Nebraska to play Iowa State in spring volleyball match at Sanford Pentagon in April
Posted: March 2, 2026
The Nebraska Cornhuskers volleyball team will make its Sanford Pentagon debut in April with a spring match against Iowa State.
First serve is set for 1 p.m. on April 11. Big Ten Network will televise the match. Tickets will go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com.
“This announcement rivals any of the epic events in the history of the Sanford Pentagon that we’ve had the privilege to host. Bringing this match to Heritage Court continues our commitment to delivering the best experiences for fans in Sioux Falls,” said Jesse Smith, vice president, Sanford Sports. “Thank you to Nebraska and Iowa State for taking their programs on the road and giving fans in South Dakota the opportunity to watch volleyball played at the highest level.”
The Huskers are coming off a 33-1 season and their third straight Big Ten Championship with a perfect 20-0 conference record. Iowa State, under head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch, who played at Nebraska from 1991-95, finished the 2025 season 23-8 (12-6 Big 12), reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
“We are very excited to play at the Sanford Pentagon,” Nebraska Head Coach Dani Busboom Kelly said. “I know our basketball programs have enjoyed their trips to Sioux Falls in recent seasons, and have had great things to say about their experiences. We’re looking forward to taking our volleyball program there for the first time and playing against a great team in Iowa State.”
“Thank you to the folks at the Sanford Pentagon for their support in making this happen," Johnson-Lynch said. "We are excited to play a great team in a great environment, and it will be a good measuring stick for where we are. We’d love to see Cyclone fans make the trip to Sioux Falls for the opportunity to see some high-level volleyball."
The last time Nebraska and Iowa State met was Sept. 9, 2018, a 3-0 Husker victory at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln. Nebraska and Iowa State have a history playing each other in the spring, as they met three straight years from 2012-14. The April 19, 2014, spring match at Iowa State’s Hilton Coliseum is the last time the Huskers played a spring match outside the state of Nebraska.
The Sanford Pentagon hosted two NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball AVCA First Serve matches in 2025, featuring eventual national champions, Texas A&M. The Aggies defeated Minnesota, and defending national champions Penn State defeated Kansas.
The Sanford Pentagon also hosted nine Division I basketball games in 2025, including three games featuring Nebraska and Iowa State. The Nebraska men defeated Oklahoma at the Pentagon on Nov. 15, 2025, while the Husker women were victorious over North Dakota State the following afternoon. The Iowa State men’s basketball team defeated Mississippi State on Nov. 11, 2025, marking the 100th NCAA Division basketball game at the Sanford Pentagon.
