Wake Forest Athletics
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Deacs to Host Mississippi State in 2026 ‘Showdown at the Net’ ACC/SEC Challenge
4/24/2026 10:08:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Wake Forest will match up with the Bulldogs for a third time within series history.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest volleyball has a major non-conference matchup set for its fall 2026 schedule, as the Demon Deacons will face Mississippi State on Tuesday, Sept. 8 during the second edition of the 'Showdown at the Net' ACC/SEC Challenge. The contest will take place on the Deacs' home floor inside Varsity Arena, with first serve scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Network information will be announced at a later date.
ESPN Events announced the second year of the 'Showdown at the Net' which will feature 16 ACC volleyball programs matching up with teams from the SEC through two days of competition (Sept. 8-9).
Wake Forest will look to stay undefeated in the all-time series versus Mississippi State, having taken the first two meetings in 3-0 sweeps. The two sides last met on Sept. 10, 2023 during the final day of the Kennesaw State Invitational.
This past fall, when the 'Showdown at the Net' made its debut, Wake Forest traveled to Tuscaloosa for a road test at the University of Alabama (Sept. 10, 2025), resulting in a five-set thriller.
Series History vs. Mississippi State
Series: Wake Forest leads, 2-0
Last Time: Sept. 10, 2023
Result: 3-0
About ESPN Events
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In the 2025-26 academic year, the 35-event schedule includes four early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, 10 college basketball events, the premiere regular season college softball and gymnastics events, as well as the Band of the Year National Championship. Collectively, these events account for over 400 hours of live programming on ESPN platforms, reaching 60 million viewers and attracting more than 650,000 annual attendees. Each year, the portfolio of events features more than 20 Division I conferences and hosts over 4,000 participating student-athletes. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.
Follow the Deacs
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | GoDeacs.com
ESPN Events announced the second year of the 'Showdown at the Net' which will feature 16 ACC volleyball programs matching up with teams from the SEC through two days of competition (Sept. 8-9).
Wake Forest will look to stay undefeated in the all-time series versus Mississippi State, having taken the first two meetings in 3-0 sweeps. The two sides last met on Sept. 10, 2023 during the final day of the Kennesaw State Invitational.
This past fall, when the 'Showdown at the Net' made its debut, Wake Forest traveled to Tuscaloosa for a road test at the University of Alabama (Sept. 10, 2025), resulting in a five-set thriller.
Series History vs. Mississippi State
Series: Wake Forest leads, 2-0
Last Time: Sept. 10, 2023
Result: 3-0
About ESPN Events
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In the 2025-26 academic year, the 35-event schedule includes four early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, 10 college basketball events, the premiere regular season college softball and gymnastics events, as well as the Band of the Year National Championship. Collectively, these events account for over 400 hours of live programming on ESPN platforms, reaching 60 million viewers and attracting more than 650,000 annual attendees. Each year, the portfolio of events features more than 20 Division I conferences and hosts over 4,000 participating student-athletes. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.
Follow the Deacs
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | GoDeacs.com
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