Inaugural Opening Spike Classic to Test Volleyball Early in 2025 Season
4/17/2025 11:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Creighton to face Texas and Kansas in Madison
MADISON, Wis. (April 17, 2025) — The 2025 NCAA Division I women's volleyball season will launch with a blockbuster event as four of the nation's most elite programs converge for the Opening Spike Classic, a newly created event hosted by Wisconsin Athletics.
Held over Labor Day Weekend (August 29 & 31) at the iconic Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin, the Opening Spike Classic will showcase powerhouse match-ups between Wisconsin, Texas, Kansas, and Creighton — all programs with strong postseason pedigrees and a combined five national titles. Each match will be nationally televised live on Big Ten Network (BTN), while also streaming on the Fox Sports App.
Match Schedule (All times CT):
Friday, August 29
Sunday, August 31
With capacity for over 17,000 fans, the Kohl Center is one of the premier venues in collegiate athletics. The home of Wisconsin Basketball and Hockey will transform into a dynamic volleyball stage for this marquee event, offering fans a chance to witness early-season clashes between national title contenders.
"This event showcases our deep commitment to women's volleyball and providing our fans with unique and unforgettable experiences," said Mitchell Pinta, Deputy Athletic Director/Chief Revenue Officer for Wisconsin Athletics. "This is the perfect way to open the 2025 season — with passion, pride, and premier competition right here in Madison."
Fans interested in attending can complete this INTEREST FORM to indicate their preferred ticket packages — including Friday-only, Sunday-only, or both-day options, as well as premium seating. Pre-sale access to participating schools will begin Tuesday, April 29, with the general public on-sale launching Wednesday, April 30.
Fans can follow @Opening_Spike (X) and @OpeningSpikeClassic (Instagram) for more information as it becomes available.
Creighton's two matches in the Opening Spike Classic add to a difficult non-conference slate under new head coach Brian Rosen. CU opens the regular-season on Aug. 23rd against defending national champion Penn State in Lincoln, Neb., as part of the 2025 AVCA First Serve event.
Hear from the Coaches:
"We're excited to participate in the Opening Spike Classic and can't wait to play in a pair of tremendous match-ups in front of some of the most passionate volleyball fans in the country." - Brian Rosen, Creighton Head Coach
"What a great opportunity for our program to be a part of the Opening Spike Classic. Four of the top teams in our sport will be competing in front of a great fan base on national television. Our team will learn a lot about ourselves early in the season by playing Wisconsin and Creighton and seeing Texas. To compete for championships, we need to find matches and venues that challenge us at a championship level. That's exactly what we will get with this tournament. I want to encourage our fans to make the trip to Madison, WI for what will be one of the best weekends of volleyball in the country." - Matt Ulmer, Kansas Head Coach
"We are thrilled to participate in the Opening Spike Classic and represent the University of Texas against two of the premiere programs in the country in Creighton and Wisconsin. This is a great opportunity to play elite competition and challenge our program early in the season and I know my staff and players are excited for the opportunity." - Jerritt Elliott, Texas Head Coach
"We are certainly looking forward to kicking off the season with such a loaded field and to be able to do it in the Kohl Center will be fantastic. We have played two matches there recently and the fans have really responded and have made it an awesome environment and I think they'll really enjoy seeing the talent each of these teams will bring with them. It should be an awesome event!" - Kelly Sheffield, Wisconsin Head Coach
Held over Labor Day Weekend (August 29 & 31) at the iconic Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin, the Opening Spike Classic will showcase powerhouse match-ups between Wisconsin, Texas, Kansas, and Creighton — all programs with strong postseason pedigrees and a combined five national titles. Each match will be nationally televised live on Big Ten Network (BTN), while also streaming on the Fox Sports App.
Match Schedule (All times CT):
Friday, August 29
- 6:00 PM on BTN – Kansas vs Wisconsin
- 8:30 PM on BTN – Texas vs Creighton
Sunday, August 31
- 1:00 PM on BTN – Texas vs Wisconsin
- 3:30 PM on BTN – Kansas vs Creighton
With capacity for over 17,000 fans, the Kohl Center is one of the premier venues in collegiate athletics. The home of Wisconsin Basketball and Hockey will transform into a dynamic volleyball stage for this marquee event, offering fans a chance to witness early-season clashes between national title contenders.
"This event showcases our deep commitment to women's volleyball and providing our fans with unique and unforgettable experiences," said Mitchell Pinta, Deputy Athletic Director/Chief Revenue Officer for Wisconsin Athletics. "This is the perfect way to open the 2025 season — with passion, pride, and premier competition right here in Madison."
Fans interested in attending can complete this INTEREST FORM to indicate their preferred ticket packages — including Friday-only, Sunday-only, or both-day options, as well as premium seating. Pre-sale access to participating schools will begin Tuesday, April 29, with the general public on-sale launching Wednesday, April 30.
Fans can follow @Opening_Spike (X) and @OpeningSpikeClassic (Instagram) for more information as it becomes available.
Creighton's two matches in the Opening Spike Classic add to a difficult non-conference slate under new head coach Brian Rosen. CU opens the regular-season on Aug. 23rd against defending national champion Penn State in Lincoln, Neb., as part of the 2025 AVCA First Serve event.
Hear from the Coaches:
"We're excited to participate in the Opening Spike Classic and can't wait to play in a pair of tremendous match-ups in front of some of the most passionate volleyball fans in the country." - Brian Rosen, Creighton Head Coach
"What a great opportunity for our program to be a part of the Opening Spike Classic. Four of the top teams in our sport will be competing in front of a great fan base on national television. Our team will learn a lot about ourselves early in the season by playing Wisconsin and Creighton and seeing Texas. To compete for championships, we need to find matches and venues that challenge us at a championship level. That's exactly what we will get with this tournament. I want to encourage our fans to make the trip to Madison, WI for what will be one of the best weekends of volleyball in the country." - Matt Ulmer, Kansas Head Coach
"We are thrilled to participate in the Opening Spike Classic and represent the University of Texas against two of the premiere programs in the country in Creighton and Wisconsin. This is a great opportunity to play elite competition and challenge our program early in the season and I know my staff and players are excited for the opportunity." - Jerritt Elliott, Texas Head Coach
"We are certainly looking forward to kicking off the season with such a loaded field and to be able to do it in the Kohl Center will be fantastic. We have played two matches there recently and the fans have really responded and have made it an awesome environment and I think they'll really enjoy seeing the talent each of these teams will bring with them. It should be an awesome event!" - Kelly Sheffield, Wisconsin Head Coach
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