1 million prize pool, which organizers say is the largest ever awarded in women’s college sports. This single-night tournament aims to raise the profile of collegiate women’s volleyball and will be broadcast live on a major television network that has yet to be named.
Spikes Under the Lights will use a best-of-three set format for all matches. The evening will include two semifinal games followed by a championship final. All contests are set to take place within a three-hour window beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern Time.
This marks the first time AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, will host an event of this kind focused on women’s collegiate volleyball. Organizers have not yet announced specific semifinal matchups among Penn State, Florida, Nebraska, and SMU.
Tickets for Spikes Under the Lights go on sale Friday, May 8 through www.spikesunderthelights.com. Additional details about television coverage and game pairings are expected to be released closer to the event date.
